How to send money to Poland in 2026: zlotys and euros, from a gift to family to a large sum

From a country outside the European Union money reaches Poland by bank transfer in 1-5 business days, and euros from the EU arrive in 1 day in 2026. Zlotys, euros or dollars are credited to a 28-character account. A Polish bank reports a payment above $17,000 (€15,000) to the financial inspectorate, so a statement or contract showing the source of the money is prepared in advance.

Money reaches Poland by bank transfer: from the EU in euros, usually in 1 business day, from other countries in 1-5 business days in dollars, euros or zlotys. The account number has 28 characters, and a Polish bank reports payments above $17,000 (€15,000). Who sends money to Poland and why, data for October 2026:

Zlotys are converted into dollars at the National Bank of Poland rate of 7 October 2026, 3.9111 zlotys per dollar, and euros at the European Central Bank rate, 1.1177 dollars per euro.

Which transfers to Poland go through in October 2026

In October 2026 money reaches Poland in 4 ways.

Within Poland zlotys move between accounts around the clock in seconds, while transfers by phone number work only between Polish banks: from abroad you pay to the full account number. Which route is faster and cheaper for your sum depends on the sender's country and bank: tell a manager where from and how much you are sending, and they will check which route will get the transfer through in your case.

The zloty, the euro and 28 characters: Polish account details

Poland has been in the European Union since 2004 but lives on the zloty, so the transfer currency and the account currency often differ. A Polish account number for an international payment has 28 characters: a 2-letter country code, 2 check digits and 24 digits, the first 8 of which identify the bank and branch.

A euro transfer from another EU country follows the common rules for euro payments: usually 1 business day at the domestic transfer fee. If the recipient holds only a zloty account, the bank exchanges the euros at its own rate, and the gap with the market rate can be noticeable. That is why many people open a separate euro or dollar account next to their main zloty account, receive money in the currency it was sent in and exchange it later, when convenient.

A payment from a country outside the EU passes through intermediary banks, and each may withhold its own fee. The sender needs the recipient's name exactly as at the Polish bank, the 28-character account number and the international code of the recipient's bank. The payment purpose is written in plain words, for example transfer of own funds, a gift from my mother or payment under a flat purchase contract. The more precise the purpose, the less often the bank holds the money with questions.

The recipient's account: what a Polish bank asks a foreigner

In 2026 a Polish bank opens an account for a foreigner with a passport, but almost always asks for a document on legal stay, a visa, a residence card or a visa-free entry stamp, as well as a Polish address. A number in the Polish population register makes things easier: it is issued to those who live or work in the country, and with it the check and the bank's app are simpler.

Without a visa and an address in Poland the choice of banks is noticeably smaller, and a non-resident's account is rarely opened remotely. So the order is: first the account, then the transfer. Money sent to someone else's account or a friend's account raises questions with the bank and the tax office, especially for large sums. We will suggest the best way to send money for your status.

If you are sending money to a private person rather than to your own account, the recipient's name and account number are enough, but the payment purpose should explain what the money is for: a gift, a debt, payment under a contract. The rules of the sending country, such as limits, currency and reports on foreign accounts, are covered separately in sending large sums abroad.

From Belarus to Poland: your own account, help for relatives and the sending bank

Belarusian rules directly allow 2 cases: a transfer to your own account at a bank abroad and a transfer to close relatives in foreign currency. Since 1 March 2019 a resident of Belarus opens an account at a Polish bank without permission from the National Bank of Belarus, and brings no documents to the bank for transfers between their own accounts.

On the Polish side it matters which bank the money leaves from: 7 Belarusian banks are on the EU lists of 18 July and 2 December 2025, so zlotys or euros are sent from any other bank. For a large sum the recipient's Polish bank will ask where the money comes from, and it is better to get a statement from the Belarusian bank in advance.

A citizen or resident of Belarus keeps up to $120,000 (€100,000) across all accounts at a Polish bank, and with a Polish residence card or citizenship this limit does not apply. The Pole's Card on its own does not replace a residence permit, so its holder needs a residence card as well for a large deposit.

For such a transfer it is convenient to open a euro account in Poland next to a zloty account: the sending bank transfers euros, and the recipient exchanges them into zlotys when needed, at their bank's rate. Source-of-funds documents are prepared before the transfer: the sender's statement, a property sale contract or an income certificate. If the money is held at a bank that does not work with EU banks, a manager will suggest which legal steps suit your case.

