How to open and register a company in Poland for Belarusians

Opening and registering a company in Poland for Belarusian citizens has become an increasingly relevant task in recent years. Poland offers a predictable legal environment, access to the European Union market, and relatively transparent administrative procedures. At the same time, the future entrepreneur faces a number of questions: choosing the legal form of business, preparing founding documents, the need to obtain a PESEL or NIP number, interacting with KRS and CEIDG, as well as complying with migration and tax requirements.

This article serves as a practical guide for Belarusians planning to open and officially register a company in Poland. We will sequentially examine key options for organizational and legal forms, basic legal and tax aspects, as well as typical difficulties that foreign founders most often encounter. The goal of the material is to provide a structured overview of the registration process and help prepare for starting a business with minimal risks and delays.

Choosing the organizational and legal form and optimal tax system for Belarusian entrepreneurs in Poland

Before submitting documents to KRS or CEIDG, it is worth assessing the scale of activity, degree of responsibility, and expected profit. For a freelancer, consultant, or IT specialist, it is often sufficient sole proprietorship (SP): minimal formalities, simple reporting, and a quick start. However, if attracting partners, investors, sharing shares, and clearly defining powers is planned, it is advisable to consider limited liability company (LLC), which allows limiting entrepreneurial risk to the contributed capital. When choosing a form of activity, it is important to consider not only current but also future business tasks — entering the European market, working with large clients, and participating in tenders.

• Sole Proprietorship — minimal startup costs, simple management, but full personal property liability.
• Sp. z o.o. — more complex accounting and obligations, but limited liability and a higher level of trust from partners.
• Corporate Tax — for companies (CIT), including reduced rates for small taxpayers.
• Tax at a linear rate 19% — relevant for entrepreneurs with consistently high margins.
• Ryczałt — beneficial with low expenses and a transparent income structure.

Step-by-step procedure for registering a company in Poland from document preparation to entry in the KRS register

In practice, everything starts with choosing a form of activity and preparing a package of documents: the charter (for sp. z o.o.), the founder's decision, data of the director and participants, as well as confirmation of the legal address (lease agreement, letter from the accountant providing the address, etc.). At the same time, it is advisable to obtain PESEL and an electronic signature (ePUAP or qualified signature will suffice) to sign applications without a personal visit to the court. At this stage, it is also determined:

• Company name (preferably check through online search KRS and CEIDG to avoid duplicates);
• Codes of business activities (PKD) — for each key type of business;
• Size of the share capital and the method of its contribution;
• Structure of management bodies — director, supervisory board (if needed), representative in Poland;
• Accounting services — signing a contract with a Polish accounting firm before submitting the application.

After preparing the documents, proceed to submit the application through the S24 system or traditionally in paper form, where a set for the court is formed: application for registration, charter, management data, list of participants, and confirmation of payment of the state fee. When choosing the electronic procedure, the deadlines are usually shorter, and the cost is slightly lower. The registration in the National Court Register opens access to the following steps, which makes sense to plan in advance:

Requirements for founders from Belarus: visa status, bank account, and confirmation of economic presence

Polish law does not tie company registration to citizenship, but the actual status of Belarusian founders and directors plays a key role. In practice, the optimal option is for a key person to have a residence card or a long-term visa type D, allowing them to legally stay in the country and sign documents without frequent border crossings. Banks and notaries often request confirmation of legal residence in the EU, so it is advisable to prepare copies in advance:

• Passport and valid visa/residence card;
• PESEL number (if already assigned);
• Registration documents or lease agreement in Poland;
• Power of attorney for a representative in Poland, if the founder plans to remain outside the country.

Opening a bank account for Belarusian beneficiaries is accompanied by in-depth complianceanalysis and a request for evidence of actual economic presence. It is important for the bank and potential counterparties to see that the company is not «paper-based,» but is indeed conducting business in Poland. A typical package of confirmations includes:

• Beneficial transparency: UBO declaration, ownership structure, source of funds.
• Sanction and AML screening: absence from sanction lists, clear origin of capital.
• Connection to Poland: local clients or suppliers, participation in Polish projects, registration with tax authorities.

Practical recommendations for minimizing the risk of registration denial and subsequent inspections by regulatory bodies

To reduce the likelihood of a formal denial, it is important to check the accuracy of all data in advance and ensure that the chosen form of business operation corresponds to actual activities. Pay special attention to the charter and PKD codes — they must cover actual and planned types of services. It is useful to prepare a package of supporting documents in advance: lease agreement or letter of intent from the landlord, scans of the passport and residence card (if available), a statement from a Belarusian bank with a history of transactions. It is also recommended to use the services of an accountant or lawyer familiar with the specifics of working with citizens of third countries. This reduces the risk of technical errors in the application and subsequent requests for additional information.

• Transparency of sources of funds — avoid large «cash» contributions without documentary justification.
• Real office or virtual address — make sure that the address is allowed for company registration and is accessible for correspondence.
• Documented relationships with partners — contracts, invoices, acts of completed work.
• Timely reporting — tax returns, ZUS, updating data in KRS/CEIDG.

In conclusion, it can be said

In summary, opening and registering a company in Poland for a citizen of Belarus is a process that requires careful preparation, precise compliance with legal requirements, and a balanced assessment of risks. A sequential approach to choosing the organizational and legal form, preparing founding documents, selecting a tax system, and considering migration aspects allows for minimizing potential difficulties and accelerating business launch.

When planning to enter the Polish market, it makes sense to rely on current legal information, consult with specialists in law, accounting, and taxes, as well as to think ahead about the company's development strategy. This approach will help not only to successfully complete the registration stage but also to ensure the sustainable operation of the business in the long term.