How to open an Australian bank account before you arrive

CommBank: apply up to 14 days before arrival

CommBank says an eligible applicant can open an Everyday Smart Access account up to 14 days before arriving, or within 12 months after arrival. Visitor subclasses 600, 601 and 651 are excluded. No Australian address is needed for the online application.

After opening the account, the customer must visit a CommBank branch in Australia, provide the original passport and tax-residency details, and complete identification before using the account. CommBank says the ID check must occur within 20 days of opening to avoid automatic closure. The debit card is collected at the branch.

NAB: start online, finish after arrival

NAB allows an eligible migrant who is arriving within the next 30 days, or who arrived within the previous 12 months, to start an application online. The applicant must plan to stay in Australia for at least six months and hold a passport and eligible Australian visa valid for at least six months at the branch visit. Tourist and visitor visas are excluded.

NAB states that the account is not opened until the applicant arrives and completes the application at a branch. The branch visit must occur within 30 days of starting online and requires the passport, visa documents, an Australian residential address and an Australian mobile number.

When can the account be used?

CommBank and NAB both require an Australian branch identity check before the new migrant account can be used. NAB provides access to a digital debit card after activation while the physical card is sent. CommBank provides app and NetBank access after identification.

Receiving and transferring money

Do not send settlement funds until the bank confirms that the account exists, can receive the proposed transfer and will be accessible after identification. Compare transfer providers using the total AUD delivered after fees and exchange-rate margins. Check the bank’s current incoming-transfer instructions, including any SWIFT details, directly with the bank.

Other banks

Bank products and onboarding rules change. Check the current migrant or newly arrived customer page for any bank you are considering. Online and digital-bank applications may require Australian identity, address or mobile details.

Documents to prepare

Prepare the passport used for the visa, the visa grant information and foreign tax-identification details. NAB also requires an Australian residential address and mobile number at the branch visit. If a required document is not in English, check the bank’s translation requirements before attending.

Can I use a CommBank migrant account before arriving?

No. CommBank requires identity and tax-residency checks at an Australian branch before the account can be used.

Does NAB open the account before I arrive?

No. NAB allows the application to start online, but says the account opens only after arrival and an in-branch identity check.

How early can I apply?

CommBank currently allows eligible applications up to 14 days before arrival. NAB allows eligible applicants arriving within the next 30 days to start online.

Can a visitor-visa holder use these migrant processes?

The cited CommBank and NAB processes exclude visitor or tourist visa holders.

Do I need an Australian address?

CommBank says no Australian address is needed to apply online, but one is required for full access after identification. NAB requires an Australian residential address at the branch visit.