Bank Account in Australia: 6 Steps Before You Arrive

You have the visa, the flight and maybe a job offer in Melbourne or Sydney. The next question is money, and it usually starts with a bank account in Australia: where will your first salary go, and how will you pay the bond on a rental flat in week one? Setting up a bank account in Australia before you land saves days of stress, and the big banks now let newcomers start the process from India, the Gulf or anywhere else.

This guide explains what you can do online before you travel, what must happen in a branch after you arrive, which documents to carry, and the tax rules that affect your interest. It is based on the official pages of CommBank, NAB, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Moneysmart and APRA, checked on 12 November 2026.

Please note: this article is general information, not professional financial, tax or investment advice. Rules change, so check the official sources linked below or speak to a qualified professional before you decide. Read our disclaimer.

Table of contents

1. Can you open a bank account in Australia before you arrive?
2. Who is eligible? Visas and age rules
3. Documents to open a bank account in Australia
4. Step-by-step: open your account from overseas
5. Tax on a bank account in Australia: your TFN and the 10% rule
6. Is your money safe? Deposit protection and smart habits
7. Sending money home from your bank account in Australia
8. Sources
9. FAQ

Can you open a bank account in Australia before you arrive?

Partly. Several banks let you apply online from overseas, but you cannot use the account until you prove your identity in person in Australia. Two of the big four banks show how this works:

Bank	Apply from overseas	Finish in a branch
CommBank (Everyday Smart Access)	Up to 14 days before you arrive, or within 12 months after arriving	Within 20 days of opening, or the account closes automatically
NAB (Classic Banking)	If you arrive within the next 30 days, or arrived in the last 12 months	Within 30 days of starting the online application

So the realistic answer to "can I open bank account in Australia from India?" is yes, you can start it, but the account only goes live after the branch visit. NAB says plainly that accounts are not opened until you arrive and visit a branch, and that you cannot use the account before arriving. CommBank lets you set up without an Australian address, and you start banking once the ID check is complete.

Who is eligible? Visas and age rules

Newcomer accounts are aimed at people moving to Australia, not tourists. Check the rules before you apply:

• Age: both banks accept applicants aged 14 and over (NAB asks under-14s to visit with a parent or guardian).
• Visa type: CommBank says it cannot accept visitor visas under subclass 600, 601 or 651. NAB accepts most visa types except tourist or visitor visas.
• Length of stay: NAB wants you to plan to stay at least 6 months, with a passport and visa both valid for at least 6 months from your branch visit.
• Joint accounts: NAB handles these in a branch after you arrive, not online.

That is why "open bank account in Australia on tourist visa" searches usually end in disappointment: the newcomer products are built for workers, students and migrants. Students, working holiday makers and skilled visa holders are the main audience. If you are heading over on a working holiday, our sister blog's guide to the working holiday visa for Indians covers the visa side.

Documents to open a bank account in Australia

Have these ready before you start the online form:

1. Valid passport (the one linked to your Australian visa) and your visa details. CommBank asks for the original passport in branch.
2. Tax Identification Number for each country where you are tax resident. For many Indians this is your PAN; Gulf residents should ask their local tax authority what applies.
3. Home country address and an international or Australian mobile number.
4. The city you will stay in when you arrive (CommBank uses this to suggest a branch).

For the branch visit, NAB also asks for your Australian residential address and an Australian mobile number. Both banks require an English translation by a translator accredited with NAATI (the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters) if your passport or documents are not in English. A temporary address, such as a hotel or a friend's flat, is a practical stopgap until you sign a lease.

Step-by-step: open your account from overseas

Opening a bank account in Australia from abroad takes six simple steps:

1. Compare accounts. Moneysmart's advice to newcomers is simple: ask for an everyday (or "transaction") account with no fees. CommBank waives the monthly fee for the first year for new arrivals, then if you are under 30 or deposit at least AUD 2,000 a month. NAB Classic Banking has a $0 monthly account fee.
2. Apply online inside the bank's window (14 days for CommBank, 30 days for NAB).
3. Save your reference number and the branch deadline in your phone.
4. Visit a branch soon after landing with your passport, visa and any translations.
5. Download the app and switch on card controls once your identity is verified.
6. Give your employer the account details so wages are paid straight in; Moneysmart notes employers usually pay wages into a bank account.

Already in Australia for more than 12 months? CommBank says you can simply apply through its normal online form instead.

Tax on a bank account in Australia: your TFN and the 10% rule

Interest on any bank account in Australia is taxable income, and banks report it to the ATO. Two numbers matter:

• Tax file number (TFN). If your bank does not have your TFN, it withholds tax from your interest at the highest marginal rate; you can claim that back as a credit when you lodge your return. Once you are in Australia with a work-rights visa, including working holiday visas 417 and 462, you can apply for a TFN online for free, and the ATO says it should arrive within 28 days at your Australian postal address. Moneysmart adds that you need a TFN to work, so you will be applying anyway.
• Foreign residents. If you leave Australia and become a foreign resident, tell the bank your overseas address: tax on interest is then withheld at 10%, compared with 47% without the address, and you do not include that interest in an Australian return.

