Your first 72 hours in Australia

The flight’s over. You’re tired, wired and holding a passport with a visa in it. Here’s what to sort now, what can wait, and the one thing people pay for that should be free.

This guide breaks your first three days into three windows. You don’t need to do everything at once. You do need to do a few things in the right order, because some steps (like your Tax File Number) need an Australian address and take weeks to arrive.

Hours 0 to 6: getting through the airport

Fill in your incoming passenger card honestly

Most people arriving by air fill in an incoming passenger card on the plane. It covers who you are, where you’ll stay and what you’re carrying. Some Qantas flights are trialling a digital version, the Australia Travel Declaration; if you’re not invited to it, you use the paper card.

Australia is strict about biosecurity, because its farms and wildlife are free of many pests and diseases found elsewhere. You must declare food (even small snacks and cooking ingredients), plant material, animal products, wooden items, and any recent contact with farms or farm animals. Declaring usually just means a quick inspection. Giving false information can bring penalties.

• Cash: you can bring any amount, but you must declare AUD 10,000 or more (or the foreign equivalent).
• Medicines: keep them in their original packaging with your prescription or a letter from your doctor. Some medicines that are common elsewhere are controlled here, so check before you fly.
• Not sure? Declare it, or drop it in the amnesty bins before the inspection point.

Get connected before you leave the terminal

A local SIM or eSIM means maps, ride-share apps, banking codes and messages home all work from the taxi rank. Airport shops sell prepaid SIMs from the main networks, and supermarkets sell them for less if you can wait. Bring your passport: Australian rules require phone companies to check your ID before they activate a prepaid mobile service.

Your Australian phone number matters more than you’d think. Banks, government services and real estate agents will text you codes and updates, so get one early and keep it.

Hours 6 to 24: sleep, basics and getting around

Sleep when it’s night here, not when your body says so, and get outside in daylight the next morning. Jet lag after a long-haul flight can take a few days to shake, so keep the first day light.

Pick up basics from a supermarket. Coles, Woolworths and Aldi are everywhere, and IGA covers smaller suburbs and towns. Then sort transport. Each city has its own card: Opal in Sydney, myki in Melbourne, go card in Brisbane, SmartRider in Perth, metroCARD in Adelaide. Many cities now let you tap on with a contactless bank card too, so check your city’s transport website before buying anything.

Hours 24 to 72: the paperwork that starts the clock

Apply for your Tax File Number

A Tax File Number (TFN) is your personal number with the Australian Taxation Office. You need it to work without paying extra tax, and for banking and super. If you’re in Australia on a visa with work rights, you can apply online through the ATO. You don’t need to send any documents.

The ATO posts your TFN to the Australian address on your application, usually within 28 days. That’s why this goes early: use an address where you’ll still get mail in a month, like a friend’s place if you’re in short-term accommodation. Don’t apply twice while you wait, as it slows things down.

Set up your bank account

Several major banks let you open an account online before you arrive, then finish the ID check in a branch once you land. If you did that, book the branch visit now. Some banks close the account if you don’t verify your ID within a set time. If you haven’t opened one yet, take your passport and visa details to a branch and ask what ID they need from new arrivals.

Enrol in Medicare, if your visa allows it

Medicare is Australia’s public health system. Permanent residents can enrol, and so can people who have applied for permanent residency, with a few extra conditions. You can enrol online through myGov or with a form, using your passport or ImmiCard and your visa details.

On a temporary visa? You probably can’t enrol, unless you’re from a country with a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia, which covers medically necessary care. Check Services Australia’s list, and if you’re not covered, make sure your private health cover is active from day one.

Create your myGov account

myGov is the front door to Australian government services. Once you have it, you can link Medicare and, later, the ATO, so your tax and health records sit in one place.

Your first 72 hours checklist

What can wait

Your driver’s licence, a long-term rental, super and a GP can all wait until week one or two. Driving rules for overseas licences differ by state, and permanent residents usually need to switch to a local licence within a few months, so check your state’s road authority once you’re settled. Next up: first month setup, in the right order. Still packing? Use the pre-departure checklist.