Money and banking

Basic payment account, SEPA transfers to Poland, what to watch.

• Right to a basic account: consumers who are lawfully resident in the EU, including people without a fixed address, have a claim against banks offering current accounts to a Basiskonto (§ 31 ZKG). Banks may only refuse in the cases the law lists. The exact scope of "lawful residence" and the documents banks ask for were not verified; ask the bank.
• You can often open an account with a Polish ID card or passport plus proof of your Berlin address (Anmeldung). Bank-specific requirements not verified.
• Transfers to Poland: in euro within the SEPA area, a transfer to a Polish euro account uses the IBAN. Transfers to a zloty account may involve currency conversion; fees and exchange rates differ and were not compared here.
• Your employer pays wages into a German account; give the IBAN in writing and keep payslips (Working as an employee).
• Never give access data (PIN, TAN) to third parties and do not open accounts for others (Scams).