How set up a PayPal account in Ireland

With over 300 million customers around the world, PayPal is one of the leading online payment platforms.¹ If you’re thinking about getting an Irish PayPal account this article is here to help, walking you through what a PayPal account can do, how to open one and answering a few FAQs.

We’ll also introduce you to the Wise Account, which allows you to send, spend, receive and manage your money in different currencies.

Wise: +40 currencies
in one account 💰

What is and how to use a PayPal account?

PayPal is a digital payment platform that offers personal and business online accounts that are generally just referred to as a PayPal account.

With PayPal you can shop online and instore, using your PayPal account to pay for things instead of a card. You can also send and receive money from other PayPal users using a PayPal.Me link, QR Code or by searching for their account.¹

The money you spend is either taken from the balance of your PayPal account or from the credit card, debit card or bank account that’s securely attached to the account as a payment method. You can have multiple payment methods and just choose the one you want to use at the check out.

At the moment, PayPal supports 24 different currencies that can be stored in the account’s currency balances and used for payments.⁵

How to open a PayPal account in Ireland: Step by step

Here’s an overview of what you need to do to open a personal PayPal account in Ireland:

1️⃣ Go to the PayPal website and select “Sign Up”
2️⃣ Choose “Personal Account”
3️⃣ Provide an email address
4️⃣ Add your phone number then verify it with the code
5️⃣ Follow the prompts to set a password, enter your personal information (name, date of birth and address), and add security answers.

What documents do you need to create a PayPal account?

To start a PayPal account in Ireland there’s no documentation required but you will need to provide some personal information which may be used later to verify the account.³

• First and last name
• Address
• Phone number
• Email address

How long does it take to open a PayPal account in Ireland? 🕐

Once you’ve completed the signup process you can start receiving payments instantly. To send or make payments you’ll need to add a payment method.³

How to verify a PayPal account?

Signing up for a PayPal account doesn’t require any verification but once you start transacting you’ll need to add and confirm a bank account, debit card or credit card, proving that you’re the owner of those financial details.⁴

Wise: +40 currencies in one account

If you are looking for a different option to manage your money and transact in different currencies, have a look at the Wise Account.

With a Wise Account you can hold money in more than 40 currencies and send money to over 160 countries.

There’s no account opening and maintenance fees and you can send money to bank accounts and other Wise users, for example. You can also get local account details for 9+ currencies including EUR, GBP and AUD, being able to receive payments in these currencies without any currency exchange.

Once you have an account why not order the Wise card, or start using the virtual cards options for your everyday spending. These cards enable you to pay in more than 150 countries with automatic currency conversions when necessary.

Speaking in currency exchange, it's important to note that Wise converts your money using the current mid-market exchange rate with just a variable transaction fee.

If you haven’t heard of it before, the md-market rate is the midpoint between the buy and sell prices on the global currency markets, making it a fair way to decide.

Open your Wise Account
for free 🚀

FAQ: Opening a PayPal account in Ireland

Here are some common questions that pop up with people considering opening a PayPal account.

Can I create a PayPal account without a credit card?

Yes. You can open a PayPal account without any payment method, and when you go to add one it can be a bank account, debit card or credit card.⁴

Can you have more than one PayPal account?

You can have up to two PayPal accounts provided one is a business account.⁷

Can you change the name on a PayPal account?

There are ways to change the name on a PayPal account provided the person who owns it isn’t changing.⁶

If it is a legal or major name change that’s more than just fixing two characters of a typo then you may be required to upload supporting documents like a valid photo ID.

Can I change the country of my PayPal account?

Unfortunately, due to variations in legislation in different places, you can’t change the country on your PayPal account.⁷ Instead you need to close the old account and open a new one from your new location.

How to link my bank account to PayPal?

What you need to do to link a bank account to a PayPal account depends on whether you’re using the website or app.⁸

How to link a bank account to PayPal using the website

1️⃣ Go to the PayPal website and login
2️⃣ Press on “Wallet” at the top of the page
3️⃣ Select “Link a bank account
4️⃣ Follow the prompts to complete the process

How to link a bank account to PayPal using the app

1️⃣ Login to the PayPal app
2️⃣ Tap on “Wallet”
3️⃣ Press on the + across from “Banks and cards”
4️⃣ Select “Banks”
5️⃣ Follow the prompts to complete the process

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