How to send money from Poland to Ukraine: bank, taxes and recipient details
A transfer from Poland to Ukraine goes as an international payment. Here is what the Polish bank checks, when a gift to family is tax-free in both Poland and Ukraine and how the recipient gets zlotys and euros.
In short
- Ukraine is not yet in the single euro payments area: a transfer from Poland is international.
- For transfers above 15,000 euros (about $17,000) the Polish bank reports to the financial intelligence authority - and the transfer still goes through.
- Polish gift tax is paid by the recipient; it usually does not apply to a Ukrainian resident without Polish citizenship.
- A gift from first- and second-degree relatives who remain Ukrainian residents is taxed at 0%.
- Currency from Poland arrives in a currency account in full, and is converted into hryvnias only at the recipient's request.
In detail
Money from Poland to Ukraine mostly goes to family: part of a salary for parents, help with repairs or medical bills, savings to your own Ukrainian account. The transfer leaves a Polish bank for an account or card at a Ukrainian bank in zlotys, euros or dollars.
Ukraine is not yet part of the European single euro payments area, so this is an international transfer. Below: what the Polish bank checks, when a gift to family is tax-free in both countries and what the recipient needs.
| What | How |
|---|---|
| Type of transfer | international: Ukraine is not yet in the single euro payments area |
| Currency | zlotys, euros or dollars - matching the recipient's account |
| Large amount | the bank reports transfers above 15,000 euros (~$17,000) to the financial intelligence authority |
| Tax in Poland | paid by the recipient; a gift to a Ukrainian resident without Polish citizenship is usually not taxed |
| Tax in Ukraine | 0% on a gift from first- and second-degree relatives who remain Ukrainian residents |
| Crediting | foreign currency arrives in a currency account in full |
Why a transfer to Ukraine is processed as international
Inside the EU, euros move under one set of rules and the bank treats the payment as domestic for Europe. Ukraine has not joined this area yet: it is not on the official list of countries dated 24 December 2025. The Ukrainian government is preparing the laws needed to apply for membership.
So the Polish bank sends a regular international transfer. It needs the recipient's full name in Latin letters, their account number - a Ukrainian number starts with UA and has 29 characters - and the bank's name.
Since 30 December 2024, EU rules require the sender's details to travel with the transfer: name, account number and address or date and place of birth. The bank identifies the recipient by name and account number. With complete details, the transfer is not held up for questions.
Zlotys, euros or dollars: which to choose
It is best to send money in the currency of the recipient's account: then it arrives without an extra exchange. An account in euros or dollars is the easiest to open at a Ukrainian bank; not every bank opens zloty accounts - that is the bank's own decision.
A Ukrainian bank credits foreign currency from abroad to a currency account in full. It is converted into hryvnias only at the recipient's request. The National Bank of Ukraine sets the zloty rate every day, just like the euro and dollar rates.
What the Polish bank checks before sending
Polish anti-money laundering law requires the bank to understand where a client's money comes from. If the amount is large or unusual for your account, the bank may ask for proof: a salary certificate, a sale contract, an account statement.
For every transfer above 15,000 euros (about $17,000), the bank reports to the General Inspector of Financial Information within 7 days. This is a routine step: the transfer goes through and the bank only passes on the details.
Polish foreign exchange law requires transfers abroad above 15,000 euros to go through a bank or payment institution. You do not need any special permission to send your own money to Ukraine.
We will help you send money from Poland to Ukraine
As a financial intermediary, we carry out the transfer from Poland to an account at a Ukrainian bank through licensed partners. We prepare documents on the origin of the money for the Polish bank, check the recipient's details and the tax in both countries, and follow the payment until it is credited.
A manager in the chat will give you the terms and cost: they depend on the amount, currency and timing.
A gift to family in Ukraine: Polish gift tax
Polish gift tax is paid by the recipient, not the sender. The law taxes a gift abroad if the recipient is a Polish citizen or lives permanently in Poland. A relative who lives in Ukraine and has no Polish citizenship usually does not fall under this rule.
If the recipient in Ukraine is a Polish citizen, the gift is taxable, but close family is exempt. The exemption covers a spouse, children and grandchildren, parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, stepchildren, a stepfather and a stepmother. The conditions are to notify the tax office within 6 months and to transfer the money to the recipient's account.
No notice is needed if gifts from one person over the current year and the 5 previous years do not exceed 36,120 zlotys (about $9,300). A manager will check how this works in your case before you send.
Tax in Ukraine: when a gift to family is taxed at 0%
In Ukraine, the gift tax rate depends on who gives the gift. If the giver is a first- or second-degree family member and a Ukrainian tax resident, the rate is 0%: no military levy and no tax return.
First degree means parents, a husband or wife and children. Second degree means brothers and sisters, grandparents and grandchildren. A gift from any other resident is taxed at 5% plus a 5% military levy.
If the sender has already become a non-resident of Ukraine, the recipient pays 18% tax and a 5% military levy, as the tax service explains. The return is filed by 1 May of the following year and the tax is paid by 1 August.
Working in Poland and Ukrainian tax residency
Living and working in Poland does not by itself end Ukrainian residency. The tax service says it plainly: more than 183 days in another country is not sufficient grounds to treat a person as a non-resident.
A person determines their status themselves, step by step: a home in Ukraine, centre of vital interests, 183 days, citizenship. Choosing Ukraine as your main place of residence is sufficient grounds to remain a resident.
A Ukrainian resident includes a Polish salary in the annual return: 18% tax and a 5% military levy. Polish tax is credited against a translated certificate from Poland, while the military levy is paid in full. The two countries have a double tax treaty from 1993. More in the article Ukrainian sole proprietor abroad.
A Polish bank account for a Ukrainian citizen
Polish banks open accounts regardless of citizenship. There is a basic payment account for this: everyone legally present in the EU is entitled to one. A bank may not treat Ukrainian citizenship as a reason to refuse.
A basic account is free for operations within Poland. The bank handles transfers abroad at its standard rates, as for other clients. On documents for your status in Poland, see the CUKR card in Poland.
Sending money to family in Ukraine step by step
- Ask the recipient for the account currency, their full name in Latin letters, the account number and the bank's name.
- Choose the transfer currency to match the account - then no exchange is needed.
- For a large amount, prepare a document showing where the money comes from: a salary certificate, a contract, a statement.
- Write the purpose in plain words: "family support", "gift to my mother", "transfer to myself".
- Keep the bank's confirmation - it helps the recipient if their bank asks about the source of the money.
More on money between Poland, Ukraine and Europe
- How to send money to Ukraine - to a card or account from different countries
- From Germany to Ukraine - the deduction for supporting parents and gift tax
- How to move money out of Ukraine - legal routes and limits
- Capital relocation - a plan for a large amount
Want to support your family regularly or send a large amount? Ask us in the chat: a manager will find terms for your amount, currency and timing.
FAQ
Can I send money from Poland to Ukraine in zlotys?
Do I pay tax in Poland if I give money to my mother in Ukraine?
Is a transfer from a son working in Poland taxed in Ukraine?
What will a Polish bank ask about a large transfer to Ukraine?
What recipient details are needed to send money from Poland to Ukraine?
Can a Ukrainian citizen open an account at a Polish bank?
We will suggest the best way to send your money
We will choose a transfer method for your amount and country, prepare the documents on the origin of the money for the bank, make the transfer through licensed partners and follow it until the money is credited. Ask your question in the chat - the manager will suggest the best terms and the cost. The legal side with banks and government bodies is handled by Murblz specialists and locally licensed partners.
Details and cost are with the manager in the chat. Describe your situation and we will reply right away.
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