# Australian citizen immigrating to... Australia!



## MovingtoDownUnder (Oct 31, 2010)

*Deep breath* 

Hello.

I'm new to this forum and I started checking the existing threads -many of them are very useful but they don't cover my case: I've never set foot to Australia, being born and raised in Greece and having studied in the UK, but _I am_ an Australian citizen (by right of descent -my father was born and grew up there). So I don't really have to deal with Immigration & visas, or work permits but on the other hand I do not know what my rights are and what benefits I may or may not be entitled to... so if anyone knows, I'd be grateful for some info on the matter.

Other than that, my first concern is: how easy is it to open a bank account in Oz? Can it be done from the country I currently reside in? Or, If I have to visit the branch and open a bank account in person, how many days does it actually take? I understand that having a bank account is important for things from getting a job to joining Medicare to buying a new phone and is the first thing I want to do. Getting a TFN and registering on Medicare will be my next moves. 

Also, I don't have any credit past -never borrowed money, I don't even own a credit card, only a pre-paid visa for online shopping-, I only have a basic savings bank account in Greece, where my wages are paid on and I'm interested in a basic bank account in Oz as well, which will provide me with an ATM card (I plan to use this often btw) & the option to pay my bills directly from it. 

Any banks you would suggest? And any idea on what the monthly fees would be? 

Thank you.


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## matjones (Jan 30, 2009)

MovingtoDownUnder said:


> Other than that, my first concern is: how easy is it to open a bank account in Oz? Can it be done from the country I currently reside in? Or, If I have to visit the branch and open a bank account in person, how many days does it actually take? I understand that having a bank account is important for things from getting a job to joining Medicare to buying a new phone and is the first thing I want to do. Getting a TFN and registering on Medicare will be my next moves.
> 
> Also, I don't have any credit past -never borrowed money, I don't even own a credit card, only a pre-paid visa for online shopping-, I only have a basic savings bank account in Greece, where my wages are paid on and I'm interested in a basic bank account in Oz as well, which will provide me with an ATM card (I plan to use this often btw) & the option to pay my bills directly from it.
> 
> Any banks you would suggest? And any idea on what the monthly fees would be?


I am currently in the US, and was able to open a bank account with Commonwealth Bank. I have both a checkings & savings account with them. The process was fairly easy if I recall correctly, I did most of the application online. I believe I did have to speak with a branch manager on the phone at one point though. But still, relatively painless. One thing they won't do though, is send you an ATM card overseas. They will only mail this to an AU address, or you could pick it up from a branch if you are on vacation there.

Mat


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## MovingtoDownUnder (Oct 31, 2010)

matjones said:


> I am currently in the US, and was able to open a bank account with Commonwealth Bank. I have both a checkings & savings account with them. The process was fairly easy if I recall correctly, I did most of the application online. I believe I did have to speak with a branch manager on the phone at one point though. But still, relatively painless. One thing they won't do though, is send you an ATM card overseas. They will only mail this to an AU address, or you could pick it up from a branch if you are on vacation there.
> 
> Mat


Thanks Mat!

Ok, it's good to know I can open an account from here as I inted to take a few thousand $$ with me and I'd rather have them wired beforehand instead of carrying them with me till I manage to open a bank account.

Could you please tell me what monthly fees you pay though? I want to compare different fee charges between banks.

Thanks again, 

xx


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## matjones (Jan 30, 2009)

MovingtoDownUnder said:


> Thanks Mat!
> 
> Ok, it's good to know I can open an account from here as I inted to take a few thousand $$ with me and I'd rather have them wired beforehand instead of carrying them with me till I manage to open a bank account.
> 
> ...


I pay $4 a month for the checking account. I think its the 'Smart Access' one. The savings account has no charge.


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## MovingtoDownUnder (Oct 31, 2010)

Thanks again! I'll check out the Commonwealth Bank then!

xx
Sofia


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## kaz101 (Nov 29, 2007)

Hi Sofia, 

I'm not sure whether you have proof that you are an Aussie citizen if you don't have an Australian passport. If you have an Aussie passport then you will be okay.
You may have already seen this but there is info on citizenship at 
Australian Citizenship – Proof of your citizenship
Australian Citizenship – Becoming an Australian Citizen

Regards,
Karen


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## MovingtoDownUnder (Oct 31, 2010)

kaz101 said:


> Hi Sofia,
> 
> I'm not sure whether you have proof that you are an Aussie citizen if you don't have an Australian passport. If you have an Aussie passport then you will be okay.
> You may have already seen this but there is info on citizenship at
> ...


