Rach & Den

Hi, I am currently looking into opening a Westpac Choice Account, to activate when we arrive in Perth in September. I have printed the forms off and under Section 2 - Customer details it states "If non-resident and no exemption certificate held, tick (✓) Yes . Withholding tax of 10% (rate currently applicable) is deducted from the interest income earned, if any, from your bank account balances."

We are arriving on a skilled independent visa (BN 136). Does anyone know what this statement exactly means. Are we non-residents until we actually arrive in country and activate the account? If this tax is deducted, is there any way in which we could get it back.

Any help appreciated, feeling a bit thick.

Denis.

FluffyTheCampfireSlayer

I have recently opened a westpac account online from the UK. What they are asking is do you hold Permanent Residency? Check your visa sticker - it would say 'permitted to remain in Australia indefinitely'.

You should know this anyway.

Rach & Den

Well I did think along those lines, but as I'm currently languishing in sunny (not) Wales, I thought that maybe I'd be classified as non-resident. I can tell you with this weather in (supposedly) summer, I don't feel like an Australian resident.

Thanks for the reply Fluffy.

Denis.

Techno Freak

We opened ours over the phone - it was a doddle.

Here is a link to post I made with step-by-step details.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...estpac+from+uk