The National Bank of Belarus rate on 7 October 2026 was 3.0739 BYN per dollar, and the National Bank of Poland rate 3.9111 zlotys; the rules were checked on 9 October 2026.

Money from parents and other close family: Polish gift tax

Polish gift tax applies to a recipient who lives in Poland permanently or holds Polish citizenship, and it divides donors into 4 groups. For the closest family, a spouse, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, a stepfather, a stepmother, stepsons and stepdaughters, there is no tax on 2 conditions: the recipient reports the gift to the tax office within 6 months, and the money arrives by transfer to their bank account or payment account.

The exemption comes from the bank trail: the gift arrives by transfer to the recipient's account, even if it is money from their mother. A report is needed when gifts from one person over 5 years exceed $9,300 (36,120 zlotys); below that sum nothing needs to be filed. Since 7 January 2026 a missed deadline can be restored if the delay was not your fault, but reporting on time is more reliable.

Example. Parents send their adult daughter in Poland $50,000, about 196,000 zlotys. The money arrived in her account, and within 6 months she reported the gift: the tax is 0. That is how a gift from family is arranged: by transfer to the recipient's account and a notice on time. Want a gift from your family to arrive tax-free? Ask a manager before the transfer, not after.

When a Polish bank reports a transaction and what it will ask

A Polish bank itself reports every transaction above $17,000 (€15,000), about 66,000 zlotys, to the General Inspector of Financial Information. The money is credited as usual, and the report goes to the register. The bank asks questions when a sum does not look like the client's usual income, so a large sum is sent in one payment with a clear purpose, and the documents on its source are prepared in advance. Below is what a Polish bank usually asks for at different sums. The general list of documents is covered in proof of source of funds.

Data for 2026.

For sums from $100,000 it is better to settle the route, the bank and the documents in advance: a manager will tell you which documents a Polish bank will accept, and all legal ways of moving capital are gathered on the capital relocation page.

A flat in Poland: no ministry permit, with a 2% tax

In 2026 a foreigner buys a separate flat in Poland without a permit from the Ministry of the Interior, and this is one of the main reasons for large transfers into the country. A permit is needed for a house and land, for a share in separate property and for property in the border zone, if the buyer is not from the European Economic Area or Switzerland. A purchase that needed a permit but did not get one is void.

On the secondary market the buyer pays a 2% tax on the market value, which the notary calculates and transfers. Since 31 August 2023 a first-home buyer has been exempt from this tax. A flat from a developer requires no transaction tax: its price already includes 8% value added tax for flats up to 150 m². Example: a secondary-market flat for $160,000 (600,000 zlotys) carries a tax of $3,100 (12,000 zlotys). The notary also checks the source of the money, so the documents are prepared before the deposit.

If the money for the purchase comes from selling a home in another country, the documents on the deal, the tax and the movement of the money are gathered as described in moving home sale proceeds abroad. How to choose a flat and what it costs is in buying a flat in Poland, and support with the deal is on the property in Poland page.

183 days: when Poland taxes your money

Transferring your own money to Poland is not taxed, however much you send. Tax arises with income: a Polish tax resident is someone who spends more than 183 days a year in the country or keeps their centre of vital interests here, and then income from all over the world is declared in Poland. Interest on deposits and dividends is taxed at 19%. A private person pays a flat rate on income from renting out their flat: 8.5% up to $26,000 (100,000 zlotys) a year and 12.5% above that sum. How the days and the centre of vital interests are counted is covered in Polish tax residency, and the rates are gathered on the taxes in Poland page.

Back and onward: where money goes from Poland

From Poland money is sent in 3 directions: back home, to neighbouring EU countries and to countries people move on to. An outgoing transfer from Poland is free, but it goes through the same bank check. A return transfer to Belarus is made by a Polish bank to banks that work with EU banks, with a check of the payment purpose. Within the EU, money in euros leaves in 1 business day.

• To Georgia: a frequent direction for those who live between Poland and the Caucasus, and transfers also go the other way, from Georgia to Poland.
• To Kazakhstan: family transfers and paying for studies.
• To Armenia: transfers to family and to your own account for business.
• To Spain: the next move within the EU with the same payment currency.

Sending money to neighbouring countries

• Germany - instant transfers in euros
• Czech Republic - korunas or euros to your own account
• Latvia - a residence permit through a company
• Belarus - BYN to a card
• Slovakia - no tax on buying a home and no gift tax
• Moldova - euros under European rules

All legal ways of moving capital are on the capital relocation page.

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