Ukrainian entrepreneurs can open business accounts in Polish banks both for Ukrainian enterprises (for legal entities – non-residents of Poland) and for enterprises registered in Poland (legal entities – residents of Poland).
Currently, six Polish banks offer to open a business account for LE – non-residents (Ukrainian customers can open their business accounts for their Ukrainian enterprises and companies in PKO Bank Polski, Bank Pekao S.A., Santander Bank Polski S.A., BNP Paribas Bank Polska, ING Bank Śląski and Alior Bank S.A.).
And all the banks offer to open a business account with Polish business registration without any obstacles (Read here How Ukrainians can register a business in Poland). The process of opening such business accounts is faster and easier.
We have analyzed the terms and costs of opening and maintaining business accounts for Ukrainian entrepreneurs (LE-residents) in three banks in Poland, namely, mBank, PKO Bank Polski, and ING Bank Śląski and they are the following: entrepreneurs or company owners from Ukraine need to present a passport, a residence permit (for mBank it is a necessary condition, for other banks – if applicable), Personal ID Number (Polish PESEL number – for mBank only) and local address of the сustomer in Poland (should be prooved by tenancy agreement, an electricity bill, etc), and for companies – Tax/VAT company number, National Business Registry Number (KRS) and a company agreement (if applicable).
If we talk about the costs of opening and maintaining a business account, very often, it’s free of charge if certain conditions are met. This usually applies to processing a certain minimum number or amount of the transactions on the account such as transfers in LCY, payments to the Social Insurance (ZUS) or taxes, use of bank`s ATMs and making payments by cards, and so on. For example, mBank offers a free package of services for business accounts for 24 months. ING Bank Śląski business differentiates tariffs for private entrepreneurs’ and companies’ accounts. For private entrepreneurs, a business account is free of charge in case of monthly payment of the Social Insurance (ZUS) or taxes, or when their total monthly account will be PLN 2000. A business card is also free of charge for active customers (when the amount of card transactions is min PLN 300 per month). For companies, the payment for the business account is PLN 29 per month. For active customers, a business card is free of charge (when the amount of card transactions is min PLN 500 per month).
For LE – non-residents, the necessary documents to open a business account are: owners’ passport, Ukrainian company registration documents, data extract from the Ukrainian Unified State Register of Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs, a company agreement, and the presence of all members of the company when opening an account. Furthermore, a sworn translation of Ukrainian-language documents is required by all banks (except Bank Pekao S.A., because this bank can make all necessary translations at their own expense). Apostille is additionally required by PKO Bank Polski and Alior Bank.
Opening business accounts in most banks for non-residents is free of charge. For active customers, there are often no fees for using business cards, ATMs, or making transfers.
When opening business accounts personal visit of the entrepreneur and company owners to the bank is mandatory.
Source: Information received from the call centers of mBank, PKO Bank Polski, ING Bank Śląski, Bank Pekao S.A., Santander Bank Polski S.A., BNP Paribas Bank Polska, Alior Bank S.A.