Help - Kantor Walutowy Alior Bank

Frequently asked questions

What are the benefits of using Kantor Walutowy?

Reasons for choosing Kantor Walutowy - our currency exchange service:
• We offer attractive currency exchange rates
• Service available 24/7
• We are the first to provide currency service, so the financial assets of our customers are guaranteed by BFG. whereas the exchange of these assets is executed between the customers’ accounts, so the customers can access their funds at any time
• Financial assets that have been exchanged in Kantor Walutowy can be transferred for free to any account within or outside the country!
• The money from your Kantor Walutowy accounts can be withdrawn at Alior Bank branch
• Also, our Customers benefit from using our convenient website. It lets you exchange currency easily, quickly and comfortably
• If Customers have any questions, they can always contact the customer service or just fill out a contact form
• Kantor Walutowy offers a wide range of currencies
• Kantor Walutowy offers a multi-currency card

Who can use Kantor Walutowy?

This service is available to natural persons who possess lawful capacities, to entrepreneurs, and to non-business entities (e.g. associations, organizations).

How much does it cost to use Kantor Walutowy?

Access to Kantor Walutowy is free of charge.

In which hours can I use Kantor Walutowy?

Kantor Walutowy is available 24/7. We offer attractive exchange rates all the time.

What do I need to do to get access to Kantor Walutowy?

Individual clients: In order to get access to Kantor Walutowy, you have to go through the registration process – you just need to fill out the contact form available online or Alior Bank branch. In order to validate your personal data, you need to make a money transfer to the account (more details are sent to the e-mail address you provided in the contact form). You can use a simple registration process which requires only CIF number, telephone number (the one you have provided to the bank) and e-mail address. You are then informed of the activation via text message and e-mail.

Business clients: Business clients can use Kantor Walutowy if they have signed a master agreement with Alior Bank. In order to start using Kantor Walutowy, you just need to sign the Kantor Walutowy agreement at any Alior Bank branch. Natural persons who run a sole proprietorship and who have signed a master agreement with Alior Bank can make use of the simplified version of registration process which requires only CIF number, telephone number (the one that is already in our database) and e-mail address. The customer is informed of service activation via text message and e-mail.

Can I use my international cell phone number?

Yes, in order to use Kantor Walutowy you do not have to have a Polish telephone number.

Do I have to sign an agreement to use Kantor Walutowy?

Individual clients: Yes, every customer signs the agreement of Kantor Walutowy in the following ways: by means of funds transfer (for people who have not been customers of Alior Bank) or by entering the code provided in the text message (people who have access to Alior Internet Banking). People who have not been customers of Alior Bank receive a personalized version of the agreement via e-mail after completing the registration.

Business clients: Yes, every customer signs a Kantor Walutowy agreement in the following ways: at any branch (business clients whose legal forms are different from those of natural persons who run a sole proprietorship or their plenipotentiaries) or by entering the code provided in the text message (natural persons who run a sole proprietorship, registering individually via online registration form). After having completed the simplified version of registration process, each client receives the agreement via e-mail.

Do I need an account in foreign currency to exchange funds in Kantor Walutowy?

Yes, PLN and chosen currencies accounts are set up for every customer when the agreement gets signed. Use of accounts is free of charge. Every next account in other foreign currencies can be set up for free in few seconds.

Can I use Kantor Walutowy on my cell phone?

Yes. We have dedicated mobile application available here: https://kantor.aliorbank.pl/en/individual-clients/mobile-application.html Mobile application is available for devices with iOS and Android^tm. It enables access to all functionalities of the service.

Is currency exchange in Kantor Walutowy safe?

Alior is the first bank providing such a service. Currency exchange with its involvement is not only very safe, but also your privacy is covered by confidentiality typical for banking services. We are distinguished from other online currency exchange offices thanks to technological solutions, security procedures and legal requirements but most of all KNF (Financial Supervision Commission) and BFG (Bank Guarantee Fund).

Registration

Who can register at Kantor Walutowy?

