Short answer: Yes, for the incorporation itself – but plan for one likely exception. Filing the S24 application, signing the articles of association, and getting the company entered into the KRS (National Court Register) can all be done from abroad using a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES), with no trip to Poland required. The one step that commonly still asks for a physical presence, or at least a video call under bank-specific rules, is opening the corporate bank account – most Polish banks still prefer to see at least one representative in person or via a controlled remote-verification channel. Below is what a foreign founder actually needs, item by item, to get as close to a fully remote incorporation as current practice allows.
What “remote” covers and where it typically stops
Setting up a company through the S24 system can in practice be done largely remotely, though not every step is entirely free of an in-person requirement.
Reserving a registered office address does not require a visit to Poland: virtual office providers issue a lease agreement and a consent letter without any physical presence. The articles of association can also be drafted and signed remotely in S24 using a qualified electronic signature (QES), with no notary and no need to be in the country. The application to the National Court Register (KRS) and the court fee are filed and paid electronically inside the S24 portal. The tax identification number (NIP) and the statistical number (REGON) are assigned automatically together with the KRS entry. If VAT registration is needed, the VAT-R form is likewise filed electronically after the company has been entered in the register.
The one step that still involves a personal appearance if a local representative is used instead of signing in person is the notarial power of attorney. It is signed before a notary or at a Polish consulate abroad and then apostilled. That is an in-person step, but it does not have to take place in Poland.
The main practical limitation is the corporate bank account. Opening one is often not fully remote. In a 2026 industry review, roughly 85% of banks still expected at least one board member or ultimate beneficial owner to appear in person or complete enhanced video verification. Only a handful offer genuine video-call onboarding, and usually only where a PESEL number and a Polish address are already in place.
1. A Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) the core enabler
A QES is the only electronic signature Polish law treats as legally equivalent to a handwritten one, under the EU eIDAS Regulation. It can be issued to a foreign national on the basis of a valid passport, with no PESEL number required. Five trust service providers are currently accredited in Poland, and modern onboarding for most of them is itself remote: the applicant completes video identity verification photographing the passport and recording a short liveness check through the provider’s app, and receives a working QES, cloud-based or on a physical cryptographic card, without visiting an office. A QES is what makes it possible for a founder in China (or anywhere else) to sign the S24 filing personally, from home, rather than through a representative.
What a foreigner needs to obtain a QES remotely:
- A valid passport (most providers require at least several months, sometimes a year, of remaining validity)
- A smartphone or webcam for video identity verification
- Payment for the certificate typically in the range of PLN 250–350 for a one-year QES, or a lower per-signature fee for one-time use
2. Identification and corporate documents
Because a QES removes the need for a PESEL, the founder’s core identifying document is simply the passport: full name, citizenship, date and place of birth. If a corporate entity (rather than an individual) will be the shareholder, more is required an up-to-date extract from the home-country company register, proof of the signatory’s authority, and, in most cases, sworn Polish translations of all foreign-language documents.
3. A notarised power of attorney only if a local representative signs on your behalf
Founders who prefer not to obtain a QES personally, or whose corporate structure needs a bespoke notarial deed rather than the fixed S24 template, can instead grant a power of attorney to a Polish law firm or attorney to complete the process on their behalf. This document typically needs to be:
- Signed before a notary in the founder’s home country, or before a Polish consulate, which can notarise signatures for KRS purposes;
- Apostilled — under the Hague Apostille Convention, which China has been party to since November 2023, a Chinese notarial power of attorney can be apostilled locally rather than requiring full consular legalisation; and
- Translated into Polish by a sworn translator before use in the registration process.
This route keeps the founder entirely outside Poland throughout incorporation, at the cost of some extra document preparation and a fee to the representative.
4. A registered office address in Poland
Every sp. z o.o. must have a registered office in Poland, used for official correspondence and listed in the KRS. A remote founder does not need to lease physical premises: numerous providers offer a registered/virtual office service a Polish address, a lease agreement, and a consent letter for KRS purposes arranged entirely online, typically for a modest recurring fee.
5. Minimum share capital, contributed without a trip
The PLN 5,000 statutory minimum capital is paid into the company’s bank account, not handed over during registration. Under S24, the full amount does not need to be confirmed before the KRS entry is issued a declaration of payment is filed with the court within a short statutory window after registration, giving a remote founder time to arrange the transfer once the account is open.
6. The bank account: the step most likely to require a physical step
This is the point where “fully remote” most often breaks down in practice. Polish banks apply strict AML/KYC rules under the Polish AML Act, and industry reporting for 2026 indicates that a majority of banks still expect at least one board member or ultimate beneficial owner to appear in person, or to complete an enhanced, bank-controlled video-verification process genuine self-service video onboarding is more commonly available to applicants who already hold a PESEL and a Polish address than to a first-time non-resident founder. Practical workarounds foreign founders use include:
- Selecting a bank or fintech provider known to accept non-resident-only onboarding with video verification;
- Combining the account-opening trip, if one becomes necessary, with other business travel; or
- Using an EU-regulated payment institution for initial operations while a traditional bank relationship is arranged later.
