Polish banks lend readily, including to foreigners, but the terms depend heavily on your residence status and how your income is documented. Here’s what’s changed in 2026 and what to watch out for when applying for a consumer loan or mortgage.

Quick summary: loans in Poland, mortgages included, are relatively affordable; key terms to know are marża, WIBOR, and RRSO; a permanent residence permit makes borrowing easier than a temporary one; the “Bezpieczny Kredyt 2%” subsidy program has ended and been replaced by the state-backed “Rodzinny Kredyt Mieszkaniowy” (RKM).

The lending landscape in Poland

Poland has one of the more developed consumer and mortgage lending markets in the EU. The reasons haven’t changed: a relatively stable banking sector and moderate interest rates by regional standards.

For more on opening a bank account as a foreigner, see our article “Opening a Bank Account in Poland”.

Can foreigners get loans

Yes, but non-residents generally have a harder time than Polish citizens. Banks assess default risk individually; EU citizens usually face fewer hurdles than citizens of Ukraine, Belarus, or Russia, though there’s no formal ban on the latter. Every decision is made case by case, based on income, employment history, and contract type.

Loans with a permanent residence permit

Foreigners with a permanent residence permit or an EU long-term resident card have the easiest path: banks treat these applications almost the same as Polish citizens’. Many banks (mBank, Santander Bank Polska, PKO Bank Polski, ING Bank Śląski, Bank Pekao, Bank Millennium) accept applications online.

Loans with a temporary residence card

For holders of a temporary residence card, the situation is trickier: the repayment period on a consumer loan may be capped by the card’s validity, and banks typically want at least a year of validity remaining. Mortgage requirements depend on the specific lender.

2026 practice confirms that banks don’t automatically reject applicants with temporary residence: decisions are made individually, provided you can show stable, documented income in Poland and a solid credit history (BIK).

Documents you’ll typically need

There’s no single fixed list: banks are private companies, but expect to provide:

  • an employment contract and/or other proof of income;
  • a tax clearance certificate (“zaświadczenie o niezaleganiu w podatkach”);
  • a certificate of no criminal record (“zaświadczenie o niekaralności”);
  • your residence card and passport.

Note: if you’re not on an employment contract (umowa o pracę) but on a specific-task contract (umowa o dzieło) or a mandate contract (umowa zlecenia), the bank may add extra requirements around contract duration or cap the loan amount.

The same applies to income from a JDG/B2B contract: banks typically want at least 12 months of continuous activity. Also keep the PIP 2026 reform in mind: if your only B2B contract has the hallmarks of an employment relationship, a bank may question how stable that income really is, given the risk that a labor inspector could reclassify the contract.

WIBOR, margin, and rates in 2026

When pricing a PLN-denominated loan, two components matter: the bank’s margin (marża) and WIBOR, the interbank rate that forms the base for the variable part of your payment.

IndicatorMid-2026 value
WIBOR 3M≈ 3.82-3.85%
Average mortgage margin (LTV ~80%)≈ 1.8% (range 1.7-2.2%)

You can compare current rates on portals like bankier.pl, totalmoney.pl, or on individual banks’ mortgage calculators. Also pay attention to RRSO (the annual percentage rate): it reflects the full yearly cost of the loan, including all fees, not just the nominal rate.

Government programs: what happened to “Bezpieczny Kredyt 2%”

The subsidized “Bezpieczny Kredyt 2%” mortgage program ended in late 2023 and banks no longer accept new applications under it. Its announced successor, “Kredyt na Start” (#naStart), was supposed to launch in January 2025 but never did: the funds were redirected to flood relief. As of 2026, the active state-backed instrument is the Rodzinny Kredyt Mieszkaniowy (RKM), run through Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK).

FAQ

Is it better to borrow in PLN or in foreign currency?
If you live and earn in Poland, borrowing in PLN makes more sense: it removes currency risk, unlike the Swiss franc mortgage saga of 2011-2015.

Does Bank Zachodni WBK still exist?
No, the bank has fully rebranded as Santander Bank Polska: the WBK name is no longer used.

Does your employment type affect the bank’s decision?
Yes: the stability and type of income (employment contract, JDG/B2B, mandate/specific-task contract) significantly affects terms and the maximum loan amount.

Author: MojaFirma content team.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or legal advice. Confirm current rates and terms directly with your bank. If something about your own situation isn’t quite clear, feel free to book a free consultation with our team.