Hi Karen.

Thanks for your post -yes, I know for a fact I am an Australian citizen (since 1996).
Actually, since early September I've been in touch with the Citizenship Department as there was a misspelling of my name (due to the transliteration from Greek into English) on my certificate and I applied for an amendment. I got the amendment I requested for and just applied last week for a new citizenship certificate. They told me I'll have it in less that 8 weeks time; I will be able to apply for a passport then. 

My papers is the only concern I do _not_ have when it comes to this whole moving to the other side of the world thing... I'm more concerned with cost of living (as I keep hearing very differing opinions on the matter), with whether I'll manage to find a job that will pay enough for me to make a living, etc. Not to mention that while I have family in Sydney I've never met them and I'd rather not have to rely on them for help...

Good thing I've discovered this forum.


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## MovingtoDownUnder (Oct 31, 2010)

Btw, I understand that you've been living in Oz for some time now, right? 

I was wondering if you have any idea in regards to studying oppotunities, scholarships, student loans etc. I have a BSc in Sociology and an MBA (random combination, I know) and a work experience consisting mostly of admin positions, so I'm _really_ starting over, in every possible meaning. I'm at a cross-roads where I have to decide what I want to do professionally... This will also depend on the opportunities I may find in Oz of course but I also keep in mind the possibility of pursuing another degree. Unfortunately, no more money left :drama:

Any idea if there are student loans available for Master's courses? 

I've visited a government website about it but there are terms in it that I don't get -it might as well be in Chinese. 

xx
Sofia


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## Johnfromoz (Oct 20, 2010)

MovingtoDownUnder said:


> *Deep breath*
> 
> Other than that, my first concern is: how easy is it to open a bank account in Oz? Can it be done from the country I currently reside in? Or, If I have to visit the branch and open a bank account in person, how many days does it actually take? I understand that having a bank account is important for things from getting a job to joining Medicare to buying a new phone and is the first thing I want to do. Getting a TFN and registering on Medicare will be my next moves.
> 
> ...



Opening a bank account is easy. You walk into a bank, produce 100 points of id and they'll open an account for you. My memory minght fail me a bit but passport used to be 70 and driver's licence 40 points which is more than enough. There were less requirements for tourists and new migrants. If an account was opened soon after arrival, then passport alone was sufficient.

Opening a bank account via internet is not something that I have heard of before in Australia. They need to sight and copy your original documents. This cannot be done over the net. You can open an Australian bank account overseas if there is a branch near you. For example, one can open a Westpac account in London, since they have a branch there. Personally, I would opt for a credit uniona or a building society. More friendly and personal approach and small or no fees.

If you don't have Australian credit rating then you will have to start building it from a scratch. You can't bring it along from overseas, unlike the "no claim bonus" with insurance.

Hope this helps. Good luck!


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## kaz101 (Nov 29, 2007)

MovingtoDownUnder said:


> Btw, I understand that you've been living in Oz for some time now, right?


I've been living here 3.5 years (we moved from the UK) but I have no idea about studying opportunities here - sorry.


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## MovingtoDownUnder (Oct 31, 2010)

Johnfromoz said:


> Opening a bank account is easy. You walk into a bank, produce 100 points of id and they'll open an account for you. My memory minght fail me a bit but passport used to be 70 and driver's licence 40 points which is more than enough. There were less requirements for tourists and new migrants. If an account was opened soon after arrival, then passport alone was sufficient.
> 
> Opening a bank account via internet is not something that I have heard of before in Australia. They need to sight and copy your original documents. This cannot be done over the net. You can open an Australian bank account overseas if there is a branch near you. For example, one can open a Westpac account in London, since they have a branch there. Personally, I would opt for a credit uniona or a building society. More friendly and personal approach and small or no fees.
> 
> ...


Hi John! Thanks for your post! 

We don't have building societies or credit unionas (whatever those are ) in Greece, so banks are the only insitutions I'm familiar with... What's the difference?

I don't want to apply for credit at this point -I don't believe in credit cards nor overdrafts and I don't intend to get a loan till I decide to buy a house; I doubt this will be any time soon- but I was under the impression that in Australia they require a credit background check even for a simple thing as is the opening of a basic bank account. If I'm mistaken, then that's a relief! 

xx
Sofia


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## MovingtoDownUnder (Oct 31, 2010)

kaz101 said:


> I've been living here 3.5 years (we moved from the UK) but I have no idea about studying opportunities here - sorry.


