Opening a bank account in France

Discover whether it's possible for you to open a bank account in France, which documents you need and how to apply.

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Jason Loewenthal

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Key takeaways

  • British citizens can open accounts in France, as long as they’re a resident.
  • Some banks offer accounts for non-residents as well.
  • You’ll likely need to prove your identity and residency status in France.

If you’re moving to France, you’ll want to think about how you’ll manage your finances there. We’ve written this guide for you to understand more about opening a bank account in France as a British citizen.

Can a British citizen open a bank account in France?

Yes, British citizens can open a bank account in France.

Generally you’ll need to be a resident, but some banks do offer accounts for non-residents as well.

There are even some UK banks that let you open an account in other countries, so that could be another option for you, especially if you’re already banking with one of them.

Using Revolut as a banking app

Revolut Standard

Revolut Standard

8.9 Great
Minimum opening balance£0
Account fees£0
Interest (AER)0% AER
See dealRead review

You're able to open a Revolut account in France and get a French international bank account number (IBAN). You'll have to prove residency in France when you open an account to get one.

You could also use your UK Revolut account as a banking app in France, which means you can spend and transfer your money from the UK. This is a useful account option when you first arrive and in the future as well once you're eligible for a French IBAN, because it'll make it easier for you if you need to transfer money between France and the UK, or anywhere else in the world.

The key requirements of opening a bank account in France

You’ll need to be able to prove your identity, residency status and address in France. That would require you to have a form of photo ID such as your passport and your residency permit. You can prove your address with a rental contract or utility bill.

Any paperwork you fill in is likely to be in French and you might need to have your documents translated beforehand.

You might be able to open an account online before you arrive in France, but most French banks require an address to do that, so you would already need to have that organised.

Below is a list of some of the most popular banks in France that you can open an account with:

  • BNP Paribas
  • Crédit Agricole
  • Société Générale
  • Credit Agricole
  • Banque Populaire
  • Caisse d’Epargne
  • BoursoBank

Are there fees?

Most banks in France will charge a monthly fee. Account fees can start at around €2 a month, but there can also be additional charges to get a debit or credit card.

There are some online-only banks that have free account options, but they generally have limits on transactions, so you might be better off paying a monthly fee if you’re making lots of transactions. You might need another bank account to open one of those anyway, so you might not be able to do that straight away.

Bottom line

If you’re going to live in France, you’re going to need to open a bank account there to receive a salary and pay rent. It’s possible you can get away without opening one, but it would make managing your day-to-day finances a challenge.

Anyone can open an account there, as long as you can prove residency, address and identity.

Most banks will charge some kind of fee to open and maintain a bank account, though there are some digital banks that don’t charge monthly fees. It might be a challenge to open one of them when you first arrive though, so you’re better off starting with a more established bank when you first arrive.

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Jason is a writer and editor. He worked as a senior subeditor for Finder for 5 years and in that time became familiar with a wide range of financial products and services. Before that, he worked for Australian Associated Press. He has a BA from Macquarie University in Australia. Jason loves to help other people find new ways to save money. See full bio

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