Subclass 190 Visa Pricing Estimator 2026: What It Does Not Include
Why the subclass 190 Visa Pricing Estimator excludes the second instalment, health checks, police certificates and biometrics — and how to budget for them.
No — the figure the Visa Pricing Estimator returns for a Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) is not the full amount you will spend. According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs — Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) page, as at the July 2026 version of the official page, the Estimator "does not include the second instalment or other costs", and applicants "might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics". Everything below is general information rather than advice tailored to one person's case, so the final numbers should always be checked against the Department's latest published figures or with a registered migration professional.
What does the Visa Pricing Estimator actually calculate?
It works out the visa application charge for your particular application — main applicant plus any family members who apply with you. The Department's 190 page states what the visa costs for the main applicant and notes that concessions apply in limited circumstances, referring applicants to the Estimator for their own circumstances and family composition. There is also a charge for each family member included in the application.
That is the boundary worth holding onto: the Estimator prices the government's visa application charge. Everything that attaches to an application but is not that charge sits outside it.
| In the estimate | Outside the estimate |
|---|---|
| Visa application charge for the main applicant | Second instalment (English charge) |
| Charge for each family member applying with you | Health checks |
| Any concession applied in ImmiAccount | Police certificates |
| Biometrics |
Why is the second instalment excluded?
Because it is not a fixed cost of every application. The Department describes it as an extra charge for any applicant aged 18 or older who has less than functional English, and it is requested only if the visa is going to be granted. A tool that returns one figure for a given family composition cannot price a charge that depends on an individual's English level and on a decision that has not yet been made.
The practical consequence is a timing one: you pay the second instalment only when the Department asks for it, not at lodgement. It is a later cash-flow item rather than an upfront one, which is exactly why it is easy to overlook when budgeting from the Estimator's output.
How much is the second instalment?
The 190 page publishes one figure explicitly: the second instalment charge for family members is AUD 4,885. The page states that the charge applies to the main applicant as well but does not list a figure for the main applicant there, so that amount needs to be read from the official page or the Department's charges information rather than assumed from the family-member number.
Assume a hypothetical applicant who includes a partner and one adult dependent, where the dependent does not have functional English. The Estimator's figure covers the application charges; AUD 4,885 for that family member's second instalment is additional, and it is only billed if grant is imminent.
What other costs are not included?
Three categories are named directly on the official page:
- Health checks. Each applicant must meet the Department's health requirements, and the cost of the examinations sits outside the visa application charge.
- Police certificates. Character requirements apply to applicants, and certificates are obtained separately.
- Biometrics. Where biometrics are required, that is another separate cost.
Family composition drives all three. Adding a partner or dependent child after lodgement — which the page permits, as long as it happens before a decision is made — adds a visa application charge and can add health, character and biometrics costs for that person.
Who pays a lower visa application charge?
From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid application. The Department charges the lower cost during the application process in ImmiAccount and identifies eligible applicants by the valid passport used in the application. Family members are also eligible, based on the passport of the primary applicant.
The primary applicant must hold a valid passport issued by one of: Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, or Vanuatu.
Note what this concession changes and what it does not: it reduces the visa application charge the Estimator works from. It does not remove the costs the Estimator was never counting.
How do I turn the estimate into a working budget?
Start with the Estimator figure for your exact composition, then add the exclusions one at a time. Check whether any applicant aged 18 or over has less than functional English — if so, build in the second instalment, at AUD 4,885 per family member, and confirm the main applicant's amount from the official page. Add per-person allowances for health checks, police certificates and biometrics. Finally, separate the items by timing: application charges are due at lodgement, while the second instalment is only requested before grant.
Two cautions keep this honest. Government charges change, and the July 2026 snapshot above should be re-checked against the current page before you rely on any number. And the Estimator's silence on these items is a scope limit, not a statement that they do not apply to you.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Visa Pricing Estimator include the second instalment?
No. The Department of Home Affairs states on the subclass 190 page that the Estimator does not include the second instalment or other costs. The second instalment is charged separately, and only if the Department asks for it.
When is the second instalment actually payable?
Only when the Department requests it, and only in cases where the visa is going to be granted. It is not paid at the time you lodge, so it is a later item in your budget rather than an upfront one.
Who has to pay the second instalment on a subclass 190 application?
Any applicant aged 18 or older who has less than functional English. The charge is assessed per person, so it can apply to the main applicant, to family members, or to both, depending on each person's English level.
How much is the second instalment for family members?
AUD 4,885 per family member, according to the Department's subclass 190 page. The page does not publish a figure for the main applicant there, so that amount should be confirmed from the official source rather than inferred.
Are health checks, police certificates and biometrics in the estimate?
No. The 190 page lists health checks, police certificates and biometrics as other costs applicants might have to pay, separate from both the visa application charge and the second instalment. These are arranged and paid for outside the Estimator.
Does the Pacific Island and Timor-Leste concession cover family members?
Yes, from 1 July 2026. Eligibility for family members is based on the passport of the primary applicant, and the lower cost is applied during the application process in ImmiAccount.
Can I add family members after lodging, and does that change the cost?
Yes — the Department allows family members to be added after lodgement but before a decision is made. Each added person brings a visa application charge and may also bring health, character and biometrics costs, so the Estimator figure will rise.