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Westpac Choice

  • An everyday account with a Debit Mastercard® to make deposits and withdrawals, payments online or on the Westpac App
  • $0 Account-Keeping Fee for the first 12 months (usually $5 per month). After this, the fee will continue to be waived if you:

    • Deposit at least $2,000 each month
    • Are under the age of 30 or are a full-time tertiary student​
       
  • You’ll be given your Customer ID and access to Online Banking
  • Once you arrive in Australia and have your identity documents verified (either online or in-branch), your account will be activated and you’ll be able to make deposits
  • You’re at least 18 years old with details of your initial Australian address. If you’re under 18, we can help you when you arrive in Australia.

Are you arriving in Australia within 14 days?

Are you 18 years of age or older?

Are you coming to Australia to study?

What kind of account do you need?

What to have handy now

Your mobile

A secure code will be sent to your mobile to verify your phone number. You can use your current overseas number.

Australian address

This can be a hotel or temporary address if you don't have a residential address yet.

What to have handy when you arrive

Your identity documents

Two of these ID documents:
  • Passport
  • Medicare card
  • Driver licence (with photo and full name)
  • Birth certificate

Providing 2 forms of ID gives us a better chance to securely verify your ID online. If we can’t verify you, you’ll need to visit a branch.
 

Identification Checklist (PDF 657KB)

Foreign tax residency

You’ll need to provide information about your tax residency, even if:

  • You may not need to file a tax return
  • Tax is not payable on your account(s).

When opening a bank account as a foreign citizen, some countries may:

  • Require its citizens and residents to disclose to local tax and/or other authorities about a bank account overseas; and
  • Have foreign exchange controls limiting certain residents from opening overseas bank accounts or the amount of funds that can be transferred overseas.

You must ensure that you comply with the legal requirements in your country of origin.

By continuing you agree

To begin, you acknowledge:

  • Westpac’s Choice Account and the services we provide are regulated by the laws of Australia. Any complaint or dispute will be determined by Australian law. To learn more about how to make a complaint and our external dispute resolution process, read our Financial Services and Credit Guide (PDF 249KB).
  • You have read our Financial Services and Credit Guide (PDF 249KB) which provides important information on the financial services and products we offer as a financial services licensee.
     

By opening the account, you agree:


Ready to get started?

What kind of account do you need?

What to have handy now

Your mobile

A secure code will be sent to your mobile to verify your phone number. You can use your current overseas number.

Australian address

This can be a hotel or temporary address if you don't have a residential address yet.

What to have handy when you arrive

Your identity documents

Two of these ID documents:
  • Passport
  • Medicare card
  • Driver licence (with photo and full name)
  • Birth certificate

Providing 2 forms of ID gives us a better chance to securely verify your ID online. If we can’t verify you, you’ll need to visit a branch.
 

Identification Checklist (PDF 657KB)

Foreign tax residency

You’ll need to provide information about your tax residency, even if:

  • You may not need to file a tax return
  • Tax is not payable on your account(s).

When opening a bank account as a foreign citizen, some countries may:

  • Require its citizens and residents to disclose to local tax and/or other authorities about a bank account overseas; and
  • Have foreign exchange controls limiting certain residents from opening overseas bank accounts or the amount of funds that can be transferred overseas.

You must ensure that you comply with the legal requirements in your country of origin.

By continuing you agree

To begin, you acknowledge:

  • Westpac’s Choice Account and the services we provide are regulated by the laws of Australia. Any complaint or dispute will be determined by Australian law. To learn more about how to make a complaint and our external dispute resolution process, read our Financial Services and Credit Guide (PDF 249KB).
  • You have read our Financial Services and Credit Guide (PDF 249KB) which provides important information on the financial services and products we offer as a financial services licensee.
     

By opening the account, you agree:


Ready to get started?

Things you should know

Debit Mastercard®: Westpac Choice Youth account, the eligible card age is 8. For any other transaction account, the eligible card age is 14. You must have an Australian residential address.

 

Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.

 

Westpac's retail deposit taking banking operations do not extend to other countries except where licenced to do so. This information is intended for individuals planning to migrate to Australia and Westpac is not soliciting retail deposits under foreign schemes.  Deposits will be taken after you move to Australia and under the supervision of Australian regulators, not those of your current country of residence.

 

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