Hi OzBargainers,
What should someone who doesn't have a fixed home address use as their official residential address for banking, Medicare, drivers license, AEC?
Let's say you don't own a home and are travelling around Australia or overseas for an extended period, staying in different cities for a few days or weeks.
Which state or territory would you choose for your official residential address and why? Are there any benefits of picking one over the other that you can think of?
Use next of kin’s address or anyone that your trust with your mail.
I don't receive much physical mail so that's not a big deal. I'm more interested in the 'residential' aspect since I wouldn't technically be residing there.
Residential address or postal address?
Within reason, just pick any address for this purpose so long as both you and the owner of the property are comfortable with this arrangement, noting that the odd piece of mail could end up there. Keep them all the same and it is very unlikely that you'll run into any situation that will cause you problems.
Postal address? Well, in your circumstance I'd just make sure everything is electronic. Between the above and going electronic you'll be right.
Residential address or postal address?
Residential.
Postal address? Well, in your circumstance I'd just make sure everything is electronic.
I do receive everything electronically. I've only received physical mail twice this year. Unfortunately, a few government services still send them despite me having opted out.
Within reason, just pick any address for this purpose so long as both you and the owner of the property are comfortable with this arrangement, noting that the odd piece of mail could end up there. Keep them all the same and it is very unlikely that you'll run into any situation that will cause you problems.
Yes, I already live between a few countries and haven't run into an issues yet. I'm interested in the legal aspect, since I'm not actually residing at the address that I have on record. Banks are getting stricter with identity and residency verification recently due to FATCA reporting requirements.
Yes, I already live between a few countries and haven't run into an issues yet. I'm interested in the legal aspect, since I'm not actually residing at the address that I have on record. Banks are getting stricter with identity and residency verification recently due to FATCA reporting requirements(ato.gov.au).
So this is where you need to take professional legal and/or tax advice. You're obviously getting into the area of having assets and/or income spread across multiple jurisdictions for whatever reason. In the normal way, so long as you are entirely transparent in your dealings with various government agencies, you won't run into significant drama … there are many, many people who "reside" in various countries over the course of a year/multiple years. The ones that come a cropper are usually the ones trying to hide assets/income from someone.
So this is where you need to take professional legal and/or tax advice. You're obviously getting into the area of having assets and/or income spread across multiple jurisdictions for whatever reason……
I shouldn't have included the second paragraph about travel to the original post, I'll edit it to make it a little clearer. I'm not really referring to the legal aspect of living across countries in this post, but rather that of having an incorrect residential address listed on record.
To keep it simple, let's assume that someone doesn't own a home, and is travelling around Australia, spending a total of 3 months in WA, NSW, VIC, and QLD but each trip only last a few weeks.
there are many, many people who "reside" in various countries over the course of a year/multiple years.
There are, but they do encounter frustrations when dealing with multiple legal systems that weren't developed to handle the current era.
To keep it simple, let's assume that someone doesn't own a home, and is travelling around Australia, spending a total of 3 months in WA, NSW, VIC, and QLD but each trip only last a few weeks.
So where do they live the other 9 months? That would be the residential address.
As others have said, if you are genuinely of "no fixed address" use the address of relative or close friend who is happy for you to do this. If you are then required to give your residential address for any purpose (and assuming this is your residential address as declared to all government agencies, etc.) then you're not going to encounter any issues for any practical purpose. If it gets to the point where this is genuinely being questioned, it's likely that your "residential address" is the least of your concerns.
So where do they live the other 9 months? That would be the residential address.
I meant 3 months in each state but not all at once. So their address would be changing every couple of weeks.
As others have said, if you are genuinely of "no fixed address" use the address of relative or close friend who is happy for you to do this.
This isn't specifically about me; I'm just interested in the idea of 'residency' and how relevant it will be going forward. Travel is becoming cheaper and there is an increase in remote work.
Are there benefits of choosing the address of someone in one state and therefore being considered a resident of that state?
@Seraphin7: Not entirely hypothetical.
I'm trying to determine what constitutes a 'residential address' as I'd like to eliminate need to rely on a relative or close friend.
Ideally, I'd like to subscribe to a service that provides a 'virtual' residential address for a small monthly fee. Mail redirection (physical to digital scan) is the easy part as I don't really receive much paper mail.
I'm not sure if using the mail forwarders address as a residential address would raise any flags, or the legality of it. that's the only complication.
Can I 'reside' at their commercial property?
PO BOX
but that requires you to get a residental address first. I think they request a drivers license.
Its funny but that represents a business opportunity for someone.
DO a kennards hire style post forwarding/holding facitlity.
Having a fixed residential address is going to be less common what with people eschewing a 'normal' lifestyle.
PO BOX
Receiving physical mail isn't really a concern. I already receive all correspondence electronically. There are only a few government agencies that insist on sending letters by post, and they happen to be the ones that won't send to a PO Box.
Its funny but that represents a business opportunity for someone.
