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germany ► How to Open a Bank Account in Poland - MeestPay

How to Open a Bank Account in Poland

30.04.2021
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More and more Ukrainians are working or studying in Poland. And, for sure, many are wondering how to open a bank account in Poland for a Ukrainian? And if this is possible at all. Fortunately, opening an account in Poland for foreigners is not only possible but also quite easy.

Should I Open a Bank Account in Poland?

Anyone who decides to come to Poland for a longer period should consider opening a personal account in one of the banks operating in this country.

There are several reasons why opening an account in Poland is necessary:

  1. This will make shopping, paying bills, getting a salary or a scholarship much easier. Another advantage of having an account is the ability to transfer money from your bank account to Ukraine, for example, using our MeestPay service.
  2. Of course, in Polish shops, both offline and online, it is possible to pay for purchases using a payment card linked to an account opened with a bank outside Poland. But since the official currency in Poland is zloty, any transaction will have additional fees charged by banks for currency conversion.
  3. In addition, transfers from an employer or friends sending money in Polish currency from a Polish account to a foreign one will not only take longer (about 2-3 business days) but they will also be charged additional fees.
  4. If you need cash, a fee for withdrawing money from a Polish bank card will be lower (or none at all) than when withdrawing from a card issued by a Ukrainian bank.
  5. The account opening process is extremely simple. Some financial institutions even offer to open a Polish bank account online. This information needs to be clarified with the bank’s managers.

Given the fact that banks in Poland offer accounts that can be used free of charge, opening a bank account in Poland is simple and profitable for foreigners.

How to Open an Account in a Polish Bank for a Non-Resident?

How to Open a Bank Account in Poland  ► How to Open a Bank Account in Poland - MeestPay

Ukrainians who want to open a personal bank account in Poland will surely appreciate the fact that this is a simple process. Although in most cases such a person will have to come in person to the branch of the chosen bank with a full set of necessary documents, some institutions meet the client halfway and offer such a service as opening an account in a Polish bank remotely. In the first case, a bank employee will open an account on your behalf and explain any ambiguities (for example, in English, and in some cases also in German, Russian or Ukrainian). However, if you are setting up an account online, just follow the instructions on the bank’s website.

What Documents Do I Need to Submit?

Even the friendliness of a bank employee will not help if a foreigner trying to open a bank account does not provide the relevant documents. First of all, banks require Ukrainians to provide documents confirming their identity. One note: in this case, an identity card issued in Ukraine is not enough. It is better to come to the bank with your passport. Another important document for the bank will be the residence card, which guarantees that the person applying to the bank to open an account remains in Poland legally.

Some institutions, before opening a Polish bank account for a Ukrainian, put forward additional requirements, for example, confirmation of the residence address in Poland. Other required documents may be a visa, a certificate of student status at a Polish university, a certificate of a language course completion at a Polish university, a certificate of postgraduate education, which confirms the legality of stay in Poland.

Which Bank in Poland Is Better to Open an Account

To choose the best option, pay attention to the following points:

  • what documents are needed to open a bank account;
  • if it is possible to open a bank account in Poland online;
  • what additional requirements need to be met;
  • whether the bank’s offer is profitable;
  • what the fees are and if you can avoid them;
  • how much does account maintenance cost per month;
  • ATMs you can withdraw money from for free;
  • what are the other important fees, such as how much does a transfer abroad costs;
  • if it is easy to close the account if necessary.

The most popular banks where non-residents can open a bank account in Poland are Raiffeisen Polbank, Bank Pekao, Bank Zachodni WBK, BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole, ING Bank, Deutsche Bank, and Millenium Bank.

After studying all the information, it will be easy for you to choose the best option. Having an account in a Polish bank, you can easily transfer money from it to Ukraine using our convenient MeestPay service. You do not need to visit a bank branch for this. All transactions can be carried out online at any time of the day.

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