Banking
France — Banking: Opening an Account
To open a standard current account (compte courant), you generally need French residency status and a French proof of address. Non-residents (spending under half the year in France, no tax residency) can instead open a compte non-résident. Any legal resident of France has a fundamental right to a bank account under Article L312-1 of the Code Monétaire et Financier, regardless of nationality, employment status, or financial profile — if traditional banks refuse, La Banque Postale is obligated to act as the 'droit au compte' (right to an account) provider of last resort, or neobanks (Revolut, N26, bunq) offer a faster path without French residency proof.
VerifiedGovernment / official sourceCode Monétaire et Financier, Article L312-1 / Service-Public.frLast reviewed: 2026-07-20
Key facts
- Standard current account requires French residency status plus a French proof of address (justificatif de domicile) less than 3 months old.
- Non-residents can open a compte non-résident instead, without needing French tax residency.
- Legal residents have a fundamental right to a bank account (droit au compte) under Article L312-1 of the Code Monétaire et Financier.
- If turned down by traditional banks, La Banque Postale is the most likely to accept via the droit au compte mechanism; neobanks are the fastest alternative for those without full French documentation.
Steps
- Gather ID, proof of address, and residency documents — Passport, visa/titre de séjour, and a French proof of address under 3 months old.
- Choose account type — Compte courant (resident) or compte non-résident, based on your residency status.
- If refused, invoke droit au compte — La Banque Postale must open a basic account under this legal right.
- Consider a neobank for speed — Revolut, N26, or bunq can open an account within minutes without full French residency proof.
Required documents
- Passport/national ID
- Visa or titre de séjour
- Proof of address (<3 months old)
- Proof of income (pay slip/tax assessment)
Common mistakes
- Not knowing about the droit au compte legal right when a traditional bank refuses an account — La Banque Postale is obligated to provide one.
- Assuming a French residency permit is required to open any account — non-resident accounts and neobanks exist for those without it.