BANKS
Banks in Katowice
Do you live and work in Katowice? Are you tired of calculating every single time how much cash you must exchange for Polish złoty? Do you want to save some money for your future?
If your answer for the above questions is YES, then we recommend you read this article on how to open a bank account in Katowice as a foreigner!
The first thing that should be mentioned here is that opening a bank account in the country you live in is essential as it will help you manage your finances, as well as avoid expensive international transfers, reduce fees charged during card payments and ATM problems.
Poland has plenty of banks providing services for residents and non-residents. Many banks in Poland allow foreign people to open their own account, however there are some banks that work only with residents. So, the first thing you must check is if the bank you want to choose provides services for non-residents. Anyway, finding the right bank for you will not be a problem as they are located around every corner.
The next step you should take is check the list of documents required for opening an account in a bank. Sometimes your passport is enough, nevertheless some banks can request another ID, your visa, or a residence card. Usually, all banks provide a list of required documents before applying for the account.
"The first thing you have to check is if the bank you want to choose, provides services for non-residents "
Although Polish citizens can open a bank account via the Internet, this service is not available for foreigners, so they must visit one of the bank departments and bring the required documents in person.
Polish banks are usually open Monday to Friday between the hours of 9 am and 6 pm or 7 pm, but anyway it depends on every specific bank. Again, check the working hours in the official website of the bank.
Regarding the ATMs, they can be found around every corner, as well as in the shopping centers. Every bank has its own ATM, branded with their logo. There are also ATM chains such as Euronet or PlanetCash, which allow to withdraw money from any bank account, but it may involve additional charges. It is good to avoid such ATM’s. Every bank has a range of offers for the customers depending on the aim of opening an account and on the fees and charges you are ready to pay. To avoid high fees and additional charges, make a research and make sure you know the rules of your bank well. So, you would not be surprised if you were charged more than you had expected.
Last thing you should not forget about is the smartphone application which can be used for checking the money available on your account, making transfers, paying
online, and for many many other services. Most banks today have these applications, just ask during opening your account or look for it in the PlayMarket or AppStore.
So, to sum up, here you can find the most important steps to take to OPEN A BANK ACCOUNT:
1) CHOOSE THE BANK:
There are a lot of banks in Poland and few of the famous ones are Mbank, Bank Pekao, Bank Millennium, PKO, Santander Bank, ING Bank and lot of other one’s too.
2) DOCUMENTS TO PROVIDE:
Usually, banks require different documents depending on the purpose and type of bank account but in general you will need: passport or National ID, rental contract, or residence card.
3) WHO CAN OPEN AN ACCOUNT:
Different banks have different policies, and some banks also provide banks accounts for non-residents and students on a short course. Through our community’s recommendation we know that Santander, Millennium & Mbank allow foreigners to open a bank account,
4) HELP FROM A LOCAL PERSON:
Even though most of the employees at banks speak English it is always advisable to know a local person who can help you with these bureaucratic things to do
5) PROCESSING TIME:
The processing time to open a bank account is not so long (like the residence card process). It just takes few hours after you submit all the documents and fill the forms
6) VIRTUAL BANK:
There is always the fear of fraud and there are few of the bank’s accounts which you can open while traveling or living abroad to get started (example: Revolut, Transferwise ect.)