Setting up a bank account in Australia
Anyone coming to live in Australia will, sooner or later have to set up a bank account.
Anyone coming to live in Australia will, sooner or later have to set up a bank account.
Bank accounts are fairly easy to open in Australia. You will need proof of identification such as a passport or driving licence, evidence of an address in Australia and as a precaution, a reference from your bank in your home country.
You will have a choice between a statement-based account accessed via a transaction card, or passbook account accessed over the counter.Most banks and ATMs (cash machines) will let you to withdraw from international bank accounts, provided your bankcard has an international symbol on it, such as Cirrus.
Once you have your Australian Tax File Number it is essential to provide this to your bank so that any interest paid to you is not taxed before you receive it.Many travellers find that setting up an Internet bank account makes managing bank accounts between countries much easier.
The leading banks in Australia include Westpac, Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, ANZ and St George. Some banks allow you open a bank account prior to arriving n Australia.
