confused.pom

Hi to all. This is out first post after months of stalking this site. Can I just say that this site is priceless as without it, and it's contributors, we would have been lost and I am sure others feel the same.

We are a family of 5, 3 kids 10 and under, who received our PR visas in August. We are in the midst of selling up in the UK and preparing to emigrate by the beginning of April.

I am an IT worker and my wife works part time for the NHS. Where we settle all depends on me finding work but Brisbane, maybe Redland Bay area , is our number one target although Sydney may be more realistic.

Can anyone please advise us on how to set up a bank account for use in Oz before moving. I have read on here that HSBC may do an account that you can start in the UK and then use in Oz but there were no exact details.

Thanks,
Brian and Jane

xLaLax

Hi there

We set ours up through Westpac online and have had excellent service from them up until now. Easy to do over the net, documents sent out within a couple of weeks and one of their representative has already called us to discuss our options and she is the one we contact if we have any questions.


Westpac ask you to identify yourself within 90 days of the account opening as we are not going to be in Aus by then we can do it via our own bank with forms. Until the identification is done then you can only deposit money into the account, no withdrawals are allowed.

They also called and offered us help with relocating our belongings.

Might be worth a try?

Lorraine

nimble

Hi, we have just set up an account with HSBC (we are with First Direct) so it was a painless process. Go into your local branch and they do it from there. The key thing was to get the process under way, so that we could get all our cards etc for Australia before we leave here.

Good luck!

Jackie

Kingseat

We called ANZ in the UK. They sent out a form which we completed and then we sent it back to London. Our accounts were open within days and we received a phone call from ANZ London to confirm that.

When we got here (Friday) we waited until the Monday and went into our local branch with our ID and letters we received from London. Accounts were fully confirmed within around 15 minutes and we had cards and pin numbers posted within 5 days of that Monday.

All very quick and easy.

GaryVFR8

Here is a link to the Commonwealth bank, Gives you all the details you need!!

http://www.commbank.com.au/personal/...a/default.aspx

The service I have had has been really good.

Gary

louie

We're with Westpac. It's easy enough to open an account http://www.westpac.com.au/personal-b...-to-australia/. Only a problem if you want to make withdrawals/transfers from the account before you move (ie to move funds to a savings account for example). Anti-money laundering regulations mean you have to do an identity check before you do this. It can be done in person at Westpac in the City of London.

This thread will tell you everything you need to know about opening a Westpac account.

graham wade

Because the exchange rate is so low we are looking at opening a multi currency account with HSBC leaving our money in the account here going to oz mid april as planned and then when the exchange rate picks up sending it to our fx agents which we have already set up to exchange at $2 to £1 and then shipping it to HSBC in oz if we can pull it off and if the bank will wear it will know more on wednesday as have an appointment with the bank so will keep you informed

Beachband

Very very true, I have an Anz account, have yet to activate it(set it up about 5 months ago, so maybe I have to start again) - pulling the trigger with the Irish to Oz exchange rate still feels a hard thing to do.

ABCDiamond

Forget HSBC now, they were worthwhile at one time, and an easy option. But now that the UK HSBC charges £100 to set it up, it just isn't worth it.

If you are looking at Redland Bay, go with the ANZ bank.
http://www.anz.com/aus/promo/internresaccount/
(This page will allow you to apply for and open an account prior to coming to Australia)

Good choice of area though

graham wade

ok just got back from the H.S.B.C and if you have more than 50k to deposit then the premier account is free

Scotty1

They will also allow you 6 months to deposit the £50k from opening, so if you have house sale proceeds that stretch this far its a good option. If you do qualify for this account the exchange rate (i think you get the mid market trading rate) you get by setting up the global transfer between the uk and oz accounts and doing it online is better than ozforex and hifx, or even hsbc's own fx dealer!