Opening a bank account in Dublin as an Aussie

You can't rent without an account and you can't open an account without an address. Here's how to break that loop in your first fortnight.

The short version

The big three high-street banks are AIB, Bank of Ireland and PTSB. Credit unions and An Post also offer current accounts [7].
Bank of Ireland's "Coming to Ireland" service lets you apply up to 45 days before you move, but you must give it an Irish address within 60 days [1].
Banks need photo ID plus a separate proof of address. If you've just started work, a letter from your employer may be accepted for now [3][4].
Any euro account from a SEPA country, including app banks with non-Irish IBANs, must legally be accepted by employers and utilities [5].
Your Australian credit history doesn't follow you. Ireland's Central Credit Register starts you from scratch [6].

Your options: high street vs app

Ireland's banking market is small. Back home you can pick from the big four and dozens of mutuals. In Dublin the traditional choice is basically three banks, plus credit unions and An Post [7]. App-based banks such as Revolut, N26 and bunq are widely used, and they pioneered opening an account by scanning your documents on your phone [2].

Option	How you open it	Good for	Watch out for
Bank of Ireland	Online, in branch, at a kiosk or by phone; can apply up to 45 days before arrival [1]	Getting set up before you land	€6 monthly maintenance fee on the standard current account [1]; Irish address needed within 60 days [1]
AIB	Apply online before arrival, then verify ID in a branch [2]	A traditional bank with a big branch network	You must visit a branch to activate the account [2]
PTSB	In a branch with all your documents [2]	People who prefer face-to-face service	No pre-arrival option for new arrivals [2]
Credit unions and An Post	In person [7]	Community banking and loans	Check what current account features they offer
App banks (Revolut, N26, bunq)	On your phone [2]	Day-one spending, travel and moving money	IBAN may not start with IE, and some services still resist that

Most Australians end up with two accounts: an app account for the first weeks, and a high-street account once they have an address. That combination covers nearly every situation.

What the fees look like

Irish current accounts often charge. Bank of Ireland's standard personal current account costs €6 a month in 2026, which covers euro card payments, euro transfers and euro ATM withdrawals [1]. Government stamp duty and charges for international or non-euro payments can come on top [1]. Before you sign up, a bank should give you a fee information document, and it has to send you a statement of fees at least once a year [7]. Compare them. If you're used to fee-free accounts from an Australian bank, this is a small culture shock.

What ID and address proof Irish banks accept

Anti-money laundering rules mean banks must check who you are and where you live, even if you're already a customer [4]. You can't use the same document for both [4].

Proof of identity

AIB accepts original documents only: a current signed passport, a passport card, a travel document, an EU or EEA photo driving licence, or an EU national identity card [3]. Photocopies aren't accepted [3]. For Australians that means your passport. Your Australian driver's licence isn't on the list, because it isn't an EU or EEA licence.

Proof of address

This is the hard bit. AIB wants a document issued to your home address and dated within the past six months [3]. Typical options are:

a utility bill for phone, mobile, gas, electricity or heating (a first bill needs a second document alongside it) [3]
a letter from a regulated Irish financial institution, such as an insurer or credit union [3]
government correspondence showing an existing relationship with you [3].

Two traps catch newcomers. First, AIB doesn't accept PPS letters or Revenue PIN letters as proof of address, because they don't show an existing relationship [3]. Second, your name must match exactly across your ID and your address document [3].

Bank of Ireland's list is a little wider. It accepts a utility bill, a financial statement, or a letter from Revenue, an approved university, the CAO, the Department of Social Protection or the immigration service [1]. Documents not in English must be translated and certified [1].

When you have no Irish address yet

Citizens Information says that if you've recently arrived and started work but can't prove your address yet, a letter from your employer or licensed employment agency may be accepted, with the address evidence to follow later [4]. Ask HR for one on your first day. If a bank still won't budge, ask to speak to someone senior, or call its helpline before you visit [3].

The step-by-step order that works

Before you fly, apply to Bank of Ireland's Coming to Ireland service if you have a firm move date within 45 days [1]. You'll take a selfie during the application and should get your IBAN by text within three days if approved [1].
Open an app account as backup. It lets you pay for a short-term let, a Leap card and groceries from day one.
Land and lock in an address. Even a short lease with your name on it is gold.
Get an employer letter. Confirm your address and start date on company letterhead.
Update your bank with your Irish address within 60 days if you used Bank of Ireland's pre-arrival option. If you don't, the account is blocked, and it closes if the address is still missing 30 days later [1].
Switch your salary to whichever account suits you. Your employer must accept any euro IBAN from the SEPA zone [5].

IBAN discrimination: know your rights

An IBAN is the international account number. Irish ones start with IE. Many app banks issue IBANs starting with other country codes, such as LT or DE.

Some employers, utilities and phone companies used to refuse these. That's not allowed. Under Article 9 of the EU SEPA Regulation, a company or employer can't insist you hold an Irish account for euro payments or direct debits [5].

If someone refuses your IBAN, the Central Bank of Ireland suggests three steps [5]:

Tell them they must accept IBANs from other SEPA countries, citing Article 9.
Send a formal written complaint if they don't change.
Report it to the right authority. Disputes with traders such as energy or phone companies go to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. Disputes with employers and payment firms go to the Central Bank at ibandiscrimination@centralbank.ie [5].

Include the company's name, the reason they gave and the first two letters of your IBAN [5]. Most firms fold at step one once you quote the rule.

Building Irish credit from scratch

Your years of paying an Australian credit card on time don't count here. Ireland's Central Credit Register, run by the Central Bank of Ireland, records loans of about €500 or more and produces the credit reports lenders use [6]. Until you have Irish borrowing on record, you're a blank file.

That matters most if you plan to finance a car or buy property. A few habits help:

Keep one main current account and pay your salary into it.
Pay rent by bank transfer, so you have a clear payment history.
Take out credit only when you need it, and repay it on time.
Check your own record online through the register's borrower area [6].

Moving money from Australia

Most Australians arrive with savings in Australian dollars. Bank-to-bank international transfers from Australian banks can carry both a fee and a margin on the exchange rate, so compare the total amount that lands in euro, not the advertised fee. Specialist money transfer services and multi-currency app accounts are often cheaper for regular transfers. Our guide to sending money home covers the trade-offs in both directions.

Keep your Australian account open

You'll still want an Australian account for super, tax refunds or rent from a property back home. Tell your Australian bank you've become a non-resident, so it can handle withholding on interest correctly. Our guide to keeping Australian accounts while abroad explains what changes. Irish banks will also ask where you're tax resident when you open an account, so have your TFN handy if Australia is still on the list.

Staying safe

Smartraveller warns that credit card fraud and ATM scams are rising in Ireland, and says to avoid ATMs that look unusual [8]. Pickpocketing is common in Dublin, so keep cards in a front pocket [8]. If you lose your passport, which you need for almost every bank visit, the Australian Embassy is at 47–49 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2 [8].

Want to know which bank other Aussies actually use? Ask in Cooee Ireland, our Facebook group for Australians in Ireland. Members share which branches were easy and which letters did the trick.

Opening a bank account in Dublin: the Irish IBAN and the address problem