In case you have an address in Poland, it is very easy to open a bank account - in some cases, banks will allow you to open it without visiting a branch, using video identification or even sending you the last documents to sign by post, with the postman having the authority to verify your identity. 

For non-residents, it can be a bit more tricky - but several banks now offer an opportunity to open a bank account by providing only an identity proof, such as passport. 

Here are the documents you will be required when opening a bank account:

• Passport or a national identification card
• Proof of address such as a rental contract or a residence card, or a utility bill if you don’t have a contract yet
• For credit cards or overdraft options: employment history and salary slips

Banks in Poland usually have English-speaking employees, and it shouldn’t be difficult to get support in English via phone and customer service centers. If you have questions about exactly what documentation is needed, contact your preferred bank via phone.

Poland has a robust banking infrastructure with many banks being parts of international conglomerates. All of them offer a full set of services and financial products, starting with student, ending with large corporations. Poland’s ATM network is vast and you are able to perform all basic transactions, and many innovative ways of doing transitions are implemented here early on - contactless payment was a thing in Poland before many countries even heard about it. Pretty much every bank offers modern mobile app and online banking, different digital payment options, and compatibility with mobile wallets. 

We advise you to check with your local bank if it has a correspondent relationship with any of the Polish banks -  in which case, opening an account could be much faster and easier.

Here are four of the major national banks in Poland:

• MBank: this is an internet and phone bank focused on desktop and mobile banking across its services. The bank takes advantage of third party deal with ATM networks to serve its more than 5 million users - thanks to its digital nature, even though it only has 47 offices across the country, you can easily do all of the banking transactions you want to, with the support of its online and telephone customer support. Account fees are low but remember to consult the fees on ATM cash withdrawals - depending on the type of card you get with your account and the institution behind the cash machine, you can get your money out for free, sometimes everywhere in the world, or for a relatively high fee.
• Bank Pekao: Bank Pekao has over 85 years of banking history, a large network of branches and ATMs,  and it offers a full set of financial services. These include personal current and savings accounts, as well as credit and debit cards, and investment services. Banking can be done either by phone or the internet, and it will be easy to access in English
• Bank Millennium: with a free current account, Bank Millennium is a good offer with a cashback deal included. Millennium offers a set of banking services, starting with basic current individual accounts, to various credit and debit cards, as well as savings, insurance, loans and investment options. Its partnerships with many ATM networks mean easier and cheaper withdrawal across Poland. And it is one of the foreigner-friendly banks out there.
• PKO: is both one of the largest and oldest banks in Poland. You will find over 1000 branches of PKO in the country and a comprehensive full range of services: mortgage, insurance, investment and business loan products. You can open with them a variety of different bank accounts, also online, but their service is not provided in English. 
• As always, remember to pay attention to fees and charges, especially for money withdrawals. Always ask your bank agent for a list of banking fees. It is important to remember that Poland has its own currency: polski złoty, also known as złoty, or PLN, and the equivalent of cent is grosz.