scottish_stu

Hi, im going to be arriving in Melbourne in 2 weeks for an interview and to apply for a 467 visa. Can you please tell me which is the best bank to open an account with? I wont have a tax file number straight away so can i still open an account without it? Im just looking for a simple everyday account maybe with a debit card function. Thanks again for your help.

Stu

happymoon

Hi Stu,

I'd try ANZ, they set up my account very quickly i did it from the UK

http://www.anz.com/aus/Personal/Movi...Us/default.asp

cheers,
mark.

Daydreamer123

BankWest is good and they still offer a totally fee free account. You do have to open it once you arrive in Oz though.

Just make sure whoever you go with you get a proper debit card and not EFTPOS - you can't use it online/overseas etc - a debit card is much more useful!

Wol

Like many others here I use HSBC for our transaction accounts and ING for savings accounts (they give better interest). The ING accounts are linked to the HSBC one, which itself uses one of those random number gizmos so is fairly secure.

Neither have any bank fees for the sort of use most of us have.

HSBC doesn't have many branches but it's an online account anyway and you can get cash on the card from any supermarket checkout or post office.

ABCDiamond

And from last month, any Westpac ATM.

scottish_stu

thanks everyone for the info, ill try the ANZ one from UK first and see how it goes. thanks again

stu

GaryVFR8

You can also open up a Commonwealth account from the UK, And they have the largest ATM network around Australia.
Gary

kurumi

In Australia,as openning the bank account can we receive the card and use it immediately?Or we have to wait a while to receive the card from the bank?

haggis supper

Stu,

I'm in Melbourne and work for NAB. I can't say we're the best as I guess it depends what sort of account etc you want etc. I suspect that most banks here are relatively similar if I'm honest.

I'd be happy to put you in touch with someone at one of our Branches if you want to open an account, just send me a PM.

Cheers, and good luck.
Col

scottish_stu

Hi Col,

Thanks for that mate, ive sent you a pm.

Stu

garyp

whats the bank of queensland like and can you set up from uk?

Bix

Had a few banks in my time and they take top spot ..........for being the worse I've ever used.

Yes, in general they will charge you.....but depends what type of account I suppose.

Poor customer service.

Reluctant to let you withdraw your money.

Inexperienced staff who, if they don't know the answer to a question, ad-lib rather than find out.

I made an official complaint to their Brisbane head office once which was uphead with full apologies but ongoing it changed nothing.

My findings are based on dealing with 3 separate branches.
Reckon they come from a special training school or something.

Antiquated attitude like dealing with something out of the 1930s.

GaryVFR8

With banks, I would recommend checking all the details with the charges for ATM machines, See what area you live in or are about to live in also where you will be working and see who has ATM's and branches near you, This can save you a lot of money in fees, I have only ever paid one ATM fee in last 15 months of living here. And I live in Tassie with less choice of atms than most of Australia.
Gary

Wol

It all depends on the individuals concerned.

We were doing our monthly hike around the banks to re-deposit money and went into BoQ on a whim - and the staff in the Bowral branch were excellent. They answered every question, they set up an account with no hassle, we got a voucher each for coffee and a bun at the caff round the corner and they were ten times more clued up than any of the others.

Whether we'll ever get our money back is the question <g> But since the Wayne and Kev show looks after QLD before anything else (apart from W & K, natch) we feel reasonably safe for the time being.

Bix

It is often the case and is why I tried the other two branches but they were as useless as the main one. Maybe they all came under the same inept local management.

Interestingly enough about a year after I closed my account the main branch in Cairns was closed. Very strange as it had a prime position in the main shopping mall and was always busy.