Leaving Australia: the complete rundown — admin and money checklist before you go
From the TRS refund to tax, bond, car and mail — a departure preparation checklist common to all visas, organised chronologically by counting back from your departure date (4 weeks out through to after departure).
Why you need a 'departure countdown checklist'
None of the tasks involved in leaving Australia is difficult on its own, but the structure is such that getting the order wrong costs you money. Miss the rental notice period and you pay extra rent; transfer your car's ownership late and you receive someone else's fines; close your bank account too early and there is nowhere left for your refunds to land. This guide is a hub that pulls the departure-related items scattered across the dedicated guides — rental, vehicle, tax, super, mail — into a checklist counted back from your departure date (4 weeks out → after departure). Check the detailed procedure for each item in the relevant dedicated guide. The 4-step departure summary in the Working Holiday guide is a condensed version for working holiday makers only; this guide is the general version common to all visas — working holiday, study, work and migration.
First, separate what to cancel from what to keep
The first step in departure preparation is separating what to cancel from what to keep. Utilities, subscriptions and your lease are things to cancel, but your Australian bank account, myGov and TFN are things to keep. Because a large share of your money — tax refunds, DASP, bond refunds — arrives after departure, missing this distinction and closing the account first is the most common mistake people make when leaving.
TRS — the GST refund scheme on departure
The TRS (Tourist Refund Scheme) lets you claim a GST refund on goods purchased in Australia when you take them out of the country on departure, and is operated by the ABF (Australian Border Force). Purchases from the same business (by ABN) can be combined, and there are conditions such as a minimum purchase amount and a deadline for taking the goods out after purchase — the specific amounts and deadlines can change, so check the latest rules at abf.gov.au. A tax invoice is essential to claim the refund.
Airport procedure and TRS app pre-registration
On departure day, present the actual goods, tax invoice, passport and boarding pass at the airport's ABF TRS facility. The facility is often located after outbound immigration, so arrive at the airport with time to spare. Goods that need to be checked in — large items that cannot go in the cabin, or liquids — may need to be sighted before you check in your baggage; follow the ABF guidance for the specific procedure at your airport.
- Keep the original tax invoice, and check at abf.gov.au whether purchases from the same ABN business can be combined, plus the minimum purchase amount and export deadline
- As a rule, present refund goods in person at the customs facility — goods that must go in checked baggage may need a separate sighting before check-in, so check your airport's procedure in advance
- Pre-register your passport and goods details with the TRS app and prepare your refund payment method (card, etc.) in advance — this can greatly cut queuing time at the facility on departure day
Australian residents can also use the TRS. However, if you bring the refunded goods back into Australia you must declare them on arrival, and you may have to pay the GST back if you exceed the traveller's duty-free concession.
Things to keep even after you leave
As long as money is still due to arrive after departure, the channels to receive it must stay alive. Tax refunds, DASP, bond refunds and rego refunds are mostly processed and paid after departure, so do not cancel or delete the items below — set them up so they remain accessible from overseas.
- Australian bank account — never close it before confirming every refund and bond payment has arrived. Update your registered contact details with the bank to an overseas email and phone number
- myGov and TFN — do not delete the account or the number. Before departure, set up app-based or other two-factor authentication so you can log in from overseas (do not rely solely on SMS to an Australian phone number)
- A reachable email and overseas phone number — update the contact details registered with the ATO, your bank, the state bond authority and the transport authority to overseas contacts so correspondence about refunds and returns is not lost
A TFN (Tax File Number) is a personal number kept for life once issued. If you later return to Australia, you use the same TFN, so it is not something to 'tidy up'.
The 4 areas to sort out
Splitting departure preparation into 4 areas makes it hard to miss anything. Check the detailed procedures for each area in the relevant dedicated guide — here we only cover the timing from a departing person's perspective.
Submit your vacate notice in line with the notice period in your lease, and after the final clean and inspection, start the bond refund claim as soon as you return the keys. Where possible, a schedule that completes the claim before departure is the safe option. Dispute procedures and each state's bond authority are covered in the dedicated tenant rights guide.
Working back from the time needed to advertise, sell and transfer ownership, starting the sale around 4 weeks before departure is safe. Refunds for the remaining rego period and CTP vary by state, so check with your state's transport authority, and clear unpaid tolls and fines before you leave. See the vehicle guide for transfer details.
If you are leaving permanently before 30 June with no Australian income afterwards, early lodgment of your tax return is possible. For DASP, go only as far as pre-filling the application and preparing certified documents before departure — submit it after your visa has ceased. See the dedicated tax and DASP guides for details.
Follow Services Australia's official guidance for Medicare-related departure steps, and note that if you receive Centrelink payments or use concessions, you are required to notify them of your departure. Book utility disconnection dates and update the address for final bills, and apply for international mail redirection for your post.
Departure countdown timeline
This is a standard timeline counted back from your departure date. Depending on your personal circumstances (your lease's notice period, the car market, etc.), you may need to start earlier, so allow plenty of margin.