Individual clients: Kantor Walutowy is a banking service available to natural persons with capacity for legal actions. In the registration process cell phone number and e-mail address are required as well as account in PLN, from which the transfer can be executed to verify the customer’s address. Existing Alior Bank clients can use the simplified registration process.
Business clients: Kantor Walutowy is available also to business people who have signed the master agreement with Alior Bank. Registration at Kantor Walutowy is possible after signing the Kantor Walutowy agreement at an Alior Bank branch. Natural persons who run a sole proprietorship can use the simplified registration process that requires only identification, telephone number (the one you provided before) and e-mail address. The client is given information about the service activation via text message and e-mail notifications.

Do I have to visit an Alior Bank branch in order to open an account at Kantor Walutowy?

Individual clients: In order to register at Kantor Walutowy you just have to fill out the online application form and execute a transfer from other Polish bank in order to verify your personal data. You can sign the agreement for Kantor Walutowy activation by use of text message code. Foreigners without access to the Alior Internet Banking must first sign the master agreement at any Alior Bank branch, then they need to activate the service using the simplified online registration form.
Business clients: As for business clients, registration at Kantor Walutowy is available after signing the agreement of Kantor Walutowy at any Alior Bank branch. Only natural persons who run a sole proprietorship can use the simplified registration process that requires only identification, telephone number (the one you provided before) and e-mail address. The client is given information about the service activation via text message and e-mail notifications.

Why do I need a bank account in PLN?

Individual clients: The last stage of registration process is executing a transfer to your Kantor Walutowy account in PLN from another polish bank account that you currently use. This step allows for validation of your personal data used in the registration form and enables you to open accounts at Kantor Walutowy without leaving your home.
Business clients: As for business clients this requirement does not exist.

Do I need an account at Alior Bank to use Kantor Walutowy?

Individual clients: It is not required. To register for the service you need a PLN account at any bank in Poland.
Business clients: It is not required. However, you need to have a master agreement signed with Alior Bank.

Can I make the transfer that completes the registration process from an account belonging to another person for example a parent or a spouse?

No. The personal data have to be consistent with the data provided in your registration form.

Can I use my foreign bank account to make the transfer that completes the registration process?

No. The transfer finalizing the registration must come from your Polish bank account

How much time do I have to make the transfer that completes the registration process at Kantor Walutowy?

Clients have 30 days to make a transfer that ends the registration process at Kantor Walutowy. Otherwise, you will have to fill out the registration form once again.

How do I know what information has to be given in the transfer finalizing the registration process?

All the information related to the transfer (including its title) is sent along with confirmation of application to the e-mail address you provided in the registration form.

I already have a client number (CIF) at Alior Bank. Do I still need to register in order to use the service Kantor Walutowy?

Alior Bank clients may use the simplified registration process, so they do not have to fill out the full registration form and execute any transfer to verify their personal data.

Logging in

How to log into the service?

At Kantor Walutowy you can use the Client’s Identifier (CIF) or the e-mail address as a login.

Where can I find my Identifier?

Identifier is the client number (CIF) assigned to every client when signing the master agreement with Alior Bank. You can easily find it in that document or after logging into Kantor Walutowy under the icon Profile and Settings.

Can I use my e-mail address to log into the service?

Yes. To log into the service you may enter your Client’s Identifier (CIF) or you e-mail address.

How do I log into Kantor Walutowy for the first time?

When a client logs in for the first time with a client number (CIF) or e-mail address, the temporary password is sent automatically to the cell phone number that has been provided in the registration process. In the next steps the client is asked to change the password and choose a security picture.

What is my security picture for? How can I change it?

Security picture is the picture picked by you. It displays every time you log into the online banking system (between your ID and your password). The picture makes it easier for you to verify the authencity of the Alior Bank website. It is there to help protect you from a phishing websites dedicated to catch your personal data. Remember to check if the picture appears whenever you log in. In case the picture is not there or there is another picture, not the one that you picked, stop logging in and contact our Contact Center or our branch. In order to choose or change the picture in Kantor Walutowy, go onto Profile, and “Settings” then find security image and choose "change" and pick a new picture.

What are the requirements that passwords must meet?

Password for Kantor Walutowy has to have characters that belong to at least three out of four groups: small letters, large letters, digits, special characters. A password cannot contain more than two identical characters next to each other. In addition, there is a minimum password length.

