Subclass 124 in 2026: functional English and the second visa application charge
If you don't have functional English, you can still be granted the Distinguished Talent visa (subclass 124) — you will just have to pay a second instalment of the visa application charge, set at AUD 4,890, and you pay it only after the Department of Home Affairs sends you the invoice. That is how the rule reads on the Department of Home Affairs' Distinguished Talent visa (subclass 124) page as of August 2026. What follows is general information about how those published requirements fit together, not an assessment of any individual case; where your own record is at stake, go by the official page as currently published or by advice from a qualified professional.
Do I need functional English to be granted subclass 124?
Applicants aged 18 or over at the time of application must have functional English, or pay the extra charge known as the second instalment. The requirement is written as an either/or: English ability is not a bar to the visa, it is a pricing trigger.
Applicants under 18 are outside the rule, since it is framed around applicants "aged 18 or over". The same logic applies to the visa as a whole — subclass 124 is a permanent visa, and the Department's eligibility list also covers nomination, an internationally recognised record of achievement, health, character and the Australian values statement, but only the English limb carries a fee consequence.
One point of timing worth noting: the official step-by-step section for this visa states that it is closed to new applications, so check the current status on the page before planning around the English requirement at all.
How much is the second instalment, and who pays it?
The second instalment is AUD 4,890, and it is charged per affected applicant rather than once per application. The Department describes it as an extra fee for "any applicant 18 years old or older who has less than functional English" — which means a partner or other family member included in your application can generate a second instalment of their own.
| Applicant | Functional English? | What the published rule does |
|---|---|---|
| Main applicant, 18 or over | Yes | No second instalment |
| Main applicant, 18 or over | No | Second instalment of AUD 4,890 |
| Family member 18 or over, applying with you | No | A second instalment for that person |
| Anyone under 18 in the application | Not required | No second instalment on the English ground |
When do I actually pay it?
You pay when the Department sends you the invoice, and not before. The official guidance is unusually explicit on this: the Department will advise you when to pay, and you are told not to ask for the invoice. There is no step in the published process where an applicant requests the second instalment themselves.
At lodgement, the obligation is lighter. If you or a family member applying with you have less than functional English, you provide a statement indicating your intention to pay the second visa application charge for each person in that position. The demand for money comes later, on the Department's timetable rather than yours.
Assume an applicant lodges with a partner who cannot evidence functional English: the application carries a declaration of intent to pay for the partner, the case is assessed, and if the Department decides the English ground is met by payment, an invoice for that person follows. Nothing in the published process lets the couple pre-pay or accelerate it.
Will the Visa Pricing Estimator show this cost?
No. The Department states that the Visa Pricing Estimator does not take into account the second instalment or other costs, so any figure it produces for subclass 124 sits alongside the possible AUD 4,890 rather than including it. The estimator also does not cover health examinations, police certificates or biometrics, which the page lists as separate possible expenses.
Separately, the Department says it cannot process an application if the correct visa application charge is not paid, and that it will notify you and, if necessary, return the application. That rule is stated for the visa application charge generally; the second instalment is handled through the invoice step instead.
What should I lodge if I can't evidence functional English?
Two things are worth separating in your document set. If you can evidence functional English, provide that evidence with the application. If you cannot, the step-by-step guidance asks for a statement of intention to pay the second instalment, covering each person aged 18 or over who has less than functional English, and then to wait to be told when to pay.
The rest of the evidence burden is unaffected. Subclass 124 still turns on your record of achievement, your nomination, and your ability to establish yourself in your field in Australia; the English requirement sits alongside those criteria rather than replacing any of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the second instalment charged per person or per application?
Per person. The Department describes it as an extra fee for any applicant aged 18 or over with less than functional English, so a main applicant and an accompanying partner who both lack functional English would each attract the charge.
Can I pay the second instalment up front with my application?
The published process does not provide for that. You lodge a statement of intention to pay, and then pay when the Department sends the invoice; you are specifically told not to ask for the invoice.
Does not having functional English mean my subclass 124 application will be refused?
No. The eligibility requirement is written as functional English or payment of the second instalment, so the charge is the alternative route to meeting the criterion rather than a penalty that ends the case.
Is the fee refunded if the visa is refused?
The Department states it will not refund the application charge if an application is refused. Any question about amounts already invoiced or paid should be checked against the official page as currently published.
Does the Visa Pricing Estimator include the AUD 4,890?
It does not. The estimator explicitly excludes the second instalment and other costs such as health checks, police certificates and biometrics, so treat its output as a partial figure.
How current is the AUD 4,890 figure?
It is the amount stated on the subclass 124 page as of August 2026. Government charges change, so confirm the amount against the official page at the time you are invoiced.