diff --git a/ui-ngx/src/app/core/utils.ts b/ui-ngx/src/app/core/utils.ts
index e0665d4eb1..4c7a241931 100644
--- a/ui-ngx/src/app/core/utils.ts
+++ b/ui-ngx/src/app/core/utils.ts
@@ -999,11 +999,11 @@ export const validateEmail = (control: AbstractControl): ValidationErrors | null
   return emailRegex.test(control.value) ? null : {email: true};
 };
 
-export const requireMatch = (): ValidatorFn => {
+export const objectRequired = (): ValidatorFn => {
   return (control: AbstractControl): ValidationErrors | null => {
     const value = control.value;
-    if (value && typeof value === 'string') {
-      return { requireMatch: { value: value } };
+    if (value && !isObject(value)) {
+      return { objectRequired: true };
     }
     return null;
   };
diff --git a/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/country-autocomplete.component.html b/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/country-autocomplete.component.html
index 61a874431a..16018c7e75 100644
--- a/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/country-autocomplete.component.html
+++ b/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/country-autocomplete.component.html
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
   <mat-error *ngIf="countryFormGroup.get('country').hasError('required')">
     {{ requiredText }}
   </mat-error>
-  <mat-error *ngIf="countryFormGroup.get('country').hasError('requireMatch')">
-    {{ requiredMatchText }}
+  <mat-error *ngIf="countryFormGroup.get('country').hasError('objectRequired')">
+    {{ objectRequiredText }}
   </mat-error>
 </mat-form-field>
diff --git a/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/country-autocomplete.component.scss b/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/country-autocomplete.component.scss
index d1034b57f8..72de6174ba 100644
--- a/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/country-autocomplete.component.scss
+++ b/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/country-autocomplete.component.scss
@@ -17,11 +17,13 @@
   .mat-form-field-appearance-fill {
     .mat-mdc-form-field-icon-prefix {
       align-self: baseline;
+    }
+  }
 
-      & > * {
-        color: initial;
-        padding-left: 8px;
-      }
+  .mat-mdc-form-field-icon-prefix {
+    & > * {
+      color: initial;
+      padding-left: 8px;
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/country-autocomplete.component.ts b/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/country-autocomplete.component.ts
index 540a0f08cd..4bc49bbbb0 100644
--- a/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/country-autocomplete.component.ts
+++ b/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/country-autocomplete.component.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,18 @@
 /// limitations under the License.
 ///
 
-import { Component, ElementRef, EventEmitter, forwardRef, Input, OnInit, Output, ViewChild } from '@angular/core';
+import {
+  Component,
+  ElementRef,
+  EventEmitter,
+  forwardRef,
+  Input,
+  OnChanges,
+  OnInit,
+  Output,
+  SimpleChanges,
+  ViewChild
+} from '@angular/core';
 import { Country, CountryData } from '@shared/models/country.models';
 import {
   ControlValueAccessor,
@@ -26,7 +37,7 @@ import {
   Validator,
   Validators
 } from '@angular/forms';
-import { isNotEmptyStr, requireMatch } from '@core/utils';
+import { isNotEmptyStr, objectRequired } from '@core/utils';
 import { Observable, of } from 'rxjs';
 import { debounceTime, distinctUntilChanged, map, share, switchMap, tap } from 'rxjs/operators';
 import { MatFormFieldAppearance, SubscriptSizing } from '@angular/material/form-field';
@@ -56,7 +67,7 @@ interface CountrySearchData extends Country {
     }
   ]
 })
-export class CountryAutocompleteComponent implements OnInit, ControlValueAccessor, Validator {
+export class CountryAutocompleteComponent implements OnInit, OnChanges, ControlValueAccessor, Validator {
 
   @Input()
   labelText = this.translate.instant('contact.country');
@@ -65,7 +76,7 @@ export class CountryAutocompleteComponent implements OnInit, ControlValueAccesso
   requiredText = this.translate.instant('contact.country-required');
 
   @Input()
-  requiredMatchText = this.translate.instant('contact.country-required-match');
+  objectRequiredText = this.translate.instant('contact.country-object-required');
 
   @Input()
   autocompleteHint: string;
@@ -111,15 +122,25 @@ export class CountryAutocompleteComponent implements OnInit, ControlValueAccesso
               private countryData: CountryData,
               private translate: TranslateService) {
     this.countryFormGroup = this.fb.group({
-      country: ['', requireMatch()]
+      country: ['', objectRequired()]
     });
   }
 
-  ngOnInit(): void {
-    if (this.required) {
-      this.countryFormGroup.get('country').addValidators(Validators.required);
-      this.countryFormGroup.get('country').updateValueAndValidity();
+  ngOnChanges(changes: SimpleChanges) {
+    if (changes.required) {
+      const requiredChanges = changes.required;
+      if (requiredChanges.currentValue !== requiredChanges.previousValue) {
+        if (requiredChanges.currentValue) {
+          this.countryFormGroup.get('country').addValidators(Validators.required);
+        } else {
+          this.countryFormGroup.get('country').removeValidators(Validators.required);
+        }
+        this.countryFormGroup.get('country').updateValueAndValidity();
+      }
     }
+  }
+
+  ngOnInit(): void {
     this.filteredCountries = this.countryFormGroup.get('country').valueChanges.pipe(
       debounceTime(150),
       tap(value => {
@@ -190,12 +211,10 @@ export class CountryAutocompleteComponent implements OnInit, ControlValueAccesso
     const value = control.value;
 
     if (value && typeof value === 'string') {
-      const filterValue = value.trim().toLowerCase();
-      const foundCountry = this.allCountries.find(c => c.name.toLowerCase() === filterValue);
-
-      if (foundCountry) {
-        control.setValue(foundCountry);
-        this.autocompleteTrigger.closePanel();
+      const foundCountry = this.fetchCountries(value);
+      if (foundCountry.length === 1) {
+        control.setValue(foundCountry[0]);
+        this.autocompleteTrigger?.closePanel();
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/ui-ngx/src/assets/locale/locale.constant-en_US.json b/ui-ngx/src/assets/locale/locale.constant-en_US.json
index 80395efea2..6b70ac45d6 100644
--- a/ui-ngx/src/assets/locale/locale.constant-en_US.json
+++ b/ui-ngx/src/assets/locale/locale.constant-en_US.json
@@ -1194,7 +1194,7 @@
     "contact": {
         "country": "Country",
         "country-required": "Country is required.",
-        "country-required-match": "Please select a valid country from the list.",
+        "country-object-required": "Please select a valid country from the list.",
         "city": "City",
         "state": "State / Province",
         "postal-code": "Zip / Postal Code",