How Much Does the National Innovation Visa (Subclass 858) Cost in 2026?
How National Innovation visa (subclass 858) costs work in 2026: main applicant, family members, the AUD 4,890 second instalment, and excluded costs.
As at October 2026, the Department of Home Affairs' National Innovation visa (Subclass 858) official page does not publish one fixed total for this permanent visa. The cost is built from a 'From' base charge for the main applicant (concessions apply in limited circumstances), a charge for each family member who applies with you, and a second instalment charge of AUD 4,890 for any applicant aged 18 or over with less than functional English. To get the exact base and family amounts, the Department points to the Visa Pricing Estimator, which does not include the second instalment, health checks, police certificates or biometrics. This article is general information only and not personalised immigration or legal advice, so confirm the current charges against the Department's latest official page.
How much does the main applicant pay?
The page states the cost 'From' a base amount for the main applicant, with concessions available in limited circumstances. It does not list that base amount as a separate fixed dollar figure outside the estimator, so the Visa Pricing Estimator is the tool to use for your own figure. Concessions are not universal; they apply only in the limited circumstances set out by the Department.
Is there a charge for each family member?
Yes. There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you. The page does not set out a dollar figure per family member in the cost line, and the estimator calculates it based on who is included. Family members who apply must also meet health and character requirements, whether or not they travel to Australia with you.
What is the AUD 4,890 second instalment charge, and who pays it?
Applicants aged 18 years and older at the time of application must show at least functional English. If an applicant does not have functional English, the second instalment charge applies, and it is AUD 4,890. The charge is called the second instalment charge, and it applies to each such applicant, not to the application as a whole. If you would rather pay the second instalment than provide functional English evidence, you must tell the Department through ImmiAccount and provide a statement showing your intention to pay for each person with less than functional English.
When do you pay the second instalment?
You pay it only when the Department asks you to, and the Department asks only if it is going to grant the visa. It is not part of the charge you pay to lodge the application. The Department will tell you when to make the payment.
What does the Visa Pricing Estimator leave out?
The estimator works out the visa application charge, but it does not take into account the second instalment or other costs. Those other costs include health checks, police certificates and biometrics. You need to budget for them separately, because they sit outside the visa application charge shown by the estimator.
Do Pacific Island and Timor-Leste applicants pay less from 1 July 2026?
From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid visa application. The Department charges the lower cost during the application process in ImmiAccount and recognises eligible applicants by the valid passport from the specified countries used in the application. Family members are also eligible for the lower cost, and eligibility is based on the passport of the primary applicant (or the visa holder who satisfies the primary visa criteria). 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the National Innovation visa (subclass 858) for the main applicant?
The Department's page lists the cost as a 'From' amount for the main applicant, with concessions in limited circumstances, and does not publish a separate fixed total. The exact base figure is worked out through the Visa Pricing Estimator. Concessions are limited, so most applicants should budget for the standard charge shown by the estimator.
Is there a fee for adding family members to a subclass 858 application?
Yes. There is a charge for each family member who applies with you. The per-person amount is not set out as a dollar figure on the page and is calculated by the estimator based on who is included in the application. Family members must also meet health and character requirements regardless of whether they accompany you to Australia.
What is the second instalment charge for subclass 858?
It is AUD 4,890, payable for any applicant aged 18 or over who has less than functional English. It is called the second instalment charge and is separate from the base visa application charge. You pay it only if the Department asks, and only if the visa will be granted.
Does the Visa Pricing Estimator include health checks and police certificates?
No. The estimator does not take into account the second instalment or other costs, and those other costs include health checks, police certificates and biometrics. These are arranged and paid separately from the visa application charge, so they are not reflected in the estimator's output.
Do Pacific Island or Timor-Leste citizens pay a lower subclass 858 cost?
From 1 July 2026, eligible citizens of listed Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste who lodge a valid application pay a lower visa cost, recognised by the passport used. Family members also receive the lower cost, based on the primary applicant's passport. The lower cost is charged during the application process in ImmiAccount.
When is the second instalment charge paid?
The Department will tell you when to pay it, and you pay only when asked and only if the visa will be granted. If you prefer to pay it instead of showing functional English evidence, you must declare that intention through ImmiAccount and provide a statement for each person concerned.