Health-check fees, police certificate fees, translations and certified copies, biometrics or appointment fees, courier and postage, and travel to appointments are the common extras. They routinely add hundreds to thousands to the headline fee, and they apply per applicant in most systems.

In most countries, yes — each applicant pays the main fee and most associated costs, though some systems discount children or exempt very young ones. The honest move is checking the official fee schedule for your exact visa and family size, because the per-person multiplication is where budgets quietly double.

Most countries set validity windows on health checks and police certificates, commonly 3-12 months, because your health and criminal history are assessed as of the decision. Paying for them too early means paying twice if the timeline slips, so the practical habit is timing them to the application, not to the dream.