Immigration Forum / Australia and NZ / August 2007

You can apply for a TFN online (www.ato.gov.au) but only once you are in
the country and have the right visa (permanent migrant or temporary
visitor with with work visa). as far as i know it take quite a while to
be processed, around 4 weeks i believe.

Dont worry about a bank account, you can do that when you get here.
There's no special requirements other than you need 100 points of
identification, and your passport makes up 80 of those. Bank accounts
are normally opened on the spot, and you get your card in the post soon
after.

enjoy.

, and

You don't have to get a TFN for a while, no one demands one. When you
start working you will need to give them one, and when you do get one
give it to your bank so they can work out how much tax to charge you
on any interest you earn, else they charge you the highest rate.

Find a bank and get an account so you can start to get letters from
them, which have your address on them. This will allow you to prove
your identity in the future. Then see about a drivers license.

To open a bank account is easy, a passport and a credit card will be
enough, the large banks are used to new people so will help you.