Do you need functional English for Subclass 124 in 2026, and when is the AUD 4,890 fee charged?
Explains who must show functional English for Subclass 124, what the AUD 4,890 second instalment covers, and when the Department invoices it.
Yes. On the Distinguished Talent visa (Subclass 124), every applicant aged 18 or over must have functional English, or pay the second instalment of the visa application charge, which the Australian Department of Home Affairs sets at AUD 4,890. The charge is not paid at lodgement: the Department tells you when to pay it, and you pay once it sends the invoice. This reflects the Department of Home Affairs' official Distinguished Talent visa (Subclass 124) page.
That is the whole rule in one line, but two details decide how it plays out in a real application: whether English is an eligibility criterion that can be "switched off" by paying, and how the second instalment sits alongside the base charge.
Is functional English a strict criterion, or can money replace it?
It is a criterion with a payment alternative, not a waiver in the ordinary sense. The Department's eligibility criteria state that applicants aged 18 or over must have functional English or pay the extra charge called the second instalment in order to be granted the visa. In other words, the requirement is satisfied in one of two ways: evidence of at least functional English, or payment when asked.
The distinction matters because paying the second instalment does not change your obligations: you and your family members must obey all Australian laws, and the Department expects that you will contribute to Australia in your field of expertise. The charge addresses the English criterion only.
Who is caught by the AUD 4,890 charge?
The age threshold is the operative test: anyone 18 years old or older at the time of application who cannot provide evidence of at least functional English. The official page frames it per person rather than per application — an extra fee may apply for any applicant 18 or over with less than functional English, and the second instalment charge is stated as AUD 4,890.
That means the exposure is not limited to the main applicant. If a family member applying with you also has less than functional English, the Department asks for a statement indicating your intention to pay the second visa application charge for each person with less than functional English. So a hypothetical applicant with a partner and a 19-year-old dependent, none of whom can evidence functional English, should budget on a per-person basis rather than as a single AUD 4,890 line item.
When is the fee actually charged?
After lodgement, and only on the Department's timing. The official page is explicit on the mechanics:
- The second instalment is separate from the base visa application charge, which must be paid correctly or the application will not be processed.
- The Department says it will tell you when to pay the second instalment.
- You pay it when the Department sends you the invoice — and the page specifically instructs applicants not to ask for the invoice.
So there is no useful action available to accelerate the second instalment. The practical step is to lodge your intention correctly (see below), keep your ImmiAccount contact details current, and wait for the invoice.
Does the Visa Pricing Estimator show the AUD 4,890?
No. The Department's Visa Pricing Estimator does not take into account the second instalment or other costs. It also excludes the cost of health checks, police certificates and biometrics, which are listed separately as costs you might have to pay. Treat any estimator output as the base charge only, and treat the second instalment as a conditional surcharge that depends on the English evidence each adult applicant can provide.
What do you lodge about English at the time of application?
The document requirements split by what you can evidence:
- If you can meet it: provide proof you have at least functional English.
- If you cannot: provide a statement indicating your intention to pay the second visa application charge, for yourself and for any family member applying with you who has less than functional English.
The statement of intention is the disclosure step; the payment itself follows the invoice later. Declaring an intention at lodgement is not the same as paying, and it does not substitute for the invoice.
Two consequences worth pricing in
Refusal does not bring the money back. The Department states it will not refund the application charge if it refuses your application. The second instalment sits inside that same risk: it is a charge, not a deposit against a successful outcome.
The visa is closed to new applications. The Department's step-by-step section for this visa states that it is closed to new applications, and directs people already in Australia holding an eligible visa to consider the Distinguished Talent visa (subclass 858) instead. Anyone reading this as a live pathway should confirm the current status on the official page before relying on any of the figures here.
This article is general information about published criteria and charges, not personalised advice, and it is not a substitute for legal or migration assistance; because individual circumstances and policy settings change, confirm the current position on the Department's official pages or with a qualified professional before acting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need functional English for Subclass 124?
Applicants aged 18 or over must have functional English or pay the second instalment of the visa application charge. There is no third route described on the official page — it is evidence of functional English or the charge. Applicants under 18 are not subject to this criterion.
How much is the second instalment for Subclass 124?
The Department states the second instalment charge is AUD 4,890. It applies to any applicant aged 18 or over who has less than functional English, and the official wording points to a per-person charge rather than a single application-level fee.
Can I pay the AUD 4,890 when I lodge my application?
No. The Department tells you when to pay the second instalment and you pay it when it sends the invoice. The official page instructs applicants not to ask for the invoice, so the correct approach is to declare your intention to pay at lodgement and then wait for the invoice.
Does my partner or adult child also have to pay it?
If a family member applying with you has less than functional English and is 18 or over, yes — the Department asks for a statement of intention to pay the second visa application charge for each such person. Under-18 family members are outside the threshold.
Is the second instalment refunded if the visa is refused?
The Department states it will not refund the application charge if it refuses your application. Treat both the base charge and any second instalment paid as non-refundable on refusal.
Can I still apply for Subclass 124?
The Department's official step-by-step section states this visa is closed to new applications. People in Australia holding an eligible visa are directed to consider the Distinguished Talent visa (subclass 858) instead, and current status should be confirmed on the official page.