That's ok, I knew it was a fat chance but I thought I should ask just in case. Thanks!


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## Johnfromoz (Oct 20, 2010)

MovingtoDownUnder said:


> Hi John! Thanks for your post!
> 
> We don't have building societies or credit unionas (whatever those are ) in Greece, so banks are the only insitutions I'm familiar with... What's the difference?
> 
> ...


Building societies and credit unions are like small banks with limited branches since they were really targeted for some specific community. About 10 years ago they opened up for everyone. They have no branches overseas but if you have your debit card and internet banking then you don't really need to visit a branch at all. Their banking fees are 3-4 times less than major banks'.

Well, don't worry, noone will offer you a credit card, straight off the plane.  If you want to open a basic savings account, then there are no credit check requirements.

BTW, if you have an Australian citizenship, then going to Centerlink will help you get started. Newstart is not much but better than nothing to tie you over until you find a job. Centrelink - assists people to become self-sufficient and supports those in need


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## Johnfromoz (Oct 20, 2010)

MovingtoDownUnder said:


> I was wondering if you have any idea in regards to studying oppotunities, scholarships, student loans etc. I have a BSc in Sociology and an MBA (random combination, I know) and a work experience consisting mostly of admin positions, so I'm _really_ starting over, in every possible meaning. I'm at a cross-roads where I have to decide what I want to do professionally... This will also depend on the opportunities I may find in Oz of course but I also keep in mind the possibility of pursuing another degree. Unfortunately, no more money left :drama:Sofia


Do you really need another degree? A lot of employers in Australia look at your knowledge and skills, not the papers (diplomas) you have. I used to know a girl who had and overseas degree in computing. She did a 2 year Masters degree at University of Technology. It cost her $10.000 and she got no job in her field since she had no experience. She ended up working at Woolworths with a Masters degree!


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## MovingtoDownUnder (Oct 31, 2010)

Johnfromoz said:


> Building societies and credit unions are like small banks with limited branches since they were really targeted for some specific community. About 10 years ago they opened up for everyone. They have no branches overseas but if you have your debit card and internet banking then you don't really need to visit a branch at all. Their banking fees are 3-4 times less than major banks'.
> 
> Well, don't worry, noone will offer you a credit card, straight off the plane.  If you want to open a basic savings account, then there are no credit check requirements.
> 
> ...


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## Johnfromoz (Oct 20, 2010)

I'll also add that Greeks have a big community in Sydney, even bigger, the second largest in the world, in Melbourne. So, you should have no problems "diving" into life in Australia. Just go to a church service on Sunday and you'll have all the contacts, advice and support that you might ever need. After all, Greeks are Greeks, in every part of the World. 

BTW, one of the cheapest areas of Sydney and 10 minutes to the city is Marrickville. It used to be a traditional Greek area until Vietnamese started to move in. Nevertheless, there are thousands of Greeks in the area and there is a big church on Livingstone road, just next to the railway bridge.


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## MovingtoDownUnder (Oct 31, 2010)

Johnfromoz said:


> Do you really need another degree? A lot of employers in Australia look at your knowledge and skills, not the papers (diplomas) you have. I used to know a girl who had and overseas degree in computing. She did a 2 year Masters degree at University of Technology. It cost her $10.000 and she got no job in her field since she had no experience. She ended up working at Woolworths with a Masters degree!


Ugh, that's no good. That's exactly what I'm afraid of. I have an MBA but very little experience to a particular field -have been Office Manager of a Law firm for 3 years & have work in mostly admin positions in a Business Consultancy firm. But lots of people must have that sort of qualifications, right?

I'm afraid I'll end up working in a super- market


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## amaslam (Sep 25, 2008)

Actually I think you would be eligible for HECS (this is a student loan but low interest and can defer payment until you are working). Contact a Uni you are interested in and then you can ask about HECS. As you are a Citizen you won't have any issue. I don't think HECS has a residency requirement (i.e. lived x yrs in AU). 

The other thing you would get immediately is Medicare.

To find out if you are eligible for other benefits in AU you should contact Centrelink as they can tell you what is available (i.e. AUStudy, student allowance, newstart allowance). Some of these have residency requirements so you might not be able to get some of these for a few yrs. 

Do you mainly want to start as a student or start working first?



MovingtoDownUnder said:


> That's ok, I knew it was a fat chance but I thought I should ask just in case. Thanks!


