Can You Add a Partner or Child to Subclass 151 After Lodging in 2026?
Yes, you can. According to the Department of Home Affairs' official Former Resident visa (Subclass 151) page, you may include members of the family unit when you lodge and add them at any time before a decision is made — the page content is current as of August 2026. In practice that means a partner you marry after lodging, or a child who was left off the original Form 47SV application, can still be added, as long as you use Form 1436 Adding an additional applicant after lodgement, supply the relationship and identity evidence, and pay the additional application charge. What follows is general information about how the process is described on official pages, not advice tailored to your circumstances; forms, fees and requirements change, so confirm the details against the current official page before acting.
Is there a deadline for adding someone?
The cut-off is the decision, not a fixed date or a processing stage. The same government guidance states twice that changes can be made "before we decide on your application" — once under "Include family" and again in the after-you-apply steps. Once the visa has been decided, there is no mechanism described on this page for adding a person; the alternative route is sponsorship by the person who became a permanent resident, and this visa does include the ability to sponsor relatives.
That makes timing practical rather than calendar-based. Sending the addition early gives you room to deal with follow-up requests — health examinations, biometrics or further documents — while the file is still open.
How do you actually add a person?
The after-you-apply steps on the official page set out four things you must do together:
- complete Form 1436 Adding an additional applicant after lodgement
- send it to the email address the department gave you when you lodged
- include evidence of the person's relationship to you
- include other supporting documents, such as identity documents, and pay the additional application charge
Do not treat the form alone as the addition: the department's paper-lodgement instructions say not to send original documents, only certified copies, and the same caution reasonably applies here. Where you have imported the paper application into ImmiAccount, that is also the channel the page describes for uploading additional documents.
If the change is not a new person but a correction to what you already wrote, the form is different — Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers. A change of address, passport, marital status or the birth of a child is handled under the separate change-in-situation guidance.
What evidence do you need for a partner?
The official document list asks for a partner's identity documents, character documents, and any documents about other relationships, if applicable. On top of that, you provide either one of two things:
| You can provide | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Your current marriage certificate | Married partners, with no separate cohabitation period required |
| Documents proving a de facto relationship of at least 12 months before you applied | Unmarried partners; joint bank statements, billing accounts in joint names, joint leases or mortgages, and documents showing shared address are listed as examples |
The 12-month requirement is tied to the application date, which is worth noting if you add a de facto partner well after lodging: the reference point on the official page is "before you apply," not the date you submit Form 1436.
What evidence do you need for a child?
For each dependant under 18, the page asks for identity documents, proof of your relationship to them such as a birth or marriage certificate, and character documents if applicable. For a dependant aged 18 or older, the listed set is identity documents, documents about their other relationships if applicable, and character documents. Military service records or discharge papers are also requested for anyone included in the application who has served in the armed forces of any country.
A child born after you lodged is not simply another line on the form. The official page points to separate guidance for babies born after the application was made, and it lists the birth of a child among the changes you must report.
What does it cost?
There is a visa application charge for the main applicant and a fee for each family member who applies with you, and adding someone triggers an additional application charge. The specific amount is not stated here because government charges are indexed and change — check the current official pricing before you budget for it.
Two cautions from the same page matter more than the figure itself. The department says it cannot process an application if the correct charge is not paid, and it says the charge is not refunded if the application is refused. When you add someone, you are paying for that person's assessment, not buying an outcome. You may also face separate costs for health checks or police certificates; do not arrange police certificates until asked.
Does the new family member have to pass health and character?
Yes, and this is where additions most often create risk for the whole file. The official page states that family members who apply for the visa must meet the health requirement, and that family members aged 16 years or over must meet the character requirement.
If you applied from outside Australia, there is a further point that catches people out: family members who are not coming to Australia might also have to meet both requirements. Listing someone for completeness does not exempt them from assessment.
Under the Migration Regulations 1994, the effect of a family member failing these criteria is not confined to that person: where a member of the family unit does not meet the health or character requirements, the application as a whole can be refused. There is also an obligation that applies to everyone listed: if you or any family member owes money to the Australian Government, it must have been repaid or be covered by a formal repayment arrangement.
What happens after you send the form?
Expect silence rather than confirmation. The official page says the department does not acknowledge receipt of documents sent after lodgement, and that within standard processing times it does not provide progress updates — you are contacted if anything further is needed.
The listed reasons an application can take longer are directly relevant to an addition: incomplete forms, missing documents, requests for more information, and time spent verifying information. In other words, the quality of the Form 1436 package influences how smoothly the file moves, though the page is explicit that processing times are a guide only and not specific to any application. Health examinations and biometrics, if required, are requested when the department decides they are needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add my partner after we get married, if I already lodged?
Yes, provided the department has not yet decided your application. You would use Form 1436, provide your identity and character documents and your current marriage certificate, and pay the additional application charge.
We are not married. How much proof of a de facto relationship is needed?
The official document list asks for enough documents to show you have been in a de facto relationship for at least 12 months before you applied. Joint bank statements, joint billing accounts, joint leases or mortgages, and documents showing a shared address are given as examples.
My child is over 18. Can they still be added?
The page does set out documents for dependants aged 18 or older — identity documents, character documents, and documents about their other relationships if applicable. Whether a particular adult child qualifies as a dependant turns on the family unit rules, so check the current official criteria.
Do family members staying behind still get assessed?
If you applied from outside Australia, yes, potentially. The page says family members who are not coming to Australia might also have to meet the health and character requirements.
What if my baby is born after I lodge?
A birth after application is handled separately from Form 1436. The official page directs applicants to dedicated guidance on what to do when a child is born after you apply, and lists the birth of a child as a change you must notify.
Will adding someone slow down my application?
The page does not give a timeframe, and says processing times are a guide only. It does list missing documents, incorrect forms, requests for more information and verification delays as reasons an application can take longer.
Can I get the extra charge back if the visa is refused?
No. The official page states the application charge is not refunded if the application is refused.