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As Italy is an EU member state, Italians have the right to live, work, and open bank accounts in Poland without a visa. The process is straightforward — most banks accept your national ID card, and you can open an account online in minutes. This guide covers the best banks, required documents, and step-by-step instructions.
Yes, Italians can open a bank account in Poland with a valid ID card or passport
EU advantage: As an EU citizen, you have the same banking rights as Polish citizens — no extra documents needed
Fastest option: Revolut — 10 minutes, no Polish documents needed
Best strategy: Open mBank or Revolut now + PKO for full services once you have PESEL
As an EU citizen, you can open an account at any Polish bank. We ranked these banks by how easy and fast they are for Italians — considering online access, English support, and fees.
Best Polish bank — 100% online
Largest bank in Poland — 20,000+ ATMs
Fastest — open in 10 minutes
As an EU citizen from Italy, you have the same rights as Polish citizens when opening a bank account. Requirements are minimal:
PESEL is Poland's national identification number. Most banks require it for full services, and you'll need it for employment, healthcare, and government services. As an EU citizen, you can get PESEL quickly by registering your residence at any municipal office.
Recommended approach: Open mBank or Revolut right now (10-15 min, works immediately). Then open PKO Bank Polski once you have your PESEL for salary, rent, and bills.
Buy a prepaid SIM card from Plus, Play, T-Mobile, or Orange. Costs 5-20 PLN at any kiosk or electronics store. You need this for SMS verification at every bank.
Download the mBank or Revolut app. Sign up with your Italy passport — no PESEL needed. You'll get a Polish IBAN and virtual card in 10-15 minutes. You can already receive money and pay with BLIK.
Visit your local Urząd Gminy with your passport. PESEL registration is free. As an EU citizen, this is usually processed the same day.
With your PESEL, you can open an account at PKO Bank Polski (in branch, 30 min) or any other bank. Give your employer this account's IBAN for salary payments.
Set up standing orders for rent and utilities from your Polish bank. Use Revolut or Wise when you need to send money to Italy — much cheaper than bank transfers.
If you need to send money to Italy, avoid using traditional bank transfers — they charge 50-100 PLN per transfer with bad exchange rates. Use these cheaper alternatives:
| Method | Fee (5,000 PLN) | Exchange rate | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wise | ~20 PLN | Mid-market rate | 1-2 days |
| Revolut | ~15 PLN | Near mid-market | Instant - 1 day |
| Polish bank (SWIFT) | 50-100 PLN | Bad markup | 3-5 days |
No. mBank offers full English online account opening. Revolut is available in English and many other languages. PKO Bank Polski has English-speaking staff in major cities like Warsaw, Krakow, and Wroclaw.
Yes. Revolut gives you a Polish IBAN (starts with PL...) that works like any Polish bank account. Most employers accept it for salary payments. However, some employers or government agencies prefer traditional Polish banks — in that case, use mBank or PKO for salary and Revolut for international transfers.
Yes — BLIK works with any Polish bank account, regardless of your citizenship. Once you open mBank, PKO, or Revolut in Poland, you can use BLIK to pay in stores, online, split bills, and withdraw cash from ATMs using a 6-digit code.
Yes. All Polish banks are protected by the Bank Guarantee Fund (BFG), which insures deposits up to EUR 100,000 per person per bank — regardless of your citizenship. Revolut has the same protection under its Lithuanian banking license.
Start with mBank or Revolut — it takes 10-15 minutes and works with just your Italy passport. Add PKO Bank Polski later for full services once you have PESEL.