One more point for Indians who keep accounts back home: if you become an Australian tax resident, the ATO says you must report interest earned on overseas accounts, and it receives data from India's tax department through automatic exchange of information. Our NRE vs NRO account guide explains how your Indian accounts should change after you move.

Is your money safe? Deposit protection and smart habits

Australia's Financial Claims Scheme, run by APRA, protects deposits up to AUD 250,000 for each account holder at each bank, building society or credit union that is incorporated in Australia and authorised by APRA. That covers most newcomers' savings many times over, but spread larger sums across banks if you need to.

A few habits keep a new bank account in Australia safe:

• Never share one-time passcodes, even with someone claiming to be from your bank.
• Watch for automatic overdrafts and fees on your statement.
• If money gets tight, the free National Debt Helpline is on 1800 007 007, and TIS National (131 450) provides interpreters.

Once your account is running, start building a local credit history early; our guide to the credit score for new immigrants shows how. Moving somewhere else instead? Compare our guides to a UK bank account for new arrivals and a US bank account for immigrants.

Sending money home from your bank account in Australia

Once your salary arrives, you will probably want to send some to family in India. CommBank says international transfers made in its app or NetBank carry a $0 transfer fee (excluding AUD to AUD), but the exchange rate still matters, so compare the total amount your family receives, not just the fee.

Our guide to sending money to India compares costs from Australia, the UK, the US, Canada and the UAE. If you are a hotel or restaurant worker planning your move, Hospitality Vacancy lists hotel jobs abroad, and registering is free.

Sources

This guide was checked against these official and reputable sources on 12 November 2026:

• CommBank: Banking in Australia for new arrivals (Everyday Smart Access, open up to 14 days before arrival)
• NAB: Moving to Australia - open a bank account before you arrive
• Moneysmart (ASIC): Money and working in Australia
• Australian Taxation Office: Investing in bank accounts (TFN withholding, foreign residents, offshore accounts)
• Australian Taxation Office: TFN application for permanent migrants and temporary visitors
• APRA: Financial Claims Scheme for banks, building societies and credit unions

Photo: Panorama of Southbank Melbourne Victoria Australia by AlphaLemur, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped).

FAQ: bank account in Australia

Can I open a bank account in Australia from India?

You can start the application online. CommBank accepts applications up to 14 days before you arrive and NAB up to 30 days before, but the account only becomes usable after you prove your identity in an Australian branch.

What documents do I need to open a bank account in Australia?

A valid passport and Australian visa, a tax identification number for each country where you are tax resident, your home address and a mobile number. NAB also asks for an Australian address and mobile number at the branch visit.

Can I open a bank account in Australia on a tourist visa?

Newcomer accounts are not designed for tourists. CommBank does not accept visitor visas under subclass 600, 601 or 651, and NAB excludes tourist and visitor visas from its moving-to-Australia account.

How long do I have to visit the branch?

CommBank asks you to show ID in a branch within 20 days of opening the account or it closes automatically. NAB asks you to visit within 30 days of starting your online application.

Do I need a TFN for my Australian bank account?

It is not needed to open the account, but if the bank does not have your TFN it withholds tax from interest at the highest marginal rate. You can apply for a TFN free once you are in Australia with a work-rights visa.

Is my money protected in an Australian bank?

Yes. The Financial Claims Scheme protects deposits up to AUD 250,000 per account holder at each Australian-incorporated, APRA-authorised bank, building society or credit union.

Read next

• UK bank account for new arrivals: documents and best options
• US bank account for immigrants: what to bring
• Credit score for new immigrants: build credit from zero
• More Bank Account guides

Work in hotels or restaurants? Hospitality Vacancy lists hotel jobs in India, the Gulf and Europe, and registering is free.

About the author: Sumit Manwal

Sumit Manwal is the founder of Hospitality Vacancy, the job site built for the hotel industry, which he has run since 2017. With more than 20 years of experience in hospitality, he received the Excellence in Hospitality Sector of Uttarakhand award (January 2023) and the Dainik Jagran inext Uttarakhand Ratan award.

He is passionate about helping hotel management students and hospitality professionals build successful careers, and connects talented people with hotel jobs across India, the Gulf and Europe. On Expat Money Desk he writes clear, practical money guides for Indians and other expats living in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and the Gulf, so every reader can make confident decisions about their work and life. He is not a financial, tax or investment professional, so every guide here links to official sources and he encourages readers to confirm details with a qualified expert before acting.