To open an account in Australia when you arrive, the basics are your passport and an Australian address. They often also ask for a mobile number and your home country's tax number. Tourism Australia sums it up like this: go to a branch with your passport and proof of address, no appointment needed, and the hostel can help if you do not have a fixed address yet. Some banks let you start online before you fly.
This guide does not say which bank to choose and does not rank them by quality or price. It sums up what each one publishes, in alphabetical order. It is general information, not financial advice. There are more companies in Services.
What documents do they ask for?
- Passport. ANZ and Westpac accept a foreign passport as the main document. NAB asks for the passport linked to your visa and the visa documents.
- Address in Australia. Westpac accepts a temporary one, such as a hotel. CommBank does not ask for it to start the application, but does at the branch to give full access.
- Mobile. ANZ asks for an Australian number. NAB accepts an international one to start online and asks for an Australian one at the branch.
- Your home country's tax number. CommBank, NAB and Westpac ask for it. ANZ says a TFN or its equivalent may be needed. Each country calls it something different: NINO in the United Kingdom or SSN in the United States, for example.
- Translation. If a document is not in English, ANZ, NAB and Westpac ask for an accredited translation. NAB and Westpac cite NAATI, the Australian translators' body.
Many people look for the "100 points". None of the four pages uses that expression. ANZ asks for one primary document or two secondary ones of different types. The Westpac list, from June 2021, asks for one primary document with a photo, or one primary without a photo and one secondary.
Can you start before you fly?
It depends on the bank:
| Bank | When you can apply | How your identity is verified |
|---|---|---|
| ANZ | Once in Australia | ANZ Plus, from the app. Classic accounts, online, by appointment or at a branch |
| CommBank | Up to 14 days before arriving or up to 12 months after | Original passport at a branch, within 20 days of opening. If not, the account may be closed |
| NAB | Up to 30 days before arriving or up to 12 months after | At a branch, within 30 days of starting. If not, the application expires and you can start another |
| Westpac | Up to 14 days before arriving or already in Australia | At a branch. Applicants from India, China or New Zealand can verify online |
Until that step, the account is no use for everyday life. CommBank does not allow you to deposit money or buy anything, and NAB does not allow you to use it.
Will they open an account with my visa?
None of the four pages names the 417 or 462 Working Holiday visas. This is what they do say:
- CommBank: does not accept visitor visas 600, 601 and 651.
- NAB: excludes tourist and visitor visas. It also asks for an intended stay of at least 6 months, and for the passport and visa to stay valid for at least 6 months from the branch visit.
- ANZ and Westpac: their pages do not include a list of visas.
The conditions of your visa are explained in How the visa works.
Do you need a TFN to open the account?
At Westpac, no. The bank says giving it is not essential. Without it, it may have to withhold the highest marginal rate plus the Medicare Levy from your interest. With an overseas address there may also be withholding. You can add the TFN later. Everything else is in the TFN guide.
What fees are there?
They change with the account, your age and what you deposit, and we do not assess them here. There are accounts with a monthly fee of A$0. Others waive the fee if you are under 30 or deposit at least A$2,000 a month, or if you deposit that same amount. International transactions may cost something. Tourism Australia adds that using another bank's ATMs may carry a fee.
What happens to the account when I leave?
If you are going to claim your Australian retirement savings when you leave, Aware Super suggests considering keeping the account open until you receive the payment. It also accepts overseas accounts that take Australian dollars. This is explained in the superannuation guide.
What we could not confirm
- The general rule on identification. We could not check Moneysmart, the public finance website, and AUSTRAC, the regulator, did not respond. Here there is only what each bank publishes.
- Whether each bank accepts the 417 and 462 visas. Their pages do not say.
- Whether any bank still uses the 100 points. They do not appear on these pages.
- Whether this is up to date. The Westpac list is from 2021 and the bank pages show no date. Conditions may change.
Sources
Seen on 5 November 2026.
- Tourism Australia: how to set up your life (official; modified in May 2025, according to its metadata)
- ANZ: accounts for new arrivals (company)
- CommBank: moving to Australia (company)
- NAB: banking for new arrivals (company)
- Westpac: moving to Australia (company)
- Westpac: identification checklist (company; June 2021)
- Westpac: add your TFN (company)
- Aware Super: if you leave Australia (pension fund)