- 4 weeks out — submit your rental vacate notice, start advertising the car for sale, notify school or childcare of the withdrawal
- 2 weeks out — book utility (electricity, gas, internet) disconnection dates, check rego refund conditions with your state transport authority, apply for Australia Post international mail redirection
- 1 week out — update your bank, myGov and ATO contact details to overseas contacts, set up two-factor authentication, prepare the final inspection and bond refund claim
- Departure day — claim the GST refund at the airport TRS facility (present goods, tax invoice, passport and boarding pass; app pre-registration recommended)
- After departure — submit DASP after your visa ceases, lodge a tax return if eligible, and only consider closing your bank account after confirming the bond and all refunds have arrived
The 5 most common mistakes people make when leaving
People leaving Australia keep repeating the same mistakes. Avoiding just the five below can save you a great deal of money and time.
- Closing your bank account before receiving refunds and the bond — the most common and most expensive mistake. Tax refunds, DASP and the bond are often deposited after departure, so close the account only after confirming every payment has arrived.
- Tying myGov two-factor authentication solely to SMS on an Australian phone number — once the number is cut off after departure, you are locked out of the account. Before you leave, set up an authentication method you can use overseas.
- Checking in TRS goods before they are sighted by customs — if you cannot present the actual goods, the refund may be refused. For goods that must be checked in, find out your airport's pre-check-in sighting procedure in advance.
- Leaving with an incomplete vehicle transfer or unpaid tolls outstanding — fines and toll charges incurred afterwards will be billed to you. Rego refund conditions also differ by state, so check with the transport authority before departure.
- Failing to notify Centrelink of your departure while receiving payments or concessions — breaching the notification obligation can lead to problems such as recovery of overpayments. Remember to update the address for your final utility bills as well.
Useful official links
- ABF — Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS)(opens in a new window)
Official TRS (Tourist Refund Scheme) guidance — refund eligibility conditions, airport procedures, TRS app pre-registration
- ATO — Coming to Australia or going overseas(opens in a new window)
Tax when leaving Australia — early lodgment conditions, guidance on your TFN and income when moving overseas
- Services Australia(opens in a new window)
Medicare and Centrelink departure procedures — notification obligations and impacts on payments when leaving Australia
- Australia Post — Redirect or hold your mail(opens in a new window)
Mail redirection service — applying for international redirection to an overseas address
- myGov(opens in a new window)
Official myGov site — keep your account after departure and access government services from overseas
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone who has been living in Australia (a resident) also claim a TRS refund when leaving?▾
Yes. The TRS is available not only to visitors but also to Australian residents. However, if you bring the refunded goods back into Australia, you must declare them on arrival, and if you exceed the traveller's duty-free concession you may have to pay the GST back. Check eligibility conditions and the latest rules at abf.gov.au.
Do I need to close my Australian bank account before leaving?▾
No — this is the most common mistake people make when leaving. Many payments, including tax refunds, DASP, bond refunds and TRS refunds, are deposited after you have left. It is not too late to close the account once you have confirmed all the money has arrived. Also keep your myGov account and TFN — do not delete them. A TFN is a lifelong number that you use again as-is if you ever return.
Can I apply for DASP (the superannuation refund) in advance before leaving?▾
You cannot submit it yet. As a rule, a DASP (Departing Australia Superannuation Payment) claim is submitted after you have left and your visa has ceased; before departure, it is best to go only as far as pre-filling the application and preparing documents (such as certified identity documents). See the dedicated DASP guide for eligibility, tax rates and detailed procedures.
Can I lodge my tax return early, before leaving Australia?▾
Yes, if you meet the conditions. If you are leaving Australia permanently before the end of the financial year (30 June) and will have no Australian income afterwards, you can lodge early (early lodgment). However, the outcome can change once issues such as CGT on becoming a non-resident or the main residence exemption are involved, so consulting a registered tax agent is recommended. Check the detailed conditions in the tax guide and at ato.gov.au.
When should I start the process of getting my rental bond back?▾
It is best to start the bond claim as soon as you have completed the move-out and returned the keys. Disputes are far harder to handle from overseas after you leave, so work backwards to a schedule that completes the inspection and the claim before departure where possible. Dispute procedures and each state's bond authority are covered in the dedicated tenant rights guide.
When should I start selling my car? Is rego refundable?▾
Work backwards from how long it takes from listing the ad to the actual sale and transfer of ownership — starting the sale at least 4 weeks before departure is the safe approach. Refunds for the remaining rego (registration) period and CTP insurance are governed differently in each state, so check with your state's transport authority, and clear any unpaid tolls and fines before you leave. If the transfer is not completed, later fines will come in your name. See the vehicle guide for details on selling and transferring ownership.
How do I receive mail sent to my Australian address after I leave?▾
Australia Post's international mail redirection service lets you receive mail addressed to your Australian address at your home-country address (a paid service — check fees and durations at auspost.com.au). Redirection is only a temporary safety net, though: the priority is to directly update your registered address and contact details with important organisations such as the ATO, your bank and the bond authority to your overseas address and email.