How to Open a Business Bank Account in France - A Full Guide

It is theoretically possible to open a bank account in France as a non-resident - to filter out the options when you research, look for compte non-résident (non-resident account). Because you’re looking for a business account you’ll naturally need to have a business registered in France to be eligible. That said, even with your legally registered business, there are restrictions and eligibility requirements put in place by individual banks which may make it trickier than you expect to open a business account in France as a non-resident.

If you’re not in France and not intending to move there to run your business, you may want to take professional advice about the best business accounts to suit your needs. If you have a local director in France this may make the process smoother.

Other options include opening a business account with a global bank which has branches in France, or choosing an online multi-currency account from a fintech provider to send and receive EUR payments no matter where you’re based.

Many traditional banks in France will require you to visit a bank branch to open a business account. You’ll often need to meet with a business advisor (conseiller clientèle professionnelle) before you can even start the process. Your business advisor will talk through your plans, assess whether or not you should be offered a loan or credit services, and then make a final decision on your application.

If opening an account online is a priority for you, you may prefer to look at online only banks and fintech companies, which operate in France and offer mobile and digital business account services. More on that coming up.

One useful thing to know is that all French citizens and residents are legally entitled to open a bank account. If you’re resident in France and are refused an account with your chosen provider, the bank is obliged to explain why, in writing. You can then appeal to the Banque de France to ensure you can get an account up and running - although his process does take time.

Firstly, it’s worth noting that the paperwork you need will vary according to the type of business you have in france. The documents you need if you have a sole proprietorship (entreprise individuelle) aren’t the same as those for a limited liability company (société à responsabilité limitée - SARL) - so do double check the full requirements set by your chosen bank before you get started.

In most cases, you can bet on needing the following:

Personal details and identity documents for owner, directors and minor shareholders as relevant
Proof of residence for the owner/applicant
K-bis business registration and identity document
Articles of incorporation, partnership agreement or similar relevant documents according to entity type
Business performance information including profit history or forecast, plans and team structure

Assuming you choose to work with a traditional French bank, the documents you take along to your meeting with a business advisor should be translated into French.

While in major cities and big bank branches, you can probably find an English speaker, don’t make any assumptions on this point. It’s standard for meetings to be held in French, and paperwork - including detailed business plans - to be in French also. If you’re not confident with the language yet, you might need to take along a French friend or a professional translator to smooth the process.

Here’s how it works:

The Wise Account is a multiple currency account that lets you hold money in more than 40 currencies, including U.S. dollars and Canadian dollars.
You can open up a an account in the U.S., U.K., Eurozone, Australia, Canada and New Zealand and receive money in GBP, EUR, USD, AUD, NZD or CAD currencies.
You get local banking details for each of those countries, which effectively means you have a bank account in that country with its own routing and account number.
You also get a connected debit card, so you can spend money from the account. The debit card is free to use if you’re spending money in the local currency.

If you’re already in France you’ll be familiar with the big traditional banks you see on many town and city highstreets. As well as French brands there are a number of global institutions with branches and services in France, giving you a broad range to choose from. With traditional banks you’ll find a good suite of business services which often covers extras like financing and loans - but you may need to comply with relatively strict eligibility requirements, as well as fees. Here are a few of the top French banks you’ll want to check out.