Two of Australia's big four, CommBank and Westpac, let you open an account online up to 14 days before you fly; NAB and ANZ wait until you arrive. Either way you finish with an in-branch ID check on your passport before the account is fully live. Below is what each bank offers new arrivals, the documents to have ready, and how to get paid in the gap before yours is active.
Open an account, get paid and dodge foreign-transaction fees in your first weeks in Australia.
All four major banks run dedicated accounts and processes for new arrivals. Here's the current official position of each (all verified on the banks' own sites, June 2026):
| Bank | Open before arrival | How to open | Monthly fee | Fee conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBA | Yes, up to 14 days before arrival | Online, then verify in branch | About $4 per month | Waived 12 months, then conditions apply |
| Westpac | Yes, if arriving within 14 days | Online, then activate in branch | $5 per month | Waived 12 months, then conditions apply |
| NAB | No | In branch after you arrive | $0 per month | No conditions |
| ANZ | No | In branch or the ANZ Plus app | $5, or $0 on ANZ Plus | Waived with conditions, or none on Plus |
Best for: Opening an account shortly before arriving in Australia.
Open online up to 14 days before you arrive, or within 12 months after arriving. No Australian address needed to open; you can transfer money in straight away but can't withdraw until you've verified your ID at a branch. You must do that branch visit within 20 days of opening or the account closes automatically. The monthly account fee is waived for the first 12 months when you open through the new-arrivals application, and stays waived if you're under 30 or deposit at least $2,000 a month. CBA can't accept visitor visas (subclasses 600, 601, 651); working holiday visas are fine. (commbank.com.au)
Best for: Starting online before you fly, then getting a digital card on arrival.
If you'll arrive within 14 days, you can start your setup online from overseas, getting your customer ID and online banking profile; you activate the account with an ID check at a branch after landing, then get an instant digital card in the app. You can also open it up to 12 months after arriving. The $5 monthly fee is waived for the first 12 months, and after that if you deposit at least $2,000 a month, are under 41, or are a full-time tertiary student. (westpac.com.au)
Best for: Avoiding monthly fees entirely, with no conditions to meet.
NAB's everyday account has no monthly account fee at all, which makes it the cheapest of the four to hold long-term. The trade-off: NAB currently requires you to open the account at a branch after you arrive, with an Australian address and mobile number, a valid visa (not a tourist visa) and at least six months left on it. (nab.com.au)
Best for: An app-based account with no monthly fee, on ANZ Plus.
ANZ sets up accounts once you've arrived, with an Australian residential address and mobile number. Access Advantage's monthly fee is waived in any month you deposit $2,000 or more. ANZ Plus, the app-based account, has no monthly account service fee and is opened entirely in the app. (anz.com.au)
There's no single best choice. If opening before you fly matters, it's CommBank or Westpac. If you want zero ongoing fees without conditions, it's NAB or ANZ Plus. All four are full-service banks with large ATM networks and solid apps.
To open online from overseas (CBA or Westpac):
To complete ID verification in branch after arrival:
Once verified, you get full app access, a debit card, and you're ready to be paid. Set up your account's PayID (linked to your Australian mobile number) and note your BSB and account number. Those two numbers are what every employer asks for.
There's often a gap: you've landed, you've found work fast, but your branch visit hasn't happened or your card hasn't arrived. Two ways to bridge it.
Wise provides Australian account details (a BSB and account number) that can receive salary payments like any local account, alongside your home currency balance, and you can set it up entirely from home before you fly. It converts currency at the mid-market rate with a transparent fee, so it also covers bringing your savings over and sending money home later. Revolut offers a similar app-based multi-currency account. Most travellers still open a local bank account as well, since some employers, landlords and bond authorities prefer a traditional bank.
Open with CommBank or Westpac in the 14 days before you fly and visit a branch in your first day or two, and your account can be fully active before your first shift. The branch visit takes about half an hour with your passport.
When you leave, or whenever you want to move savings back to your home currency, the same maths applies: the bank's exchange-rate margin usually costs more than a specialist's fee. Wise and OFX are established specialist options for AUD transfers. Compare the destination amount on the day.
Verified on 11 June 2026 by the WHE research team. Sources: commbank.com.au · westpac.com.au · nab.com.au · anz.com.au. How we verify →