Purpose
A Statutory Declaration ("Stat Dec") is a sworn legal oath governed by legislation such as the Statutory Declarations Act 1959 (Cth) and equivalent state acts. Unlike a standard form, partial compliance equals non-compliance a single missing page, unqualified witness, or illegible scan invalidates the entire document.
This playbook ensures first-time-right submissions by combining clear candidate guidance, optimised platform configuration, and AI-assisted verification. The goal is to reduce your time-to-fill by eliminating the preventable change requests that account for the majority of delays in this check.
Biggest Reasons for Slow Time to Compliance and Recommendations
Key insight: The fastest-performing customer achieves 0 days submission-to-approval with only a 20% change request rate. They use AI Pack 2 with auto-approve and auto-rejection, combined with clear candidate instructions and a policy-level rule. This proves that the right configuration can virtually eliminate processing delays.
Here's what's driving the most delays across Statutory Declaration Checks and specific changes that will have the most impact on your time to compliance. Each recommendation is grounded in what the best-performing customers are already doing.
Rejection Reason | Frequency | Impact on Time to Fill | Platform Configuration | Why This Reduces Time to Fill |
Wrong declaration boxes ticked | 🔴 Highest | Candidates tick the wrong boxes (stating they are not a citizen when in fact they are a citizen, for example). | Include a "Sample Completed Stat Dec" thumbnail with green highlights on required fields and red markers on commonly missed signature/witness sections. | Visual benchmarks reduce "incomplete/incorrect field" and "missing signature" errors two of the most common rejection reasons. Customers with clear visual guidance see fewer resubmissions. |
Poor document quality (blurry images, glare) | 🔴 High | Each change request can add several days as candidates must retake and re-upload. | Provide a role-specific, detailed instruction block at the point of upload. List all 5 mandatory criteria explicitly before the candidate begins, including document quality must be high-resolution and free of glare or shadows. | Candidates who understand requirements upfront submit correct documents the first time. This directly reduces the change request rate. |
Missing pages (e.g. only the witness list page uploaded) | 🔴 High | Candidates often don't realise the form has multiple pages, causing a full resubmission cycle. | Allow candidates to upload multiple pages in a single submission rather than requiring a single combined file. | Reduces the "missing pages" rejection rate by making it easier for candidates to include all pages of their Stat Dec. |
Unqualified or missing witness details | 🔴 High | Candidates must find a new witness and start again, often the longest single delay. | Display the qualified witness requirement with a direct link to the relevant witness e.g. a JP register for the candidate's state/territory. | Unqualified witnesses are one of the highest-frequency rejection reasons and the most time-consuming to fix (candidates must find a new witness and re-do the entire document). |
Wrong form version or non-customer-issued template | 🟠 Medium | Requires downloading the correct form and completing from scratch. | Attach the customer-issued template directly in the description and include "You must use the form provided, other stat dec templates will not be accepted”. | Eliminates candidates sourcing their own templates from Google or using old versions. Having the correct form one click away removes the friction of finding it and prevents rework from scratch. |
Platform Configuration — Recommended Settings
Configure your system to enforce total document integrity at the point of upload.
Setting | Recommended Value | Rationale |
Number of checks | 1–2 depending on Stat Dec types required (e.g. Criminal History + Key Personnel) | Keep checks focused on a single declaration type to simplify candidate instructions |
Rules | Application | Adding a Policy rule ensures the check is enforced consistently. |
Multiple documents | Enabled | All top-performing customers have this enabled. It reduces missing-page rejections. |
AI Features | Autofill | AI enables quick processing for clean submissions. Only exceptions require human review. |
💡 Interested in upgrading the AI Pack for your check? Reach out to your Account Manager.
Recommended Candidate-Facing Description
Use the following standardised text at the point of upload. Adjust the form link and jurisdiction as needed.
Please download, print and complete this Statutory Declaration form.
We do not accept other templates or other documents.
All pages are included (usually 2–3 pages).
3. Nothing is left blank. Please complete all areas.
4. An authorised witness signs it (e.g. JP, lawyer, pharmacist, police officer) and prints their name, title, and signature.
5. Your upload is clear and readable (no blur, glare, shadows, or cut-off edges).
If any of the above is missing, processing will be delayed.
Recommended Visual Guidance
Attach a thumbnail of a correctly completed Statutory Declaration and annotate it with:
Pre-populate the form to show what a correctly completed Statutory Declaration looks like
Annotate all fields that must be completed (full name, date of birth, address, declaration text, date signed)
A callout showing what a qualified witness endorsement looks like (name, title, signature, date, and registration number if applicable)
Troubleshooting & Edge Cases
Scenario A: Candidate uploads hand-written notes or police check instead of Stat Dec
Scenario A: Candidate uploads hand-written notes or police check instead of Stat Dec
Situation: Candidate misunderstands the requirement and uploads an unrelated document.
Solution: The auto-rejection rule should catch this. Ensure your change request message is specific: "The document you uploaded is not a Statutory Declaration. Please download the correct form from [link] and complete it with an authorised witness." Include the direct download link in the rejection message.
Scenario B: Candidate declares a criminal conviction or foreign residency
Scenario B: Candidate declares a criminal conviction or foreign residency
Situation: The Stat Dec is correctly completed but the candidate has declared something that requires employer assessment.
Solution: This should route to Customer Review automatically (not approval or rejection). The employer must make the judgement call.
Scenario C: Key Personnel Stat Dec renewals triggering incorrectly
Scenario C: Key Personnel Stat Dec renewals triggering incorrectly
Situation: Staff with an existing Key Personnel Statutory Declaration are prompted to complete a new one despite already having a valid one on file.
Solution: Check the validity/renewal configuration. Ensure the expiry date is correctly set and that the renewal trigger is based on the actual document date, not the upload date. If the issue persists, escalate to support for a configuration review.
Scenario D: Candidate cannot find a qualified witness
Scenario D: Candidate cannot find a qualified witness
Situation: Candidate is in a remote area or cannot easily access an authorised witness.
Solution: Direct the candidate to their local post office, courthouse, or pharmacy, many offer free witnessing. Provide a link to their state/territory JP register. If the candidate is overseas, advise them on the equivalent process in their jurisdiction (e.g. notary public, consular officer).