Applying for a Tax File Number (TFN)

Your TFN is a 9-digit number from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). You need it to be paid your full wage (without it, employers withhold at the top tax rate), to open a high-interest bank account without 49% withholding, and to claim benefits like the tax-free threshold.

How to apply

• If you're already in Australia on a visa with work rights, apply online with Individual Auto Registration (IAR): https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/tax-file-number/apply-for-a-tfn/foreign-passport-holders-permanent-migrants-and-temporary-visitors-tfn-application
• It's free. You should receive your TFN within 28 days.
• You need to have arrived in Australia and be holding a visa that allows you to live here.

What to do once you have it

• Give it to your employer with a Tax File Number Declaration form.
• Give it to your bank (or 49% of your interest gets withheld).
• Save it somewhere safe but not in shared chat history. Treat it like a national ID number — it can enable identity theft if leaked.

Common gotchas

• Don't apply offshore — most newcomers should use the in-Australia online form, not the paper offshore form.
• One TFN per lifetime. If you've held a TFN before (even from years ago), don't apply for a new one — recover the old number via the ATO.
• The ATO never asks for your TFN by SMS or in a cold call. If a "tax debt" call asks for it, it's a scam — see common scams.