Does anyone know where in Australia I can cash an international cheque on the spot?:confused:

I'd presume Australia to be similar to the US in this matter. Here, the only way I'd be able to do it is if it were at my own bank and I had enough funds already in the account to cover it if it bounced.

Have you asked your bank about it?

Yeah they said it would take 6 weeks to clear

Holy cow, even at your bank!? That sounds like pretty poor service to me. If you get international checks frequently, I'd shop around for another bank that has a shorter hold period. I'd bet that the bank themselves get confirmation that it cleared long before 6 weeks.

On a lot of international checks, there is so much fraud now. One of the biggest scemes going now is to either buy something and send too big of check and say it was a mistake and would they send a refund for the balance, or the biggest is where they ask you to deposit their checks for them and send them the money with you keeping a small fee for this.

But of course in both of those cases the checks will be no good, either just pure fake, or no funds.

Also not all banks belong to the same international clearning houses, which means things take longer also.

But it is best to wait for the money to clear, that way you know. If you need someone to send you money direct, they can electronicly wire you the money.

In some banking, in many of those 3 world nations, banks are independent and some don't even belong to the clearning houses, inthose cases the check still has to physcially go to that bank by mail, be accepted and receipt sent back.

And normally the 6 week is a est max, many will clear sooner.

But if you have a check like from the US or major Europe nations, checks should clear in a week or two at the most.