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If you have been made bankrupt by a court order (sequestration order), please contact us at info@afsa.gov.au or on 1300 364 785 to request a copy of the Statement of Affairs form, or you can obtain a copy from your trustee.
For more information visit A creditor has made me bankrupt.
This page has information about how to complete your Bankruptcy Form if you can’t submit your form using Online Services.
If you’re unable to submit your Bankruptcy Form online, you need to do the following:
- contact us to request a copy of the paper form
- make sure you’ve completed all sections
- sign the declaration in section L if you’re posting the form yourself
- have your proof of identity verified by an authorised witness
- submit the form by post to:
Australian Financial Security Authority
GPO Box 1550
ADELAIDE SA 5001
Examples of completed Bankruptcy Forms
How do I complete my declaration?
Complete Section L of the Bankruptcy Form – Declaration of applicant.
Step 1: Print your full name.
Step 2: Make sure you have read the prescribed information on page iii of the Bankruptcy Form.
Step 3: Mark each box in the Declaration of applicant section to confirm that you have:
- read the prescribed information
- provided correct and complete information in your Bankruptcy Form.
Step 4: Sign and date the form (we must receive your form within 28 days of the date you signed your form).
Step 5: Have your proof of identity verified by an authorised witness. See steps below for how to do this.
Figure 1 The sections you must complete on Section L of the bankruptcy form.
How to have an authorised witness confirm my identity?
For AFSA to accept your Bankruptcy Form, an authorised witness must verify your identity in person. This means you need to take your form and original identity documents to an authorised witness to complete your identity check.
A full list of authorised witnesses is available on the Attorney-General's Department website.
If a registered trustee or financial counsellor is helping you complete your Bankruptcy Form, they may also verify your proof of identity declaration. They must include the following as their qualification:
- Registered trustee: Practitioner Registration Number.
- Financial counsellor: financial counsellor National Registration Number.
You must provide a minimum of 60 points of identification. See Proof of Identity below for details on the types of identification you can use.
Step 1: The authorised witness must complete the Declaration of authorised witness section of your declaration by sighting your proof of identity documents equal to 60 points (or more) and marking the check boxes for each document.
Step 2: The authorised witness must sign and date the declaration. They must also enter their name, qualification, phone number and contact address.
Note: We may not accept your Bankruptcy Form if the declaration is not completed correctly.
Figure 2 The sections the authorised witness must complete on Section L or Section M of the bankruptcy form.
Completing the Bankruptcy Form on behalf on someone else?
In some situations, it may be possible to complete a Bankruptcy Form for another person. A person can complete the Bankruptcy Form on behalf of someone else only if the applicant is:
- blind, partially sighted, illiterate or partially literate
- non-English speaking or
- physically unable to complete the form.
For more information on this process see Complete a Bankruptcy Form on behalf of someone else.
Proof of Identity documents
You need to provide a minimum of 60 points of identification. See the below list of points and identity documents you can use.
| 60 points |
| Prisoners ID |
| 50 points |
| Australian Passport (current) |
| Australian citizenship certificate |
| Full Australian birth certificate (not extract) |
| Foreign Passport (current) |
| Certificate of Identity issued by the Australian Government to refugees and non-Australian citizens for entry to Australia |
| 30 points |
| Government issued age card |
| Australian driver's licence |
| Centrelink card (with reference number) |
| Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) card |
| Australian tertiary student card (current) |
| Photo identification card issued from Australian regulatory purposes (e.g. Aviation/Maritime Security Identification) |
| Government employee ID (Australian Federal/State/Territory) |
| Defence Force Identity Card (with photo or signature) |
| Birth certificate extract |
| 20 points |
| Medicare card |
| Credit / Debit card |
| Bank statement |
| Utility bill (less than 12 months old) |
| Change of name certificate (Registry issue only) |
| Property lease agreement - current address |
| Taxation assessment notice |
| Australian mortgage documents |
| Land Rates notice |
Suppression of information from the NPII
If your safety is at risk, you can request to hide your address on the National Personal Insolvency Index (NPII).
We cannot hide your name and date of birth.
A request can be made in writing and attached to your bankruptcy application
For more information on suppression information on the NPII please see - Can I hide my details that appear on the National Personal Insolvency Index?