A foreigner can open a personal account in a Polish bank on the same terms as a Polish citizen — the regulations do not reserve accounts for persons with Polish citizenship. The differences concern the documents: the bank must verify the client's identity and the legality of their stay, and each bank decides on its own what documents it will consider sufficient. If the regular offer is not available, the Act on payment services guarantees the right to a basic payment account.
Why requirements differ between banks
Banks are obliged institutions within the meaning of the regulations on counteracting money laundering. Before establishing the relationship they must determine who the client is, where their funds come from and what risk is associated with them. The regulations, however, do not provide a closed list of documents for foreigners, so each bank creates its own procedures. As a result, one branch will open an account on the basis of a passport and a visa, while another will additionally ask for a PESEL number, a rental agreement or a certificate from an employer.
The level of requirements is influenced above all by:
- citizenship — EU citizens usually go through a simpler verification than persons from third countries,
- residence status — a residence card (karta pobytu) gives the bank more certainty than a short-term visa,
- tax residence — the bank has reporting obligations towards the tax administration and asks about the country of residence,
- opening channel — an online application often requires a Polish ID or a PESEL number, so foreigners more often go to a branch.
Documents banks ask for most often
| Document | What it serves the bank for | How often required |
|---|---|---|
| Passport or ID card of an EU country | confirmation of identity | always |
| Visa, karta pobytu, certificate of registration of stay of an EU citizen | confirmation of legal stay | almost always for people from outside the EU |
| PESEL number | identification in registers, access to electronic services | often, not always |
| Polish address of residence or correspondence | sending the card and correspondence | very often |
| Employment contract, lease, student ID | confirmation of a link to Poland and of the source of income | in some banks |
| Declaration of tax residence | reporting obligations to the tax administration | standard in the form |
Before the visit it is worth calling the hotline or checking the bank's website. A few minutes of conversation makes it possible to avoid a situation in which the application is interrupted because of a single missing document.
Basic payment account — a right, not a privilege
The Act on payment services imposes on banks and other institutions indicated therein the duty to run a basic payment account (Article 59ia and the following). It is intended for a consumer who does not have another account in zloty in Poland allowing basic operations. Such an account enables:
- deposits into the account,
- cash withdrawals in EU Member States,
- transfers, direct debits and card payments, also without physical use of the card.
Running a basic account for domestic transactions is free of charge. The bank may charge a fee only for the sixth and each further domestic transfer in a month and for the sixth and each further withdrawal from a non-bank ATM in Poland, and these fees cannot exceed the rates most commonly applied by the given bank. The opening of the account cannot be made conditional on the purchase of other products or on a declaration of regular inflows.
Deadline and reasons for refusal
The bank has 10 working days from receiving a complete application to conclude the contract or inform the applicant of the refusal. The Act lists a closed catalogue of situations in which the bank may refuse. From the foreigner's perspective, the three most important ones are:
- lack of a valid identity document,
- illegal stay in the territory of an EU Member State,
- lack of a residence or correspondence address in Poland.
Refusal is mandatory in case of suspicion of money laundering or financing of terrorism. In the case of a refusal, the bank promptly and free of charge informs about its reasons, unless this is prohibited by regulations on security or on combating money laundering. From the content of Article 59ic it follows that nationality alone is not grounds for refusal. The rules on access to such an account are published on its website by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority.
Step by step: opening an account after arrival
- Residence status. A document confirming legal stay is needed; with a short visa some banks will limit the offer.
- PESEL if possible. The number makes it easier not only to use banking services, but also to contact the tax office and ZUS.
- Polish address. A rental agreement or the employer's address is usually enough as a correspondence address.
- Comparison of two or three banks. It is worth checking the language of the application and of the service, the fees for the card and for foreign transfers.
- Visit to a branch. Originals of the documents should be brought; copies are usually not accepted.
- Data updates. After the extension of the residence card (karta pobytu) a new document must be delivered — an expired document in the system often results in a limitation of services.
Example
Mr Rahul came from India on a national visa for the purpose of work. In the first bank he was told that a residence card (karta pobytu) was needed to open an account. He then filed in another bank an application for a basic payment account, presenting the passport with the visa and the address of the rented apartment. The bank had no statutory basis to refuse, so within a few days Mr Rahul received an account to which the employer could transfer his salary. After obtaining the residence card, he moved to the full offer with a currency account.
What to watch out for after opening the account
- A personal account is not a business account. A person running a business should separate finances; for some payments from counterparties the account disclosed in the register of VAT payers matters.
- Unusual transfers from abroad. Large inflows without a documented source may result in the bank asking for explanations or in a temporary block. It is worth having contracts and confirmations at hand.
- Sharing the account with other people. Receiving someone else's money "for a moment" may be treated as participation in money laundering and leads to termination of the contract.
- Lack of activity. A basic account with no operations for more than 24 months can be terminated by the bank.
More broadly, we write about the first formalities after moving in the guide on relocation to Poland, and about an account for a business set up by a foreigner — in the article on starting a business as a foreigner.
How Good Balance can help
We help foreigners organise the residence documents that banks treat as the basis for opening an account, obtain a PESEL and prepare to set up a business. As part of the service support with legalisation of stay, we explain which documents will be needed in the bank and in the authorities at subsequent stages.