Can my partner be included in a Distinguished Talent Subclass 124 application in 2026?
Yes — a partner can be included in a Distinguished Talent Subclass 124 application. According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs' official Distinguished Talent visa (Subclass 124) page, as of August 2026, you can include members of the family unit when you apply and can also add family before the Department decides the application. The same page records the partner relationship evidence required, including the rule that a de facto partner must be covered either by an Australian State or Territory registered relationship or by documents proving at least 12 months in the de facto relationship before you apply. One point to flag first: the official page states this visa is closed to new applications, so these rules apply to applications already before the Department rather than to new lodgements; if you are in Australia and hold an eligible visa, the page directs you to consider the Distinguished Talent visa (subclass 858). This article is general information only and does not constitute personalised professional advice — rely on the Department's current official information or a professional's advice for your own circumstances.
Does the Subclass 124 partner rule cover both married and de facto partners?
The official page's partner documents section is written to cover your partner's identity and relationship with you, and it asks for a marriage certificate if applicable. Married and de facto partners are both covered, but the documentary route differs: a married partner is supported by a marriage certificate, while a de facto partner must satisfy the registered-relationship or 12-month requirement set out on the page.
In both cases, the page also requires evidence that the relationship is genuine and continuing. The page states you can include members of the family unit when you apply, and that family members who apply for the visa must meet the Department's health and character requirements.
How does the de facto 12-month requirement work?
For a de facto partner, the official page says you must provide either:
- evidence that your relationship is registered by an Australian State or Territory, or
- enough documents to prove you have been in a de facto relationship with your partner for at least 12 months before you apply.
These are alternatives: meeting either one satisfies the de facto relationship evidence requirement recorded on the page. Suppose an applicant has lived with a partner for eight months and has not registered the relationship with an Australian State or Territory: on the page's wording, they would not yet have the 12 months of history required for the documentary route, so the registration route would be the other option recorded. The 12-month period is measured before you apply, not before the visa decision. Without one of these two, the page's de facto evidence requirement is not met.
What evidence shows a genuine and continuing relationship?
For both married and de facto applicants, the official page requires evidence that you are in a genuine and continuing relationship. The examples listed include joint bank account statements, billing accounts in joint names, joint leases or mortgages, and documents that show your partner has lived at the same address as you. The page says the evidence "can include but is not limited to" those items, so the list is illustrative rather than a fixed checklist.
Alongside that, the partner documents section asks for identity documents and photos, character documents, a marriage certificate if applicable, and documents about other relationships if applicable.
What else must your partner satisfy to be included?
Your partner is an applicant in their own right. The official page says you and any family members who apply must meet the health requirement, and family members aged 16 and over who apply must meet the character requirement; partner documents also include character documents.
Applicants aged 18 or over must have functional English or pay a second instalment. The official page lists the second instalment charge as AUD4,890, and says you should provide a statement of intention to pay the second visa application charge for each person aged 18 or over with less than functional English; the Department will tell you when to pay. Any family member included must also not owe the Australian government money unless it has been repaid or arrangements to repay have been made.
Can a partner be added after the Subclass 124 application is lodged?
Yes. The official page says you can add members of the family unit to your application after you apply but before the Department decides your visa, by completing Form 1436 - Adding an additional applicant after lodgement and attaching it to your ImmiAccount or sending it to the address used for the application. This matters if the relationship begins, or is formalised, after lodgement: the page also says you must tell the Department about changes to your marital or de facto status before a decision is made. Because the visa is closed to new applications, this addition process applies to an application already before the Department, not to a new lodgement.
Is the Distinguished Talent Subclass 124 visa still open to new applications?
No. The official step-by-step section of the Subclass 124 page states "This visa is closed to new applications." The about-visa section adds that if you are currently in Australia and hold an eligible visa, you may need to consider your eligibility for the Distinguished Talent visa (subclass 858). The partner inclusion and evidence rules above come from the same official page and describe how the Department treats partners on applications for this visa.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my de facto partner be included if we have been together for less than 12 months?
The official page requires a de facto partner to be covered either by an Australian State or Territory registered relationship or by documents proving at least 12 months in the de facto relationship before you apply. If the relationship is shorter than 12 months and not registered, the recorded requirement is not met. This is general information, so confirm the current official wording for your situation.
Do I still need relationship evidence if we are married?
Yes. A married partner requires a marriage certificate if applicable, plus identity and character documents, and the page also requires evidence that the relationship is genuine and continuing. The listed examples include joint bank account statements, joint billing accounts, joint leases or mortgages, and documents showing the same address.
What documents does the Department list for a genuine and continuing relationship?
The official page gives examples including joint bank account statements, billing accounts in joint names, joint leases or mortgages, and documents that show your partner has lived at the same address as you. It states the evidence "can include but is not limited to" those items, so the examples are not an exhaustive checklist.
Can I add my partner after I have already lodged the application?
Yes, you can add members of the family unit after lodging but before the Department decides the visa, using Form 1436 - Adding an additional applicant after lodgement. The page also says you must notify the Department of changes to your marital or de facto status before a decision is made.
Does my partner have to meet health and character requirements?
Yes. Family members who apply for the visa must meet the health requirement, and family members aged 16 and over must meet the character requirement. The partner documents section also lists character documents as part of what you need to provide.
Is there an extra charge if my partner does not have functional English?
Applicants aged 18 or over who cannot provide evidence of functional English may have to pay a second instalment, and the official page lists that charge as AUD4,890. The page says you should provide a statement of intention to pay the second instalment for each person with less than functional English, and it will tell you when to pay.