How to Estimate Australia 190 Visa Cost in 2026
The fastest way to estimate the cost of a Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) is the Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator, but the number it returns is not your total spend. According to the Department of Home Affairs Skilled Nominated visa (Subclass 190) official page (as of the July 2026 version of that page), the estimator covers the visa application charge only — it does not include the second instalment, health checks, police certificates or biometrics. Treat the estimator as your government-fee floor, then add the other items yourself.
What does the Visa Pricing Estimator actually include?
The official page states that the visa costs a set amount for the main applicant (concessions apply in limited circumstances), plus a charge for each family member who applies with you, and directs applicants to the Visa Pricing Estimator to work out what their visa will cost.
Two things follow from that. First, the headline figure is a per-person structure, not a flat household price: a partner or dependent child included in the application adds a separate charge. Second, the published amount moves with indexation and concessions, so the estimator — not a figure copied from a blog or a forum thread — is what tells you the charge that applies to your circumstances at the time you lodge.
What does the estimator leave out?
The page is explicit: the Visa Pricing Estimator does not include the second instalment or other costs, and says you might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.
| Cost component | What the official page says | In the estimator? |
|---|---|---|
| Visa application charge (main applicant) | Set charge, concessions in limited circumstances | Yes |
| Charge per family member applying with you | Additional | Yes |
| Second instalment (applicants 18+ without functional English) | Charged only if asked, only if the visa will be granted | No |
| Health checks | May be required | No |
| Police certificates | May be required | No |
| Biometrics | May be required | No |
Health and character checks are also listed on the same page as factors that affect how long a decision takes, which is a useful reminder that these are separate processes with their own providers, prices and waits — none of which sit inside the visa charge.
What is the second instalment, and when is it paid?
The second instalment is an extra charge that may apply to any applicant aged 18 or over who has less than functional English. Per the official page, you pay it only when the department asks, and the department asks only if it is going to grant the visa. For family members, the second instalment charge is AUD 4,885.
That timing matters for budgeting. Because the request arrives late in the process, it is easy to treat the estimator's output as settled and be caught short afterwards. If a member of your family unit is 18 or over and does not meet the functional English threshold, the AUD 4,885 figure belongs in your planning from day one.
Does everyone pay the same base charge?
No. The official page sets out a cost concession for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste visa applicants: from 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible citizens who lodge a valid visa application. The lower cost is charged during the application process in ImmiAccount, and eligibility is recognised from the valid passport used in the application.
The primary applicant must hold a valid passport issued by one of these countries:
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Fiji
- Kiribati
- Nauru
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Republic of the Marshall Islands
- Samoa
- Solomon Islands
- Timor-Leste
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
Family members are also eligible for the lower visa cost, based on the passport of the primary applicant (or the visa holder who satisfies the primary visa criteria). The page also notes a separate, narrower concession on the main applicant's charge in limited circumstances — worth checking against your own situation rather than assuming it applies.
How should I build a 190 budget that does not run short?
Work in two layers. The first layer is the government charge: run the Visa Pricing Estimator for your exact household composition, including every family member you intend to include when you lodge, since the page confirms you can include members of the family unit at lodgement or add them before a decision is made.
The second layer is everything the estimator excludes. Set aside money for health checks and police certificates for each applicant who needs them, biometrics if requested, and the second instalment for any applicant aged 18 or over who does not meet functional English — AUD 4,885 per family member. Assume, hypothetically, an applicant with a partner and one adult dependent: the estimator gives the government charge for three people, and the second layer adds three sets of third-party checks plus any second instalment the department later requests.
This article is general information about published visa costs, not personalised advice, and the charges that apply to you depend on your circumstances and on what the department has published at the time you apply — check the official page before relying on any figure.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Visa Pricing Estimator show the full cost of a 190 visa?
No. The Department of Home Affairs states on the subclass 190 page that the estimator does not include the second instalment or other costs, including health checks, police certificates and biometrics.
How much is the second instalment for family members?
AUD 4,885 per family member, according to the official subclass 190 page. It applies to applicants aged 18 or over who have less than functional English.
When do I have to pay the second instalment?
Only when the department asks you to, and it asks only if it is going to grant the visa. You should budget for it early even though the request comes late.
Is there a reduced visa cost for Pacific Island or Timor-Leste applicants?
Yes. From 1 July 2026, a lower visa cost applies to eligible citizens who lodge a valid application, based on the primary applicant holding a valid passport from one of the listed countries; family members also qualify.
Does adding a partner or child change the visa cost?
Yes. The official page states there is a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you, so the estimator should be run for your full household rather than for the main applicant alone.
Are health checks and police certificates part of the visa application charge?
No. They are listed separately as other costs you might have to pay, and they are not included in the estimator's output.