Opening a BANK ACCOUNT

[JimandBarbinAus]

Hi,

 

My wife and I are visiting Perth for a short trip in order to validate our PR visa in June and we were wondering if we could activate our NAB at a Perth Branch as we have already set the account up in the UK. We are looking to tick a few boxes before we make the move next year, is the possible or do we have to wait until we move next year?

 

Regards

[Guest BurgessFamily]

you can open a bank account before you make the move, but you will be limited to making deposits only until you arrive and can go through a formal registration process at the relevant branch.

 

i would have a good look at the accounts on offer, specifically looking at atm costs, monthly admin charges (do you need a minimum deposit to avoid them each month? - these are often waived until you arrive in aus), and also charges for any standing orders or regular transfers (as some charge - the westpac charges $2 for every standing order / regular transfer transaction - so just transferring some of your wage into a savings account has to be done manually each week/fortnight to avoid these charges).

 

edit: so to answer, yes you can activate your bank account though this may mean fee's will start to apply after an initial window (like 6 months). you may therefore be better off leaving it as you should still be able to put deposits into it.