Open a Company in Poland as a Foreigner (2026): Country by Country Guide

I am Vladislav, and since 2019 most of the companies I register are for foreigners, people who are not Polish citizens and, usually, are not even in Poland when we do it. This page answers the questions that are specific to you as a non-resident, and how the process differs depending on where you are from. You can open a company in Poland as a foreigner of any nationality, including non-EU citizens, without a residence permit and without travelling to Poland. The standard vehicle is a sp. z o.o. (Polish LLC), which does not require a PESEL to register online, takes 10 to 14 days, and can be set up entirely by proxy and electronic signature. The one step that varies by country of origin is opening a bank account. Everything else is the same for a founder in Kyiv, in New York, or in Delhi.

Why sp. z o.o. is the form for foreigners

There are two ways to run a business in Poland: as a sole trader (JDG) or through a company (sp. z o.o. and others). The sole trader route looks cheaper, but it requires a PESEL and, in practice, Polish tax residency, which a non-resident does not have. It also puts your personal assets on the line. The sp. z o.o. avoids both problems: it is a separate legal person with limited liability, it is open to owners of any nationality, and it can be registered online with an electronic signature instead of a PESEL. That is why, for a foreigner, it is almost always the right choice. For the full mechanics of registration, see our main guide on company registration in Poland.

What every foreign founder needs

Regardless of your country, the checklist is the same:
  1. A way to identify and sign electronically. From abroad, that means a PESEL and a qualified electronic signature, which we arrange remotely (about 400 € per founder). Full detail on the numbers involved is on our tax numbers page.
  2. A registered address in Poland. Every company must have one. We provide it (32 € / month), one per company. This is often the “virtual office” step.
  3. Company details. Name, business activity (PKD codes), share split, and management board.
  4. A bank account. The one step whose difficulty depends on your nationality, covered below.
Note the difference: PESEL and the signature are per founder, so they scale with the number of partners. The address and the account are one per company.

How it differs by country of origin

The registration itself does not change with nationality. What changes is mainly bank account approval and the paperwork banks and courts expect. The table below reflects the pattern we see in our own practice. It is a practical guide, not a guarantee, because banks decide case by case.
Country of origin PESEL needed to register Can register remotely Bank account Typical documents
Ukraine no yes usually straightforward passport, apostilled where required
Belarus no yes possible, more checks passport, apostille, source of funds
EU citizens no yes easiest passport / ID
USA no yes generally good passport, apostilled documents
India no yes more checks, doable passport, apostille, sometimes references
Russia no yes to register restricted, sanctions-sensitive, case by case passport, apostille, enhanced due diligence
A few honest notes on this table:
  • Registration (the KRS filing) works the same for everyone. No nationality is barred from owning a Polish company.
  • The bank account is where origin matters. EU and most Western founders clear quickly. Some post-Soviet and higher-risk jurisdictions face more due diligence, longer timelines, or a narrower set of banks willing to onboard.
  • Russia is a special case: EU sanctions and bank compliance make accounts difficult and highly case-dependent. We assess each situation individually and will tell you honestly whether it is feasible before you pay for anything.
We go deep on this, including which banks work for which nationalities and how to prepare, on our dedicated page: opening a Polish bank account for a foreign-owned company.

The process, from abroad, in six steps

  1. We agree your company details and confirm feasibility for your country (especially the bank).
  2. We arrange your PESEL and electronic signature remotely.
  3. We provide the registered address and prepare the S24 articles.
  4. You sign electronically from your own country.
  5. We file with the KRS court; registration takes 10 to 14 days.
  6. NIP and REGON are issued; we help open the bank account and hand you to an accountant for VAT and KSeF.
No flights, no in-person notary, no Polish address of your own required. For the version of this focused purely on the remote mechanics, see remote company registration.

What it costs a foreigner

The base is the same as any sp. z o.o.: from 2000 zł service plus about 350 zł court fee. On top, as a non-resident you add 400 € per founder (PESEL and signature) and 32 € / month for the address, with the bank account optional at 250 to 300 €. One founder, remote, lands around 2350 zł plus roughly 432 € for the first month. Your exact figure is in the cost calculator.

Why founders abroad choose us

  • Since 2019 we have registered companies for clients across Ukraine, Belarus, the CIS, the US, the UK, and India, almost all remotely.
  • We handle the whole chain in one place: PESEL, signature, address, registration, bank account, accountant.
  • We tell you up front whether your bank account is realistic for your nationality, before you commit.
  • You can watch real registrations on our YouTube channel, garantgroup2406.
Legal entity: BUSINESS ADAPTER Sp. z o.o., KRS 0000658639, NIP 7010656094, Siedmiogrodzka 1, 01-204 Warszawa.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreigner open a company in Poland without living there? Yes. A sp. z o.o. can be owned and registered by a non-resident, remotely, without a residence permit. Do I need a PESEL as a foreigner? Not to register a sp. z o.o. online, we use an electronic signature instead. A PESEL is needed for a sole proprietorship (JDG), which is why we do not recommend that form for non-residents. Do I need a visa or residence card? No, not to own or register the company. Residence is only relevant if you intend to relocate, which is a separate matter. Which is the hardest part for foreigners? Opening the bank account. It is straightforward for EU and most Western founders and more involved for some other jurisdictions. We assess it before you pay. Can Russian citizens open a company in Poland? Ownership is not barred, but sanctions and bank compliance make it difficult and case-dependent, especially the bank account. We evaluate each case honestly first. How long does the whole thing take from abroad? Usually 10 to 14 days for registration once documents are signed, then a few extra days for the bank account.

Open your Polish company from anywhere

Tell us your nationality and activity, and we will confirm feasibility (including the bank), then register your company without you leaving home. Phone / WhatsApp: +48 570 832 842 · WhatsApp Related: Company registration guide · Bank account by country · Remote registration · Cost

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