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## amaslam (Sep 25, 2008)

You can start out in a bank (i.e. the teller windows) and work up from there. I also think plenty of opportunity to start in Insurance as well. Low entry barrier but can work up to higher positions with experience gained.



MovingtoDownUnder said:


> Ugh, that's no good. That's exactly what I'm afraid of. I have an MBA but very little experience to a particular field -have been Office Manager of a Law firm for 3 years & have work in mostly admin positions in a Business Consultancy firm. But lots of people must have that sort of qualifications, right?
> 
> I'm afraid I'll end up working in a super- market


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## MovingtoDownUnder (Oct 31, 2010)

Johnfromoz said:


> I'll also add that Greeks have a big community in Sydney, even bigger, the second largest in the world, in Melbourne. So, you should have no problems "diving" into life in Australia. Just go to a church service on Sunday and you'll have all the contacts, advice and support that you might ever need. After all, Greeks are Greeks, in every part of the World.
> 
> BTW, one of the cheapest areas of Sydney and 10 minutes to the city is Marrickville. It used to be a traditional Greek area until Vietnamese started to move in. Nevertheless, there are thousands of Greeks in the area and there is a big church on Livingstone road, just next to the railway bridge.


LOL. You touched a sore subject there. I understand that I might _have_ to rely on my relatives and the general Greek community in Oz, at least in the beginning, but in truth I want nothing more than to avoid them. I avoided Greeks when I studied in London too -Greeks have the annoying habit of sticking to their own and make no effort to integrate with other cultures. If I make the mistake of relying too much on them, I'll end up being part of a closed community and I want to avoid that. I myself have a very non-Greek mentality which is one of the reasons I'm glad to get out of here.

Plus, I'm agnostic -haven't set foot in a Church in ages and don't intend to do so in the future. 

Knowing which are the cheap areas is a good start though 'cause I can't afford expensive right now.


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## Johnfromoz (Oct 20, 2010)

MovingtoDownUnder said:


> Ugh, that's no good. That's exactly what I'm afraid of. I have an MBA but very little experience to a particular field -have been Office Manager of a Law firm for 3 years & have work in mostly admin positions in a Business Consultancy firm. But lots of people must have that sort of qualifications, right?
> 
> I'm afraid I'll end up working in a super- market



Well, off the record, one can always draw up a respectable resume (CV).  In Australia, most companies never check. It is your knowledge and skills that count.

Greek law and Australian law are very different and office managing practices too, so be prepared for a shock. 

BTW, working at a supermarket is not that bad at all. I have 4 high degrees, 1 in law, 3 from Australia, 1 from the UK and I love stacking shelves.  Plenty of flexibility and money is good enough. No stress and daytime is free.


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## MovingtoDownUnder (Oct 31, 2010)

amaslam said:


> Actually I think you would be eligible for HECS (this is a student loan but low interest and can defer payment until you are working). Contact a Uni you are interested in and then you can ask about HECS. As you are a Citizen you won't have any issue. I don't think HECS has a residency requirement (i.e. lived x yrs in AU).
> 
> The other thing you would get immediately is Medicare.
> 
> ...


Work!!! I'm out of money, will bring a couple of thousand $$ with me to help me get started of course, but I don't have the luxury for any more studies right now. Not unless I manage to get a student loan or a scholarship and ALWAYS in conjunction with a job. Hopefully a well-paying one. 

I'm in my 20s and don't mind sharing a flat for a while -approximately what is the lowest possible income I would need to make a living?

Thanks for your posts 

xx
Sofia


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## MovingtoDownUnder (Oct 31, 2010)

Johnfromoz said:


> Well, off the record, one can always draw up a respectable resume (CV).  In Australia, most companies never check. It is your knowledge and skills that count.
> 
> Greek law and Australian law are very different and office managing practices too, so be prepared for a shock.
> 
> BTW, working at a supermarket is not that bad at all. I have 4 high degrees, 1 in law, 3 from Australia, 1 from the UK and I love stacking shelves.  Plenty of flexibility and money is good enough. No stress and daytime is free.


Haha! Sounds good -let me know if there's an opening


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## Johnfromoz (Oct 20, 2010)

MovingtoDownUnder said:


> LOL.
> 
> Plus, I'm agnostic -haven't set foot in a Church in ages and don't intend to do so in the future.
> 
> Knowing which are the cheap areas is a good start though 'cause I can't afford expensive right now.


