Although you can use your card without any problems in Poland, it would be advised to create a Polish bank account. Using foreign account for your reimbursement will result in additional costs because of the currency conversion.
If you decide to open a bank account in Poland, you should go to a bank with all required documents. To avoid going to a bank a couple of times and extending the whole process, you can call a chosen bank’s helpline and explain your status (resident/non-resident) and ask about required documents, if the PESEL number is required, if there is an online banking system in English, if in all branches there is a possibility to speak to a consultant in English, and if you will be able to use all additional banking services.
Documents required by the selected banks in Poland (documents may change so it is best to consult with the helpline before going to a bank).
| Bank | Required documents |
| Alior Bank | EU citizens: passport / residence card (permanent/temporary) / identity card
Non-EU citizens: passport + residence card (permanent/temporary) |
| BGŻ BNP Paribas | EU citizens: identity card / passport Non-EU citizens: identity card/passport + residence card |
| BOŚ Bank | passport / identity card |
| Credit Agricole | EU citizens: identity card / passport
Non-EU citizens: residence card |
| eurobank | residence card (with photo, PESEL and address) |
| Getin Bank | EU citizens: identity card/passport + residence card/certificate of registration of residence of an EU citizen
Non-EU citizens: passport + residence card |
| Idea Bank | passport / residence card |
| mBank | passport + residence card/certificate of registration of residence of an EU citizen
PESEL is required |
| Millennium | passport |
| Nest Bank | passport / identity card issued by an EU country PESEL is required |
| Raiffeisen Polbank | passport + residence card |
| Santander Bank Polska | EU identity card / passport / residence card |
| T-Mobile Usługi Bankowe | passport/residence / certificate of registration of residence of an EU citizen / identity card PESEL is required |
Information translated from: https://www.najlepszekonto.pl/rachunek-bankowy-dla-obcokrajowca.
