How to open a bank account in Poland in 2022: practical tips

Foreigners who study or work in Poland cannot do without a local bank account. Most companies prefer to transfer money to an employee's account rather than pay in cash. Unfortunately, even people who work legally in Poland often have problems opening an account. Banks are especially unwilling to treat customers who are not citizens of the European Union and do not have the status of a resident. Today we will tell you how to open a bank account in Poland in 2022 without any problems.

What difficulties you may encounter when opening a bank account

It is better to open an account in Poland through intermediaries, otherwise you may encounter such problems:

• the system rejects the application when you try to register remotely.Polish banks do not send cards to another country neither by courier nor by mail;
• rules for opening an account for foreigners are not specified on the website, you have to make a request to the bank;
• language barrier - Polish is obligatory.

Documents for opening an account in Poland

As a rule, non-residents are asked to provide documents that confirm their identity and the legality of their stay in the country. This can be one of the listed documents:

• ID card;
• driving license;
• declaration of residence;
• residence visa.

Some institutions limit their proof of legal residence to the status of a student at a Polish university or a certificate of completion of language courses at a university. If a foreigner does not have a residence card, it is necessary to submit a paper on tax residency. It is a certificate of tax residency for tax purposes, issued by the competent tax office.

Changes for the better

According to foreigners who have opened an account in Poland, the most difficult point is the lack of a uniform procedure. Each bank works with non-residents based on its own criteria. Recently, there is every chance that banks will unify the rules and make it much easier to work with citizens of other countries.

Recently, Polish banks have become more active in working with foreigners. For example:

• At Getin Bank, foreigners from the EU, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia and Moldova can take advantage of a simplified system. They need to present 2 documents (passport and ID code), indicate your mailing address in Poland;
• Credit Agricole has prepared a form for foreigners with a list of all the documents needed to open an account;
• Millennium allows foreigners who live in Poland to conclude an agreement through a courier, without a visit to the bank.

Opening an account in Poland: practical tips

If you want to open a bank account, you must go to the bank yourself or act through an intermediary (our company representatives). To avoid multiple visits and reduce the waiting time for consideration of the application, you need to submit the entire set of documents at once. Therefore, before opening a bank account in Poland 2022 contact IT-OFFSHORE, describe your situation in detail and we will choose the bank that best suits your needs.

Poland's Top 5 banks for non-residents

Millennium Bank

Millennium is one of the friendliest banks for non-residents. You can open an account remotely or at a branch. Foreigners who live in Poland can sign a contract through a courier.

To open an account with Millennium Bank you have to present the following documents:

• passport;
• permanent (temporary) residence card;
• employment contract or certificate from the university.

MBank

MBank is one of the well-known Polish banks, at one time it was known as MultiBank. In 2019 it was the 4th largest bank in Poland in terms of assets. MBank has well-developed internet and phone banking, which allows it to serve 5 million users. All banking transactions are fast and smooth.

To open an account at MBank one has to present a passport and a permanent (temporary) residence card. The person who applies must be a resident with a PESEL number and have a residence address in Poland.

Bank Pekao S.A.

Bank Pekao has existed for more than 80 years, has many branches and ATMs, and offers a full range of financial services. Non-residents can open an account at Bank Pekao S.A. only. EU residents need to only show proof of identity. Citizens of other countries must provide a passport and document confirming the address of residence in the country (residence permit, rental agreement).

BNP Paribas

BNP Paribas gives services to its clients in Polish, English, and Ukrainian. You can open an account with BNP Paribas in one of its branches in Warsaw, Poznan, or Wroclaw. The package is standard - passport, temporary or permanent residence permit, and work permit.

BOŚ Bank

BOŚ Bank is one of the few banks that do not require a Polish residence permit, though its absence may be grounds for refusal. To open an account at BOŚ Bank, you must have a passport issued in the EU.