More and more foreigners are coming to Poland with the aim of obtaining a residence permit and staying here to live. They come from all over the world: Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Romania, Uzbekistan and many other countries. Some time after arrival, every foreigner faces the problem of lack of a bank card. After all, in recent years Poland is already moving to cashless payments and even prohibited large purchases for cash.
No foreigner can do in Poland without an open account in one of the local banks. Do you want to know what you need to open a bank account in Poland in 2024? Migration agents aksis have collected useful information for you on the topic of opening a bank account.
How to open a bank account - online or offline?
If you are a Polish citizen, it is very easy and simple to open a bank account. Whether you do it offline or online, all you need is a document proving your identity (i.e. ID card or passport). If you still don't have a bank account, you can open an account that allows customers to make basic transactions. Importantly, such a procedure will be absolutely free for you. It is worth familiarizing yourself with the bank's offers and promotions to choose the most suitable one for you.
The process of opening an account takes a few minutes: you need to fill out an application form, which can be found on the website of the selected bank, and specify your data: name, surname, address, PESEL number, details of your identity document, phone number and e-mail address. Once you agree with the account creation and the offered terms and conditions, it is time to sign the agreement.
Required documents for a foreigner
Can a foreigner open a bank account in Poland? The country's legislation does not prescribe any prohibitions on this account, so citizens of other countries have the right to open a payment card in local banks.
In Poland, there is no uniform procedure for opening a bank account for a foreigner, so the whole process is not very transparent. The conditions vary depending on the bank, on whether the client is a Polish tax resident or not, and on whether the client is from a country within the European Union or outside the EU.
However, the general rule is that a foreigner must have several documents in order to open an account in a Polish bank:
Identification document. As a rule, it is a passport.
A document confirming the legal stay in Poland. For example, visa, Pole card, residence card, etc.
PESEL number.
The latter requirement usually does not apply to EU citizens - they can stay in Poland without proof of their status. Some banks also require, for example, tax residency status, an apartment rental agreement or a registration certificate.
Which bank should you choose?
More than 10 major banks in Poland issue bank cards to citizens of other countries, but each bank has different conditions. In our article we made a detailed comparative analysis of popular banks in Poland and found out which bank is best to trust your choice.
It should also be noted that for citizens of Ukraine in connection with the war in some banks simplified the terms of account registration. For example, Millenium Bank states that only a Ukrainian passport will be needed to open an account.
How to close a bank account?
Have you decided to move or just open a personal account in another bank? Then you need to take care of closing the account at the bank where you have your current agreement. There are several ways to do this:
Personal visit to a bank branch.
Calling the bank's hotline.
By registered letter.
Via the bank's mobile application.
To close an account with a Polish bank, you will need to provide the following information: full name of the cardholder, passport or PESEL number, place of residence, contract or bank account number and details of the account to which the balance should be transferred. Closing the account is a free of charge procedure.
