tinaj

I went down to my local branch today to collect my ATM cards that HSBC said would be sent there. They weren't there. I also tried to pay in the $2000 aus dollars to open the account and they did not know anything about doing this. The clerk told me to come back on Monday when the Foreign Currency person is in!

Has anyone else opened their account and got all of the cards? We have the cheque book and the pin numbers, but no cards.

Wol

Can you say how you set up the account from the UK?

Does HSBC charge for AU$$ transfers in, and how much? I'm told that some charge a percentage - and when you sell your house and send across a large sum that hurts!

tinaj

Go to www.HSBC.com.au and you can set up the account online.

You will need to get an ID form filled from your bank which is the trickiest bit. They must have known you for 2 years. My bank refused to sign it, but luckily I knew someone else who works in a bank and they did it for me. You send off the form to Aus and then deposit $2000 at your local branch. You get 4.3 % interest approx)

I am not sure about the charges question- the HSBC site will probably tellyou.

Wol

Ta!

I might try them - I have a feeling they don't make exorbitant charges for transfers in, but I may well be wrong (usually am!)

tinaj

I meant to saylook for the Online Savings account- that is what they calll it. If you click on this it will tell you all the charges etc.

JaneandJim

HSBC charge £10 to transfer any amount from a UK HSBC (or First Direct) account to an Australian one.

Jane

karawara88

Its easier to open HSBC account when you get here, walk in with your passport, transfer cash from UK account and Bobs your Uncle, cards take about 5 days. Saves all the hassle that it takes to open in UK.

whisky

We have gone with the Commonwealth Bank in the end as we didn't find the HSBC very helpful.
We did it all by post, and last week I sent them a cheque to activate the account. Within a couple of days, I had a receipt back to say that they had recieved it and how much I had now got in Australian dollars.
Yesterday I had a letter sent by airmail, welcoming me to the Bank and giving us loads of info, and what to do when we get there.

Whisky

joh117

We opened ours from the UK but the HSBC in York sent the forms. The international banking centre sent a letter confirming it was open and then the cards were sent to our home address.

Jo

joh117

Just looked on the HSBC site and to transfer funds from the UK into an Online savings account with the HSBC is $25 per transaction by telegraphic transfer.

Lloyds bank in the UK charge £46 to send the funds

Jo

tinaj

Lloyds have always been a rip-off!


HSBC are the cheapest for charges but it is a bit of hassle setting it all up. I wanted to be able to tick another thing off of my list before I got there though.

Carrianne

Tina,

Do you have the 100 point check list for me that is of the site, just in case you had a copy, as we couldn't download it ?

Thanks

Carrianne