🇧 Buying in Installments in Poland for Ukrainians (2026)

Ukrainians living in Poland increasingly buy appliances, furniture or electronics in installments (na raty). It is accessible, but it helps to know that "installments" in Poland come in two very different forms that should not be confused. We cover both, plus the terms, documents and where to look.

Two Kinds of Installments — Do Not Confuse Them

1. In-store 0% installment (zakupy na raty). The most common option. You buy a specific item in a store (electronics, appliances, furniture) and split the price into equal payments. Technically the purchase is financed by the store's partner bank (often Santander Consumer Bank), but with a "raty 0%" promo there is no markup: 0% RRSO, you pay exactly the item's price. For example, a laptop for PLN 3,000 over 10 payments is 10 × PLN 300, with no interest or fees. The decision is usually immediate — in store or online.

2. A consumer loan repaid in installments (kredyt ratalny / gotówkowy). This is an ordinary bank loan for any purpose, repaid in equal installments. Here there is a cost — RRSO usually around 9–13% per year depending on the bank and your profile (as of June 2026).

Below we cover the requirements — mostly shared, but usually softer for a 0% installment.

Basic Requirements for a Borrower from Ukraine

Legal residence. You need a document confirming your right to be in Poland:

• UKR status and a PESEL UKR number (for those under temporary protection — residence extended to 4 March 2027);
• or a residence card (temporary or permanent) with a sufficient validity period.

Documented income in Poland. Accepted:

• an employment contract (umowa o pracę) — preferably permanent, but a fixed-term one works too if the remaining term is sufficient;
• umowa zlecenie / umowa o dzieło — usually with a 12–24 month history of inflows;
• self-employment (JDG) — usually from 12 months of activity, confirmed by PIT and KPiR.

Foreign income is rarely taken into account by Polish banks.

For a 0% installment on small amounts the requirements for tenure and income are often softer than for a large loan, but a basic legal status and verifiable income are always needed.

Documents for the Application

• Passport (and residence card, if you have one).
• PESEL number — required by most banks.
• An employer's income certificate and/or civil-law contracts.
• Polish bank statements for the last 3–6 months.
• An active Polish bank account — for the installment payments.

An important nuance for foreigners: with a short credit history and little time in the country, the bank may approve installments only with additional insurance — which raises the total cost. This is legal and common, but worth asking about in advance.

Where to Look for Installments

In stores (raty 0%). Electronics and furniture chains (Media Expert, RTV Euro AGD, x-kom, Media Markt and others) offer installments at the till or online. A partner bank handles the application; with a 0% promo it is the cheapest option for the buyer — no markup.

At banks (kredyt ratalny / gotówkowy). If you need an amount not tied to a specific item, that is a cash loan. The procedures are stricter, but the terms are transparent and the RRSO is lower than at non-bank firms.

At non-bank lenders (firmy pożyczkowe). They offer simplified procedures and fewer documents, sometimes "without certificates". But their loans are significantly more expensive, and the RRSO can be very high. Before signing, always check the firm in the KNF register — it protects against illegal lenders.

RRSO — the Main Cost Indicator

RRSO (Rzeczywista Roczna Stopa Oprocentowania) is the full annual cost of credit: not only interest, but all commissions and fees. Compare offers by RRSO, not by the "bare" interest rate.

Rough guide as of June 2026:

• In-store 0% installment: RRSO 0% — no markup (provided it is an honest 0% promo, not "0%" for only part of the term).
• Bank installment loan: RRSO usually ~9–13% per year, higher for a weaker profile.
• Non-bank loans: RRSO can reach tens or even hundreds of percent — here analysing the terms is critical.

In Short: How to Choose

• Buying a specific item — look for a 0% installment in store, it is the cheapest.
• Need a free amount — take a bank installment loan and compare by RRSO.
• Refused by a bank or no history — a non-bank firm is possible, but only from the KNF register and with a sober calculation of the total cost.
• Always look at RRSO and the total amount payable, not the size of the monthly payment: a small payment may mean a long term and a large overpayment.

Kodenix Capital is not a financial adviser. This content is informational and current as of June 2026 — the terms of banks and lenders change, so check them on official websites and in the KNF register.