Business: Identification

To open a bank account, to apply for a driver’s license, or to enter into other bureaucratic situations, you’ll need ID. Identification has been formalized into a 100 Points System, i.e. you’ll be required to produce 100 points of identification. Your passport is worth 70 points, a driver’s license is 40 points, a credit card or a Medicare card is 25 points, and a video store rental card (I’m not making this up) is 25 points. Utility bills are 20 points. One reason for this is so only legal residents can open bank accounts.

If you’re migrating and don’t already have your own Australian bank account, you can wire money to a friend or relative in Australia. If it’s a large amount, they can open an account in their name and list it In Trust to your name. However, beware: they may have to show it on their taxes. Don’t do this if the money will be in their account at the end of the tax year, June 30th.