Can I open an Australian bank account before arriving?

Yes. The big four banks — CommBank, Westpac, NAB and ANZ — all let you open an everyday account online before you arrive, usually from 3 months out. You can transfer money to it immediately and get full access once you verify your passport in a branch.

What do I need to open a bank account in Australia?

Before arrival: your passport details and an expected arrival date. After arrival: your passport (and visa) at a branch for ID verification, plus an Australian address and phone number for your card and statements.

Do Australian bank accounts have fees?

Most everyday transaction accounts now have $0 monthly fees, especially for new migrants and students in the first year. Watch for international transfer margins and ATM operator fees instead — that's where the real costs hide.

Updated July 2026

Live in Oz · Guides

Open an Australian Bank Account Before You Arrive (2026)

You can open an Australian bank account online before you fly — the big four banks let you apply from about 3 months out with just your passport details. Transfer your savings in advance, land with money waiting, then show your passport in a branch to unlock full access. Everyday accounts are typically $0/month.

Which banks let me open an account from overseas?

All of the big four — CommBank, Westpac, NAB and ANZ — run migrant and student account programs you can start online before arrival. The process takes about 15 minutes: passport details, arrival city, expected date. You get an account number and BSB straight away, so you can move money before you board the plane.

Why open it before arriving?

Three reasons. Your money travels ahead of you, so you're not carrying cash or paying hotel-lobby exchange rates. You avoid the first-week scramble — real estate agents and employers ask for a BSB and account number almost immediately. And transferring to your own Australian account through a service like Wise usually beats airport and branch exchange rates by a wide margin.

What happens when I land?

Book a branch visit (or walk in) with your passport. The bank verifies your identity, activates full access, and orders your debit card to an Australian address. Until you verify, the account can receive money but you can't spend it — so do this in your first days.

What fees should I watch?

Monthly account fees are mostly gone — if a bank quotes one, ask for the fee-free everyday account or go elsewhere. The costs that actually bite: currency conversion margins on international transfers, foreign-card fees when you use your home card, and ATM operator charges at pubs and convenience stores. Use your bank's own ATMs and they're free.

Give the bank your TFN — but only the bank

Once your Tax File Number arrives, add it to your account. Without it, the bank must withhold tax from your interest at the top rate. Your bank, your employer, the ATO and your super fund are the only ones who ever legitimately need your TFN.

General information only, not personal migration advice.

⚡ Talk to our trusted migration partners

Yulia MoiseevaRegistered Migration Agent · MARN 1066715 · Queensland

RHS Legal — Rustam SandhuMigration Lawyer · MARN 1574649 · South Australia

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