The access to my account has been blocked. What can I do?

If during logging into your account a wrong password is entered five times in a row, the access to your account at Kantor Walutowy is blocked for security reasons. In order to gain back the access, please contact the Contact Center or visit our branch.

Currency exchange

Which currencies can I exchange at Kantor Walutowy?

Kantor Walutowy offers a variety of currencies:

polish zloty (PLN), euro (EUR), US dollar (USD), Swiss franc (CHF), British pound (GBP), Swedish krona (SEK), Norwegian krona (NOK), Japanese yen (JPY) , Danish krone (DKK), Czech koruna (CZK), Canadian dollar (CAD), Hungarian forint (HUF), Australian dollar (AUD), Bulgarian lev (BGN), Mexican peso (MXN), hopper Romanian (RON), South African Rand (ZAR), Thai Baht (THB), Israeli New Shekels (ILS), Hong Kong Dollar (HKD), Turkish Lira (TRY)

How much does it cost to exchange currencies at Kantor walutowy?

Currency exchange at Kantor Walutowy is free of charge.

At what rate are transactions executed in Kantor Walutowy?

After logging into the service, Clients get access to binding exchange rates. Transactions are executed at presented rates.

At what times can I execute currency exchange in Kantor Walutowy?

Any time. Kantor walutowy currency exchange is available 24/7.

How long does currency exchange take?

Currency exchange is executed immediately – funds appear right away in the Client’s account.

What’s the minimum amount of currency units I can exchange at Kantor Walutowy?

The minimum amount of currency units that can be exchanged at once is different for each currency and is equal in equivalent value to around PLN 20. More details are available in information section under "Currency Exchange" tab.

What’s the maximum amount of currency units I can exchange in a single transaction at Kantor Walutowy?

For each currency the maximum amount of currency units in a single deal is set separately. More details are available in information section under "Currency Exchange" tab.

Can a transaction be cancelled?

No. If a transaction was accepted by both the bank and the client, then the it cannot be cancelled.

Can I exchange foreign currencies directly without exchanging one of them to PLN first?

Yes, we offer cross transactions (currency exchange without PLN): EURUSD, EURGBP, EURCHF, USDGBP, USDCHF, GBPCHF

Pay-later transaction

What is a pay-later transaction?

Pay-later transactions allow you to fix exchange rates even when the transaction amount is higher than the account balance. 5% of the full transaction amount is temporarily locked on your account for 2 working days, so there is enough time to make sure that the full amount is paid in. Once you have enough funds, the transaction is settled at the pre-agreed rate.

In which way are pay-later transactions different from the normal ones?

The difference is that the pay-later transactions can be executed even with only a small percentage of the transaction amount available on the account of the currency sold.

How much does a pay-later transaction cost?

Pay-later transactions are free of charge at Kantor Walutowy as long as the client makes sure that the full amount of the currency sold is available in two days on the account.

What do I need to do in order to complete a pay-later transaction?

In order for the pay-later transaction to be properly settled, you need to pay the missing amount into the account of the currency sold. You need to make sure the amount available on your account is not smaller than the transaction amount decreased by the amount locked. The money should be available before 16.00 o’clock on the second working day after the transaction date (i.e. if on Monday the pay-later transaction is executed, you need to provide the full amount, including the locked part, on your account until Wednesday 16.00 o’clock).

How is the locked amount calculated?

The locked amount is 5% of the currency sold by the client.

What happens later with the funds locked?

The funds locked are used for settlement of the transaction when the full amount is available on the account, including the amount locked. If the funds are not sufficient (until 16.00 o’clock on the second working day) the amount locked is used for reversing the original transaction, which is done by executing the opposite transaction using the exchange rates from the bank table valid at that moment.

What is reversing of the original transaction?

Reversing of the original pay-later transaction takes place when a client does not provide enough money on his account at Kantor Walutowy until the final indicated date and time. In this case, the net settlement amount is based on the transaction parameters and current exchange rate available on Alior Bank home page. The net amount might turn out to be positive or negative. If it is positive for the client, the money will be paid into client's account and amount locked previously will be available again. If it is negative for the client, the account will be charged, but never more than the amount locked.