There are plenty services overseas - and I've come across a few in Australia - that do mail forwarding and scanning.
Having a fixed residential address is going to be less common
Absolutely, but it will take a long, long time for regulations to change.
123 Fake street.
That's fine when signing up for a Netflix account but not when dealing with financial institutions.
“123 Fake Street is the address that Marge made up when calling the police. She accidentally cut off Homer's thumb but Chief Wiggum thought it was attempted murder and asked for her address so they could come and arrest her. The address happened to exist…”
I missed the Simpsons reference :)
I'd vote none of the above. lol
I'd suggest you talk with AusPost
Talk about "Poste Restante" and ReDir from State to State.
https://auspost.com.au/receiving/manage-your-mail/redirect-h…
or
https://auspost.com.au/receiving/manage-your-mail/redirect-h…
and
https://auspost.com.au/receiving/manage-your-mail/redirect-h…
Opt-in to notify selected banks, insurers, energy providers and telcos of your new address.
Poste Restante is a long-established service within Australia run by the national postal service, Australia Post which allows one’s post to be sent to a city-centre holding place. It will be held for up to 1 month and can be collected by providing proof of identity, such as a passport/Drivers License etc.
For example, for the Adelaide GPO (General Post Office, i.e. the main post office in the city of Adelaide) one would address a letter or parcel thus:
Recipient's Full Name
c/o Poste Restante
GPO Adelaide
SA 5001
Australia
The recipient would then need to go to the Adelaide GPO at 10 Franklin St to collect it when it was due to arrive or shortly afterwards.
There are similar addresses (usually at the GPO in all main Capital cities).
AEC
Enrolment for people with no fixed address
If you are an Australian citizen and aged 18 years or over, and have no real place of living, you may be eligible to enrol as an itinerant voter
https://aec.gov.au/Enrolling_to_vote/Special_Category/no-fix…
Or…
http://www.keepingyouposted.com.au/index.asp
is a Private Mail Service.
Keeping You Posted is a mail redirection service for the travelling community. Whether you’re planning a trip around Australia or another country, working away from home or are thinking of relocating to Australia then Keeping You Posted can ensure that you are always connected with your mail!
Simply have your mail redirected to us where we will store it for you, then forward it to you ‘where ever’ you are, at anytime. Or even better take advantage of our online service and see your mail 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on our secure website. We will receive, open and scan your mail onto our website only to be viewed by you through your secure member login. It’s that simple. Take the hassle away from family, friends and loved ones and let Keeping You Posted keep you connected with your mail whilst away from home.
Thanks for the detailed response.
I'm not too concerned about the mail redirection as I receive almost all correspondence electronically. I only get a couple of letters posted to me from a few government agencies that still send snail mail, and they send those to the residential address recorded on file. I could use the AusPost service you linked to redirect mail those to a new address or to another mail handling service that scans and uploads a digital copy :)
I'd vote none of the above
The poll definitely wasn't necessary :)
No worries.
Just watch out for the AEC because the Electoral Roll is used for Jury Duty.
You would just get a letter in the Mail and not getting it or answering or attending could be a problem.
Also, 10 August 2021 is ABS Census Day, so be somewhere… anywhere, just whatever…
Depending on the person's age and health it may be worth selecting the state with the better assisted death/euthanasia legislation.
For the odd letter of importance, such as driver's licence, once upon a time, you used to be able to get Amex to hold your mail, so you pick it up when you reached that city. Parcel post lockers might be OK, too.
For everything else, email should do.
Edit.
Merry Christmas to every one. Stay covid safe.
You can't receive letters in Parcel Lockers, only parcels. Any letters sent to Parcel Lockers will be redirected to the residential address of the Parcel Locker number (aka customer number)
WA. For car rego reasons. There's no roadworthies in W.A. which is why you see so many backpacker cars with W.A. registration.
Interesting, I wasn't aware of that.
You use a P.O box. If you are Australian, then I would select one from your place of birth.
If you are Australian, then I would select one from your place of birth.
Not all Australians were born in Australia :)
NSW government is unable to cope with "Boo Fixed Address" and because of this Services NSW will take just about any form of ID to prove you live at an address. Sometimes you can just tell them you just moved into a share house and they will change your officially address with no evidence!!!
Federal department of Human Services and AEC can both cope with"No Fixed Address".
As far as I am aware, all other federal department's are unable to cope
Difficult situation
Everyone relies on providing proof of address…
Drivers licence
Passport
Bank statement/credit cards
Utility charges
I knew some foreigners backpacking around and they payed for a service of an address plus opening, scanning and emailing all mail that arrived at the address. i don't know what its called or where they got it sorry, i just know it exists.
Just make up your address since you don't exactly own a house or live in a rented house for long enough that the address would be permanent for receiving letters. if they ask you why you havent received your letters, you tell them i dont live in any one spot and that im a nomad.
They said I should ask on OzBargain ;)