Well, going to church has nothing really to do with your religious beliefs. It really is a place to socialise with other members of the community. Community "leaders" will always stick out and point the newcomer in the right direction. So, turn a blind eye on your religious beliefs and visit a church for a change. Believe me, benefits of the visit will definitely outweigh the downsides. After all, noone is asking you to become religious, just use them, get the needed contacts.

Yes, Marrickville is cheap. Just about the cheapest suburbs within 10 minutes of the city by metro.


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## kaz101 (Nov 29, 2007)

Johnfromoz said:


> Well, going to church has nothing really to do with your religious beliefs. It really is a place to socialise with other members of the community. Community "leaders" will always stick out and point the newcomer in the right direction. So, turn a blind eye on your religious beliefs and visit a church for a change. Believe me, benefits of the visit will definitely outweigh the downsides. After all, noone is asking you to become religious, just use them, get the needed contacts.
> 
> Yes, Marrickville is cheap. Just about the cheapest suburbs within 10 minutes of the city by metro.


There are other ways of making contacts too. We've found local Rotary, Toastmasters and Friends of Skilled Migrants groups to be very useful and they too have community "leaders". There may be some of those in the areas that you are moving to.


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## TraceisOzBound (Mar 11, 2011)

MovingtoDownUnder said:


> Hi Karen.
> 
> Thanks for your post -yes, I know for a fact I am an Australian citizen (since 1996).
> Actually, since early September I've been in touch with the Citizenship Department as there was a misspelling of my name (due to the transliteration from Greek into English) on my certificate and I applied for an amendment. I got the amendment I requested for and just applied last week for a new citizenship certificate. They told me I'll have it in less that 8 weeks time; I will be able to apply for a passport then.
> ...


Totally understand where you're coming from. I'm also an Australian citizen moving back to Australia after spending all of my adult life in another country. The usa in my case. I had the same question about opening a bank account so I'm glad you asked first...


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## MovingtoDownUnder (Oct 31, 2010)

*bank account and more!*



TraceisOzBound said:


> Totally understand where you're coming from. I'm also an Australian citizen moving back to Australia after spending all of my adult life in another country. The usa in my case. I had the same question about opening a bank account so I'm glad you asked first...


Hey Trace!

I'm now in Oz, I opened an account with Commonwealth Bank. They only ask for your passport, they charge 4$ per month and if when you get a job your salary is paid into that account, you're not even charged that -no fees at all! Also they have a great interest (6%), better than any other bank I've checked.

So, I opened a bank account the very day I arrived. It should be the first thing you do too -also ask them to give you a letter where they confirm that you opened a bank account with them. You're going to need it later when you apply for Medicare.

Also, being an Australian citizen, you are probably entitled to unemployment benefits. I suggest you contact Centerlink as soon as you arrive. 

The things you should do are (in this order)

1. Open a bank account

2. Buy a pay-to-go SIM card with an Oz phone number -EVERYONE will ask you for it. Setting up your internet connection might also be a good idea.

3. Apply to Medicare. You'll need your passport, citizenship certificate, bank letter and something to prove that you've moved to Australia for good -an invoice from the company that moved your stuff, a resignation letter from your employment in the US where he states you resigned in order to move to Australia, etc.

4. Go to Centerlink to look for help to find a job. Tell them you're an Australian citizen, chances are you'll be eligible for an allowance (called the Newstart Allowance).

Good luck!!


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## TraceisOzBound (Mar 11, 2011)

Thank you! That is incredibly helpful. I'm going to try to get the bank account ahead of time because I have been told I can. Thanks for the heads up on medicare. I will make sure I get that paper. I can't believe I didn't even think about a sim card! Lol thanks again


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## MovingtoDownUnder (Oct 31, 2010)

TraceisOzBound said:


> Thank you! That is incredibly helpful. I'm going to try to get the bank account ahead of time because I have been told I can. Thanks for the heads up on medicare. I will make sure I get that paper. I can't believe I didn't even think about a sim card! Lol thanks again


No prob! I know what you feel like, moving to another country is scary. But don't worry; I only arrived in Oz 2 weeks ago but I'm in love with it already. You'll love it too, I'm sure


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## Andrew James (Nov 6, 2010)

Hi,

Best of luck to you all with your move. I used to live in Melbourne but moved to Dubai, however we miss Australia a lot - we're happy re kept our house there and didn't sell it! In total, I was in Melbourne for four years and they were very happy times.

Best,

Andrew


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