Banking in France 2026: opening an account as a foreigner

Opening a bank account in France

For a standard current account (compte courant) you'll generally need a valid passport or national ID, proof of a French address (a lease, a recent utility bill, or an attestation from your host plus their proof of address), and — for non-EU nationals — a long-stay visa or carte de séjour, often valid for at least three months. Some banks also ask for proof of income such as a work contract or pension statement. Documents not in French may need a certified or apostilled translation. Traditional banks like BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole, Société Générale and La Banque Postale serve residents; online banks such as Boursorama and Fortuneo are cheaper but usually still require a French address and often a French tax residence.

If you haven't yet established residence, you can ask for a non-resident account (compte non-résident) — a basic current account with tighter limits and often no overdraft or credit card. Banks rarely advertise it and many branches decline, so expect to shop around.

If a bank refuses: the droit au compte

France has a legal right to a basic bank account (droit au compte) under the Monetary and Financial Code. Anyone legally resident in France (and French nationals abroad) who is refused an account can take the written refusal — or wait 15 days for an implicit refusal — to the Banque de France with ID and proof of residence. The Banque de France then designates a bank, which must open a free basic account with core services. The procedure is free and typically resolved within a business day of designation.

Multi-currency, crypto and moving money

Most residents pair a local euro account (for rent, utilities and salary — a French IBAN is often needed for direct debits) with a multi-currency app like Wise or Revolut for cheap FX. France is inside SEPA, so euro transfers across the EU are fast and low-cost. Crypto on-ramps run through EU-regulated exchanges — under MiCA these must be authorised as crypto-asset service providers (CASP/PSCA), overseen in France by the AMF (the older national PSAN registration was phased out when MiCA's transitional period ended on 1 July 2026); banks vary in how they treat crypto transfers, so confirm your bank's policy before moving funds.

Is your money protected?

Deposits at French-authorised banks are covered by the Fonds de Garantie des Dépôts et de Résolution (FGDR) up to €100,000 per person, per institution (so up to €200,000 on a joint account), paid within seven working days of a failure. It covers current and deposit accounts and regulated savings such as the PEL. Spreading larger balances across separate institutions keeps you inside the limit.

At a glance

Where it fits in a borderless plan

France offers deep, well-regulated euro banking and SEPA access, but branches can be paperwork-heavy and non-resident accounts are hit-or-miss — the droit au compte is your backstop. Banking is one pillar of a borderless setup. Line it up with where you are tax-resident, your Bitcoin self-custody plan, and the rest of daily life — healthcare and schools. Compare countries in our banking-abroad guide.