Domestic transfers

What are domestic transfers?

Domestic transfers are money transfers in PLN between your Polish bank accounts.

How much does a domestic trasfer cost at Kantor Walutowy?

Domestic transfers from Kantor walutowy are free of charge.

Foreign currency transfers

What are currency transfers?

Currency transfers are money transfers in currencies other than PLN (to any bank account both within and outside Poland).

What are the cost options for currency transfers?

Cost options describe who pays costs of the currency transfers being sent from Alior Bank. There are three cost options:
BEN (Beneficiary) – all costs related to the transfer are covered by the beneficiary (covering costs of the bank sending the transfer, intermediary and the bank of the beneficiary).
SHA (Shared) – costs are divided between the sender and beneficiary of the transfer. The sender covers costs of Alior Bank, whereas beneficiary covers all other costs including intermediary bank.
OUR – all costs related to the transfer are covered by the sender (including costs of the bank sending the transfer, intermediary and the bank of the beneficiary).

What is an European transfer?

European transfer is a SEPA transfer executed only in EUR with the SHA Express cost option. It must be sent to an account in IBAN standard and only to the certain group of countries (SEPA countries).

How much does a currency transfer of the funds exchanged at Kantor Walutowy cost?

Currency transfer of the money exchanged at Kantor Walutowy is free of charge for SHA and BEN transfers.

How does Licznik work?

Licznik (counter) registers the amount of funds exchanged by the client at Kantor Walutowy in each currency separately. Value of Licznik is a measure of a free of charge wire transfers and only depends on amount of funds exchanged by client. There are no limits in number or amount of free transfers.

If you exchange polish zlotys into 100 EUR and deposit at bankbrach 20 EUR, your Licznik for euros equals 100 units. If you send in SHA or BEN option 70 EUR, the value of Licznik will diminish to 30 units. Every currency transfer within the Licznik decreases the value of Licznik.

The amount of Licznik for each currency is presented in "Transactions" tabs. Furthermore commission for the transfer is always presented at the bottom of foreign transfer form.

How long does it take for my currency transfer to reach another Polish bank?

Transfers in foreign currencies to other polish banks are executed accordingly to chosen transfer mode (ordinary, urgent, express).

What is the difference between an ordinary transfer, an urgent transfer and an express transfer?

The difference between ordinary, urgent and express transfers is the date the funds sent become available at the bank of beneficiary. For the normal transfer the funds are available on the second working day from making the transfer, for the urgent mode the next working day, whereas for the express mode – on the same day.

What is IBAN?

IBAN means International Bank Account Number. It consists of a country letter code (first two signs), a control number, a bank's sort code and a customer account number. The control number within IBAN enables to check whether the account number is correct. Therefore, before sending any transfer, banks can verify if the number of the recipient’s account is correct. If not, they may inform the sender to double-check it. An example of IBAN account at Alior Bank: PL60 2490 0005 0000 5300 0000 1234

What is BIC?

BIC (Bank Identifier Code) is an unique worldwide bank code used for currency settlements. BIC is assigned by SWIFT – international organization through which banks exchange information needed for currency transfers.

What is SWIFT?

SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) – is the organization through which banks exchange financial information, including information about transfers. SWIFT code is a common name for BIC code.

What is the BIC of Alior Bank?

The BIC of Alior Bank is ALBPPLPW

When the currency transfer will be visible in the account history?

The currency transfer will be visible in your account history after it will be processed by Alior Bank . This depends on the selected transfer type (express, urgent or ordinary) and may be different than the transfer acceptance date.

Why does transfer go to Pending Transfer view?

Transfers which are waiting for settlement, are available in pending transfer view. Cut-off times for transfers are available here.

Quick transfers

What is Quick Transfer?

Quick Transfer allows for execution of immediate transfers via online payments.

In what currencies is Quick Transfer available?

Currently, Quick Transfer is only available in PLN.

Can I send funds into my account at Kantor Walutowy using Quick Transfer?

Yes, you can send money into your PLN account in Kantor Walutowy.

Orders

What are currency exchange orders at Kantor Walutowy?

