joeyfr

Hi !

I searched the forum about my query, but I didn't find an accurate answer to my question.

It's (again !) a question about bank account opening. There is something I don't understand :

I will make my validation trip in September.
Did someone open a bank account during a validation trip (it's to say without a permanent address in Australia ?).

If I don't open a bank account during this trip, wouldn't be there a problem later with my identification (you know, the system with the 100 point for identification...) as my first entry would have been several months before ??

Thank you !

(and apologize because this question has surely been replied before !)

remmie1

Hi

We did our on our validation trip (as you say re: 100 points etc.) it was easy, just show passport with visa in and give UK address.

Let them know when you move here and are settled.

It made life easier when we first got here for good - having some dosh in there meant we could just get on with things.

tabby

Hi,

We opened our bank account with the ANZ from the UK. Just filled out form and sent off. Had a letter back confirming our details. Put our money in there just before we flew over for good, and just had to take our passports to our (pre-designated) local branch to access our money and get a bank card.
We were not charged any bank fees until the account was officially opened.

All went very smoothly

Cheers

joeyfr

Ok ! Thanks to all for your help !!

kevinbloomfield

See the other post about ANZ. I opened my account a few months ago and I'm getting charged $5 per month. I have not activated the account and I'm still in the UK.

sunnyskies

We printed up forms from the Commonwealth website, sent them off with copies of passports certified by our local LLoydstsb branch. This got us a transfer account opened in London. Then a couple of weeks before moving out here put money in the London account, which in turn gets transferred to Australia and makes your Aussie account live. They then prepare your 'keycard', which is just like our old cardcash cards before we used them as debit cards - it can be used in most shops as payment, but not over the internet.
We went into the branch on arrival, when our account became live and bank charges started from that time, and we were given the cards. Had to wait a couple of days before we could get an appointment with them though, so plan in advance and don't leave to the last minute like us!

remember whatever route you take, contact your current credit card companies and tell themyou are moving to australia. we didn't do this and nearly came unstuck when both our credit cards put the block on thinking it was unusual transactions.
Our bank card only gives us $800 day limit, which seems pretty standard, even though we have a lot of money in the account, so you will need a credit card until you get sorted properly here.