190 Visa Document Checklist: Health Exam, Police Clearance, Form 80, and More

The federal stage of the subclass 190 application — lodged with the Department of Home Affairs after state nomination — has a 60-day window from invitation to lodgement. That deadline is absolute. States will not re-nominate you in the same program year if you miss it.

Most of the documents listed below take longer to obtain than applicants expect. The time to start is not when you receive the state nomination — it's while you're still waiting for it.

The 60-Day Sprint: Why Timing Matters

After the state government nominates you, DHA generates an automatic Invitation to Apply (ITA). From that date, you have exactly 60 calendar days to lodge the full subclass 190 application through ImmiAccount.

Police clearances from some countries take 6–8 weeks. Medical appointments at panel physicians can book out 2–3 weeks. NAATI-certified translation services typically need 5–10 business days per document. If you start gathering these only after receiving the ITA, you'll be in trouble by day 45.

The practical approach: begin the document gathering process as soon as you're confident of receiving state nomination — not after it arrives.

Form 80: Personal Particulars for Assessment

Form 80 is a detailed personal history form required by DHA for character and background assessment. It covers every country you've lived in for 12 months or more, employment history for the past 10 years, personal relationships, and any criminal or civil history.

This form is long — typically 30+ pages when complete. Allow several hours to complete it accurately. Inaccuracies in Form 80 are a significant refusal risk; case officers cross-reference it against police clearances and employment documentation.

Key points:

• Include every address you've lived at, not just primary residences.
• Cover all countries where you've resided for 12+ months in the past 10 years — not just your country of citizenship.
• Employment history must align precisely with the dates and roles claimed in your SkillSelect EOI and employer reference letters. Any discrepancy draws scrutiny.
• If you were ever charged with a criminal offence — even if the charge was dismissed — this must be disclosed.

Form 80 should be completed carefully and reviewed by someone familiar with DHA documentation standards before lodgement.

Health Examination

All subclass 190 applicants (primary and secondary) must undergo a DHA-approved medical examination at a designated panel physician. You cannot use your regular GP. The examination must be completed at a DHA-approved Panel Physician or Panel Clinic and uploaded electronically to the eMedical system.

The standard examination includes:

• Physical examination
• Chest X-ray (for applicants over 11 years old)
• HIV test (for applicants over 15 years old)
• Syphilis serology in some cases

Validity period: Medical examination results are valid for 12 months. This is one of the most common s56 triggers in the current processing environment, where total processing time can reach 10–14 months. An applicant who completes their medical at the start of the 60-day window and then waits 11 months for DHA processing will receive an s56 request to redo the medical before the application can be finalized.

Strategic approach: complete your medical as late as possible within the 60-day lodgement window to maximize the 12-month validity period before DHA processing begins.

Police Clearance Certificates

You need a police clearance certificate (PCC) from every country where you've lived for 12 months or more during the past 10 years. This is not just your country of citizenship — it includes every country where you've held long-term residence.

Common sources of delay:

• India: Police clearances from India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or state police can take 6–8 weeks via post or in-person processes.
• Philippines: National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearances are often faster but may require a local agent if you're applying from overseas.
• United Kingdom: Police certificates from the ACRO Criminal Records Office currently take up to 10 weeks.
• United States: FBI Identity History Summary requests take approximately 8–12 weeks by mail.

Allow maximum lead time for any country with slow processing. Apply for clearances as early as possible — ideally while your state nomination is still pending.

Validity period: PCCs also have a limited validity window, typically 12 months. The same strategic timing consideration applies as with medicals — getting them too early means they expire during processing and trigger an s56.

NAATI Translation for Visa Documents

Any document not in English must be translated by a NAATI-accredited (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters) translator. This is a non-negotiable requirement — machine translations and non-NAATI translations are rejected.

Documents commonly requiring NAATI translation:

• Birth certificates (for non-English language original)
• Marriage certificates
• Educational transcripts and degree certificates
• Police clearance certificates issued in foreign languages
• Employment records or reference letters in foreign languages
• Bank statements in foreign languages

NAATI translation services typically cost $100–$250 per document and take 5–10 business days. For applicants with documents from India, China, the Philippines, or other non-English-speaking countries, the translation volume can be substantial. Budget this time and cost into your 60-day plan.

One important point: some countries issue official documents in multiple language versions. An Indian birth certificate issued in English by the relevant state authority does not require NAATI translation. A certificate issued in a regional language does. Know what you have before assuming.

Employer Reference Letters

DHA now requires substantially more than a simple reference letter from your manager. Current s56 requests make clear that case officers are demanding financial corroboration of employment claims.

A complete employer reference letter package for the 190 should include:

The reference letter itself, on official company letterhead, signed by a supervisor or HR manager, covering:

• Your full name and job title
• Exact start and end dates of employment
• Number of hours worked per week
• Remuneration (annual salary or hourly rate)
• Specific duties and responsibilities, mapped to your ANZSCO occupation description
• The signatory's name, title, and contact details

Supporting financial evidence to corroborate the letter:

• Payslips covering the entire employment period claimed
• Group certificate or tax assessment notices (ATO-issued) showing employer PAYG contributions
• Superannuation contribution statements from the superfund showing regular employer contributions during the employment period

The payslips and superannuation records exist specifically to demonstrate continuity. A claim of five years of skilled employment backed only by a reference letter — without payslips or super records — will trigger a Request for Further Information (s56) asking for exactly this evidence.

If you're self-employed, you'll need tax returns, ABN records, and business activity statements covering the claimed period.

Skills Assessment

Your skills assessment must be a full, permanent migration-purpose assessment — not a provisional assessment issued for a 485. The assessing authority depends on your occupation:

• Information and Communications Technology: ACS (Australian Computer Society)
• Engineering: Engineers Australia, IPENZ, or other relevant body by engineering discipline
• Nursing: ANMAC
• Accounting: CPA Australia, CA ANZ, or IPA
• Teaching: AITSL
• Trades: TRA (Trades Recognition Australia)
• Most other occupations: VETASSESS or relevant body

Check your assessment's expiry date. Skills assessments typically have validity periods of 2–3 years depending on the authority. An expired assessment breaks your points calculation.

English Language Test Results

IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, OET, or Cambridge C1 Advanced results are valid for three years from the test date. Ensure your test results will remain valid for the full expected duration of DHA processing after lodgement — not just valid on the day you lodge.

Putting It Together: A Simplified Timeline

The Australia Skilled Nominated Visa (190) Guide includes a full version of this checklist with document-specific validity tracking, common s56 triggers by document type, and detailed guidance on how to structure employer reference letter packages that satisfy current DHA verification standards.