Just arrived in Australia: TFN, myGov, bank account, customs and citizenship

When you land, declare any food and medicines honestly. In your first week, apply for a tax file number (TFN), create a myGov account, open a bank account, and save the emergency number and the free interpreter line. In your first month, check whether you can enrol in Medicare (and get insurance if not), how long you can drive on your overseas licence in your state, whether your rental bond has been lodged with the state bond authority, and that your employer is paying super. New migrants can also use free translating and free English classes. Families should enrol children in school and check Family Tax Benefit. State rules are shown by state. Each step links to a verified guide and the official source.

A tax file number (TFN) is your personal reference number in Australia's tax and superannuation (super) systems. It is usually 9 digits and stays the same for life. You need it to work, open a bank account and claim government payments in Australia, and applying is free. If you hold a foreign passport, are already in Australia and have a valid visa with work rights, you can apply online on the ATO website and usually receive your TFN by post within 28 days.

Everyone who arrives in Australia completes an Incoming Passenger Card. If you carry food, plant material, animal products or traditional medicines, you must declare them honestly. Declaring is free and brings no penalty; if you do not declare and officers find the items, you can get an infringement notice of up to A$7,280, and visa holders may have their visa cancelled on the spot. Commercially packaged mooncakes without meat are allowed, but sausages, ham, fresh fruit, whole eggs and raw rice are not. Adults have a duty-free allowance of A$900 in general goods, 2.25 litres of alcohol and 25 cigarettes. Cash of A$10,000 or more must be declared to AUSTRAC before you reach customs.

Once you are a permanent resident (PR), you can apply for Australian citizenship by conferral if you meet the residence requirement, are of good character and pass the citizenship test. The general residence requirement is 4 years of lawful residence in Australia before you apply, with the last 12 months as a permanent resident, and limits on time spent outside Australia. The application fee is A$595 (2026–27 financial year); children aged 15 and under can be included in a parent's application for free. After approval you must attend a ceremony and make the pledge before you become a citizen. You must then enrol to vote and can apply for an Australian passport.

myGov is the Australian Government's online gateway to its services. With one account you can link the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Medicare, Centrelink and other agencies, receive government letters, lodge your tax return and check Medicare claims. All you need to create an account is a personal email address. When you link each agency, you prove your identity by answering questions about information that agency holds about you. myID is a different thing: it is the government's Digital ID app, which you can use to sign in to myGov more securely.

If your English is limited, you can call 131 450 for a TIS National telephone interpreter, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Calls to government agencies through TIS are usually free. At the GP or the pharmacy you can also ask for a free interpreter on the spot. New migrants can also use the Free Translating Service: within 2 years of your visa being granted, up to 10 personal documents can be translated into English for free. Permanent residents aged 18 or over with little English can join free English classes through the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP).

In Australia, immigration assistance, which means advising you about your own visa situation or preparing and lodging your application, can only be given by a registered migration agent, an Australian legal practitioner or a person exempt under the law. Only the first two can charge a fee. Before you use an agent, check their registration number (MARN) on the OMARA public register, and sign a written agreement before they start work. An education agent who is not registered cannot give immigration assistance. NewBee AU only summarises public information and does not give immigration advice.

In Australia, wages and government payments almost always go straight into a bank account, so open a local account soon after you arrive. Under anti-money laundering law, banks must verify your identity; if you have just arrived, your passport is usually enough. Once you have your TFN, tell your bank, or tax will be withheld from your interest at the highest rate. This page explains the general rules only and does not recommend any bank.

Australia's working holiday programme has two visas: the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) and the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462). Which one you can apply for depends on your passport. Both are for people aged 18 to 30 who want to stay for up to 12 months, do any kind of work and study for up to 4 months. This guide explains the subclass 462 rules using China as the example: some countries have a yearly cap (China has 5,000 first visas a year) and a ballot, so you must register in ImmiAccount, be randomly selected, and then apply within 28 days. The visa fee is A$840.00. If you complete 3 months of specified work you can apply for a second visa.