which bank for ozzie living ing USA?

[scheps]

Hey guys,

Just wondering what your thoughts are? because i will have income on both sides and will need to transfer money back and forth.

I am currently citigold but they are really really pissing me off. I have been pretty patient for 2 months with their recurrent errors but quite frankly have had it. I have never dealt such a big bunch of incompetent losers in my entire life. Wish i was in sydney instead of brisbane. I wont state it on here but if anyone is going to be thinking about doing the same thing, feel free to PM me.

So what do you suggest?

Thanks - Scheps.

 

[Supersonic Swinger]

Ah Shee-Tee-Bank. They're nothing if not consistent - sounds like they still couldn't organise their way out of a paper bag.

When I went to the US, my employer had an arrangement with them that I would have a bank account and credit card before I arrived without having to deal with all the red tape an un-banked and un-carded US resident would have to go through opening them for the first time. Due to stunning levels of incompetence and effectively customer dis-service, the account was only opened a month after I got there and they were denying me a credit card unless I went through all the hoops a US resident would have to go through to get their first card.

I walked across the road to HSBC, within two days I had a Premier account and Premier credit card (https://www.us.hsbc.com/1/2/home/premier). It may have helped that I already had accounts with HSBC in Australia but if you meet the US Premier criteria, I'm sure they'll open you an account in Australia. You can see your accounts in both countries when you log in, transfers between them are instantaneous, the Premier credit cards are fee free, and if you move to another country they are in they will set you up there as well.

I have been happily Citibank free since then.

 

[Foreigner]

Good tip about HSBC here. Will follow up for my daughter travelling to Washington for a year, soon.

 

[wiz]

It might also be worth considering the bank alliances between some US and AU banks. For example, I have a no frills Bank of America account that gives me free withdrawals using Westpac in AU, and a Westpac account that gives me free withdrawals in the US.

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