Why Your Polish Bank Account Was Frozen (AML Checks and How to Unfreeze It (2026)
Updated: 2026-10-01 · ~2 min read
Why freezes happen to foreigners
- Routine AML/KYC review: banks periodically re-verify customers; foreign documents or changed circumstances can trigger a deeper review.
- Unusual pattern for the account profile: e.g. large round-amount transfers, regular flows to many countries, salary that doesn't match the declared source of income, or dormant months followed by big outbound transfers.
- Missing documents after onboarding: if you promised proof of address/employment and never sent it, the bank can suspend operations until you provide them.
- Sanctions screening: occasional matches against sanctions lists — these are rarer but the strictest; usually resolved by compliance review.
What to do (step by step)
- Answer the bank's request in writing (app or e-mail, never WhatsApp): source of funds (work contract, invoice, sale documents), current address proof, any updated identity document.
- Keep copies of everything you send — and of the bank's letter/notification that started the review.
- Timeline: simple missing-document cases: a few days. Pattern reviews: typically 1–3 weeks. Do not expect same-day resolution.
- If the freeze coincides with payroll day — ask the bank in writing about a temporary solution; some banks can release salary deposits while review continues.
What NOT to do
- Don't open new accounts elsewhere as a workaround — spreading the same suspicious flows across banks makes every case worse, not better.
- Don't ignore the letter — inaction is treated as an inability to verify, which can escalate to account closure with the balance held pending compliance checks.
- Don't send ID documents by e-mail/WhatsApp to "staff" — only through the bank's official app/web (see online verification security).
Symptom → likely cause → action
| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Transfers disabled, app works | AML review or missing documents | respond to the bank's request in writing |
| Whole account frozen incl. incoming salary | pattern review / sanctions screening | document source of funds; expect 1–3 weeks |
| Card blocked only | fraud alert or card-specific rule | confirm via app/phone bank line — usually quick |
| Letter: "verify your data" | outdated residence document | upload the new document in the app/branch |
Affiliate slot: none planned for this article (informational).
Sources
- Polish AML law (Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act) — customer due diligence and record-keeping; as of October 1, 2026.
- NBP consumer guidance on account operations and complaints procedure; as of October 1, 2026.