Currency exchange orders enable clients to exchange currencies with parameters pre-set by them. Depending on customers’ needs, there are different types of currency exchange orders available.

What is an order with price limit?

An order with price limit allows for buying and selling currencies at the rate requested beforehand. For such orders you can set the expiry date, after which the order is cancelled. Orders with price limit require the following parameters: the side of transaction (buy/sell), transaction amount, transaction currency, exchange rate, expiry date, expiry hour. You might choose the option to automatically execute the transaction at the current exchange rate at the expiry time if the desired exchange rate has not been reached beforehand. After executing any order the exchanged funds can be automatically sent to the defined receiver.

What is a cyclic order?

Cyclic orders are designed for executing transactions every month on the same day at the current exchange rate from the indicated hour, until the expiry date. One of the possible ways of using this order is purchasing funds for loan repayment in a foreign currency. Cyclic orders are defined by the following parameters: the side of transaction (buy/sell), transaction amount, transaction currency, transaction day, transaction hour, expiry date, expiry hour.

What is a mixed order?

A mixed order is executed every month. You pre-set your preferable exchange rate. If the requested level is not reached, then the order is executed at the current rate from the indicated day and hour of each month. Mixed orders are defined by the following parameters: the side of transaction (buy/sell), transaction amount, transaction currency, exchange rate, day of transaction, hour of transaction, expiry date, expiry hour.

What happens if there are not enough funds on my account for executing the order?

The order will not be executed if the amount of funds on your Kantor Walutowy account is not sufficient. You will be informed via text message or e-mail. You may specify the way of communication under the heading “Notifications”. When the amount on your account becomes sufficient the cyclic and mixed order will be executed automatically.

What happens if I have enough funds for exchanging the currencies but not enough for covering the costs of transfer?

Transfers in BEN or SHA option are free of charge. Every transaction of exchange increases your Licznik. If an order is executed, then Licznik will also rise. If a client decides to place an order in connection a transfer to a defined recipient, then the transfer will be made within the amount of Licznik and will be free of charge.

Notifications

What are notifications at Kantor Walutowy?

Notifications are information sent via text message or e-mail to clients of Kantor Walutowy about changes in market rates (for example, the exchange rate of EUR/PLN has reached 4.2500) or operations on accounts (for example, your CHF account has been credited). Clients may choose the type of active notifications (text message or e-mail).

What kinds of notifications are available at Kantor Walutowy?

There are two types of notifications available at Kantor Walutowy: - related to reaching the requested level of exchange rate - related to changes on the client’s account at Kantor Walutowy e.g.: order completed, order expired, not sufficient funds, your account in [PLN/USD/EUR/CHF] has been credited.

How much does it cost to receive notifications at Kantor Walutowy?

E-mail notifications are free of charge. Text message notifications are free if used up to 10 times a month. If the monthly limit is exceeded, clients are charged PLN 0.30 for each text message above that limit.

How not to pay for notifications?

When activating notifications you have the option to prevent the text messages from being sent after the monthly limit is reached.

Pre-defined recipients

How to use pre-defined recipients?

It is a functionality of Kantor Walutowy that makes frequent money transfers to the same account easier. You just need to save the data of the recipient and in the future you simply choose the name from the list of defined recipients, so that empty fields in transfer form are automatically filled out.

I would like to add a new defined recipient to my list, but I do not want to resign from validating each transfer with a text message code – is it possible?

Yes. From the list of defined recipients you can select those who require validation of transactions with a text message code.

Multi-currency card

What cards are available at Kantor Walutowy?

Clients of Kantor Walutowy can order multi-currency debit card. The main account of the card is the euro account. The card let you perform proximity transactions or pay online in nearly 160 currencies.

Can I have a credit card for my Kantor Walutowy account?

No. Kantor Walutowy offers only multi-currency debit card.

How to order a multi-currency card from Kantor Walutowy?

Ordering a debit card for an account in the Kantor Walutowy is possible after logging in to the website or mobile application, then selecting "Cards" and "order card".

Do I need to set my card limits if I do not want to use my card for online payments?

If you do not want to use the limits, you should set them at 0 zl. In this case you need to type 0 in the field for online transactions limit.

