How To Open A Bank Account As Foreigner In Lviv

Step 1: Get your Temporary Residence Permit (TRP)

You cannot open a bank account in Ukraine as a foreigner without a Temporary Residence Permit. Once you have your TRP, you’re ready for the next step.

Step 2: Apply for a Tax ID

With your TRP in hand, you need to visit the tax office to apply for a Tax ID. This number is required by all banks to register your account.

From my own experience, I can recommend booking an appointment in advance. The first time I went without one, my number never got called. I even read about people waiting more than four hours without success. When I came back with an appointment, I was helped fairly quickly.

Location of tax office in Maps

Step 3: Choose your bank

Once you receive your Tax ID, you can go to the bank of your choice with your TRP and Tax ID. Most foreigners I talked to all went to different banks, so there isn’t one “best” option. Popular ones include:

• PrivatBank

• OshchadBank

• UkrsibBank

Each bank has its own pros and cons, but all will let you open an account if you have the required documents.

Step 4: Adding money and receiving payments

For now, the easiest way to add money to your new Ukrainian account is by transferring cash through services like Wise. Keep in mind that sometimes payments from Ukrainians may not go through if you are not yet a permanent resident.

I had this issue myself with Monobank when a local tried to send me money. The transfer was rejected because of my temporary residency status. This might also apply to other banks, so be prepared for small limitations until you get permanent residency.

Final tips

• Book your tax office appointment ahead of time.

• Ask other foreigners which bank they use, but expect different answers.

• Be patient with the process

  Opening a bank account in Lviv takes a bit of paperwork, but once it’s set up, it makes life a lot easier for everyday payments and transfers.