Send your Christmas money transfer to Poland early: public holidays in Poland are not business days. Your family can get złoty from the letter carrier at the door, dollars in cash at a PKO Bank Polski branch or a bank deposit.
For many Polish American families, a holiday transfer is as much a part of December as opłatek wafers and a package sent home. The money helps parents get ready for Wigilia and lets the kids in the family find a special gift under the tree.
To make sure the gift arrives on time and in a convenient form, plan two things: how the recipient will get the money and when you will send it. Here is how to do it with U.S. Money Express.
How should your family receive a Christmas cash gift?
Recipients in Poland can get the money in several ways. The sender chooses one when sending the transfer.
- Cash at the door. A Polish Post (Poczta Polska) letter carrier delivers złoty to the address you provide. This service is available only in Poland.
- Złoty at the post office. Cash can be collected at any Polish Post location or Bank Pocztowy branch.
- Cash in U.S. dollars. Payout in USD at a PKO Bank Polski branch chosen by the sender. According to the company, express cash transfers are paid out the next business day.
- Bank deposit. To an account at any bank in Poland held in USD, PLN or EUR. All you need is the account number (IBAN); no SWIFT code is required.
For a bank deposit, the currency of the transfer should match the currency of the account. Otherwise, the recipient’s bank will convert the money at its own rate.
Why should you send a holiday transfer early?
When you are in a last-minute hurry before the holidays, it is easy to make a mistake in the recipient’s details. So it pays not to leave it until the last minute.
Keep the calendar in mind, too. According to the company, express cash transfers in USD are paid out the next business day, and public holidays in Poland, like weekends, are not business days. A transfer sent right before Christmas may not be ready for pickup until after the holidays.
Before sending, check the cost, meaning the fee and the exchange rate, with the fee calculator in the online service or by calling the toll-free number 1-888-273-0828.
How can you send money to parents who do not go to the bank?
For older parents, cash delivered to the door is often the easiest option. They do not have to go to a bank or a post office: the letter carrier brings the złoty. The recipient shows ID at payout.
After you send the transfer, call your parents and let them know the money is on its way. Give them the transfer number and payout location from your receipt.
And if you are the senior here in the U.S. and do not use the internet? You can send a transfer through an agent, at an office or by mail: an order form with a cashier’s check, personal check or money order goes to the office in Chicago or Greenpoint.
What other occasions are worth planning for?
The same tips apply before Easter, Mother’s Day, All Saints’ Day (for example, to help family tend the graves) or a First Communion in the family. Before each of these occasions, choose the payout option and send the transfer with time to spare.
If you are flying to Poland yourself, for example on vacation, you can also send money to yourself and collect it there.
Where can you send a holiday transfer?
Online at online.usmoneyexpress.com, paying with a U.S.-issued Visa or MasterCard or from a U.S. bank account. In person through an agent, at the Greenpoint office (167 Greenpoint Ave, Brooklyn, tel. 718-349-1320) or at the main office in Chicago (5395 N. Milwaukee Ave, tel. 773-774-8787).
For questions about payout options and fees, call 1-888-273-0828. Learn more in U.S. Money Express’s listing in the Polish Pages directory.
About U.S. Money Express Co. — a money transfer company operating in the USA since 1993 and in Canada since 2008. Main partner in Poland: PKO Bank Polski S.A. Licensed in: NY, NJ, CT, PA, AZ, DE, FL, IL, MA, MI, OH, WI. NMLS ID# 918711.
This article is for informational purposes only. Fees, exchange rates and transfer terms may change; for current information, use the U.S. Money Express Co. fee calculator or call 1-888-273-0828.
Visa, MasterCard, PKO Bank Polski, Poczta Polska (Polish Post) and Bank Pocztowy are names and trademarks of their respective owners. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. Polish Pages is not affiliated with or endorsed by these companies.