Can I change my card limits?

Yes. Just go to “Card” section, click on “Manage” and Limits – you can change your limits there.

How to block a debit card?

You can block your debit card by visiting a branch, by calling Contact Center at 19 502 (option no. 3) or by using Kantor Walutowy website/mobile application.

What are the costs of using cards at Kantor Walutowy?

The Bank does not charge any fees for issuing and servicing the card.

What is the difference between blockade, closure and restriction of debit card?

Blocking the card - a reversible process, the customer can unblock the card within 28 days. After this time the blocked card is automatically closed. Restricting and closing the card – irreversible processes. Restricted and closed cards cannot be used again. There is a possibility to request for a new card.

Paying in

How can I pay money into my Kantor Walutowy account?

Individual clients: You may pay money into your Kantor Walutowy account with cash at any Alior Bank branch, Alior Bank Express branch (only PLN) or via bank transfer.
Business clients: You may pay money into your Kantor Walutowy accounts with cash at any Alior Bank branch, Partner branch (only for natural persons running sole proprietorship and only in PLN) or via bank transfer.

Am I charged for paying money into my accounts at Kantor Walutowy?

You can pay money into your Kantor Walutowy account either through wire transfer or depositing cash at Alior Bank branch. Incoming wire transfers are free of charges. The deposits made in Alior Bank branch are for free for natural person, business clients are charged according to Taryfa Opłat, Prowizji i Oprocentowania.

Can I pay into my Kantor Walutowy account by a transfer from a foreign bank?

Yes. All incoming transfers (except for the first transfer validating your data in the registration process) can come from any foreign accounts.

Can I transfer money more quickly into my Kantor Walutowy account?

Yes. You may transfer money into your accounts not only by means of traditional bank transfers but also by means of fast online payments. If you choose to make a payment online, your account is credited within just a few minutes. You cannot use it only as the first incoming transfer that validates the registration at Kantor Walutowy by checking your personal data, so it must be sent as a normal bank transfer from your own account.

Branch withdrawals

Can I withdraw funds from my Kantor Walutowy account at an Alior Bank branch any time?

You can withdraw the funds gathered on your accounts within opening hours of Alior Bank branch with cash service, up to PLN 25,000 or EUR 3,000 or GBP/USD 2,000. Cash withdrawals of higher amounts require prior online notification. Withdrawals in coins are not possible.

How many days before the withdrawal should I notify the branch?

You should notify no later than two working days prior to the planned date of withdrawal, before 2pm, if you need to withdraw more than PLN 25,000 or more than EUR 3 000 or GBP/USD 2,000.

Can I resign from a cash withdrawal or modify my notification?

Yes. You may cancel the order of cash withdrawal or change a notification. The deadline for such actions depends on the currency of cash withdrawal:
• PLN – until 11.00 one working day before the planned withdrawal at the branch
• Foreign currency – until 14.00 two working days before the planned withdrawal at the branch.
For every notification not realized you are charged in accordance with “Taryfa Opłat, Prowizji and Oprocentowania Kantoru Walutowego” (fee, commission and interest rates table) for individual clients as well as business people and enterprises.

What are the consequences of not collecting the ordered cash?

If you do not collect the ordered cash, you will be charged in the currency bought, according to: “Taryfa Opłat, Prowizji i Oprocentowania Kantoru Walutowego” (fees, commissions and interest rates table).

Confirmations

Can I obtain a VAT invoice for the transactions at Kantor Walutowy?

No, you cannot. There is no such possibility.

Can I obtain a receipt for my transaction at Kantor Walutowy?

No. Kantor Walutowy does not print any receipts. However confirmation of each currency transaction is available [to print] online: www.kantor.aliorbank.pl.

How can I check the history of my transactions at Kantor Walutowy?

You can take a look at the history of transactions in “History” tab. You can find the chosen transactions by the way they are sorted, that is type, period and currency. The history can also be saved in PDF or CSV format.

Can I obtain an account statement via mail?

No, you cannot. Account statements are never sent by postal mail. Clients have access to their account statements after logging into Kantor Walutowy website. The online version of account statements can be easily saved or printed.