7. Post-registration filings that stay remote
Once incorporated, ongoing compliance can generally continue without travel:
- Central Register of Beneficial Owners (CRBR) filing — done electronically, and again usually requires a QES or Trusted Profile from whoever signs it;
- VAT-R registration and subsequent VAT filings;
- Annual financial statements — signed electronically by the board member(s), which is precisely why founders who register remotely still need to plan for a QES (or a PESEL-based Trusted Profile) for the ongoing life of the company, not only for the day of incorporation.
Realistic remote-incorporation checklist
- Valid passport with several months of remaining validity
- A Qualified Electronic Signature, obtained via remote video verification, or a notarised and apostilled power of attorney to a Polish representative
- Sworn Polish translations of any foreign-language identification or corporate documents
- A registered office address in Poland, arranged through a virtual-office provider
- PLN 5,000 in share capital, ready to transfer once a bank account is available
- A plan for the bank account step research which banks or payment institutions accept non-resident, remote or video-based onboarding before assuming the whole process will be trip-free
- A QES or Trusted Profile retained for future filings (CRBR, VAT, annual financial statements), not just for the incorporation itself
FAQ
Can I register a company in Poland without ever visiting the country?
In most straightforward cases, yes the S24 filing itself is fully remote using a Qualified Electronic Signature or a notarised power of attorney to a local representative. The step most likely to still require in-person or enhanced verification is opening the corporate bank account.
What documents does a foreigner need to open a company in Poland remotely?
A valid passport, a Qualified Electronic Signature (or a notarised, apostilled power of attorney), a registered office address in Poland, and, where relevant, sworn Polish translations of foreign corporate documents.
Can I get a Qualified Electronic Signature without visiting Poland?
Yes. Several accredited Polish trust service providers offer fully remote issuance based on video identity verification and a valid passport, without any need to visit an office.
Do I need to travel to Poland to open a business bank account?
Often, yes, or at minimum complete enhanced video verification – many Polish banks still require at least one board member or beneficial owner to appear in person, though a limited number of banks and payment institutions offer remote onboarding for non-residents.
Is a notarised power of attorney enough to register a company in Poland from abroad?
Yes, provided it is properly notarised in the founder’s home country (or before a Polish consulate) and apostilled under the Hague Apostille Convention where applicable then translated into Polish before use.
Do I need a Polish address to register a company remotely?
Yes, every sp. z o.o. must have a registered office in Poland, but this can be arranged through a virtual-office provider without the founder visiting the address.
Will I need to travel to Poland again after the company is registered?
Not necessarily for routine filings CRBR registration, VAT filings and annual financial statements are typically signed electronically but a bank account, or certain enhanced due-diligence requests, may still call for a physical or video-verified step later.
**Michał Burek, LL.M.** — attorney-at-law (*radca prawny*), qualified restructuring advisor, owner and President of the Management Board of the MB/LAW law firm.
He specializes in corporate law, corporate restructuring and insolvency, as well as the handling of cross-border projects (Poland–Germany–Europe).
As a qualified restructuring advisor and member of the National Chamber of Restructuring Advisors, he conducts restructuring proceedings (including arrangement approval proceedings (PZU), remedial (*sanacja*) and arrangement proceedings) as well as bankruptcy proceedings for small and large companies throughout Poland. He has extensive experience in protecting members of management boards against civil and criminal liability (including under Article 299 of the Commercial Companies Code) and in negotiations with creditors and financial institutions.
He is a graduate of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the Jagiellonian University (2016) and of the LL.M. programme at Heidelberg University (DAAD scholarship). He combines a solid academic background with practical business experience, which enables him to offer entrepreneurs comprehensive, tailor-made solutions — from ongoing legal support for companies and startups, through restructuring of liabilities and raising bridge financing, to cross-border advisory services in Polish, English and German.
At MB/LAW, he is building a team of experts who also specialize in compliance with digital regulations (AI Act, NIS2, GDPR, Data Act, Cyber Resilience Act) and new technology matters, offering clients “one-stop shop” support in corporate law, restructuring and compliance.
Sources
- S24 system, Ministry of Justice – official incorporation portal
- National Certification Centre (NCCert) list of accredited Polish qualified trust service providers
- eIDAS Dashboard, European Commission qualified trust service providers register
- Biznes.gov.pl official Polish government business portal
- Lawyers in Poland (Kopeć & Zaborowski), Opening a Business Bank Account in Poland: Practical Compliance Checklist, lawyersinpoland.com
- Damalion, How to Open a Corporate Bank Account in Poznań, Poland: 2026 Guide, damalion.com
- e-sud.by, Opening a bank account for a foreign company in Poland in 2025
- EuroCert, How to get a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES)?, eurocert.pl
- Unistyle, QES – Qualified Electronic Signature for foreigner, unistyle.pl
- Dudkowiak Law, How to obtain a qualified electronic signature in Poland?, dudkowiak.com
