Open bank account in france

[christensen]

Hi,

I have a job offer in france but through recruitment company from hungary and the contract will be signed in hungary. The contract will be signed between me and the recruitment company and not the french company for which I will work. I don’t know any French language and at the beginning I will stay at my friend place.

The recruitment company wants to open a euro bank account in Hungary but I don’t really like this idea(For each transaction they  will take a commissions and I don’t like it.) so I want(plan) to open in france an account and for that I need advice. I need a debit account and not credit or cash.(I need to have online access and able to do online transaction).

Which French bank have the easiest policy to open an account for foreigners ? I’ve tried the online formulary from Société Générale but as foreigner I don’t have any chance to open it, only to make appointment with one of the agent of the bank.  They ask for:

Résidence fiscale :What it mean? To pay taxes in france?

“Pour une demande à distance, vous devez être fiscalement domicilié en France. Si ce n'est pas le cas, prenez RDV avec un conseiller”

Usually what they ask? In the beginning I will have only the contract with the Hungarian recruitment company, I will not have a legal place for live until I found a place which will be hard because of lack of knowledge French language .

Thanks in advanced.

[cooperlola]

Hmm.  All you really need is an address here - I reckon your friend's would do.

You're in a bit of a cleft stick so why not open the Hungarian account for the moment  then pop into a branch of a bank in France with your friend once you have a residence established?  Caisse d'Epargne were very easy to deal with - I helped at for a couple of friends open an account inside half an hour with just a rental agreement and a passport from them.

If you're working in France then you will be a fiscal resident and pay taxes here - you will have no choice in that matter - so you will automatically qualify on that score.

[Pickles]

Your best bet may be to wait until you arrive in France and then just walk into a local branch to set it up (you can set it up with a foreign address). Most banks have online access. Some, like Boursorama and Fortuneo, are basically online banks although Bousorama has a few physical branches in key cities. The problem with trying to set an account up on line is the need to provide proofs of identity.

Regards

Pickles

[christensen]

thanks for quick answer,

In past I've worked in UK and there I had problem opening a bank account(it was the same situation, my work contract was with a Hungarian recruitment company ).

I haven’t  a proof of address, I was living at my friend place and the landlord haven’t agree to make a rent contract  for me so I decided to exchange my driving license for a UK one(it take 3weeks, 55£ and nothing to proof the address), I was only at 2 banks Lloyds TSB and Barclays.

At the Lloyds TSB bank they refused to open a debit account, only a cash card account which wasn’t enough to me(the ask for a work contract and doesn’t take in consideration the Hungarian one, translate in English of course), I had a very short time to open a bank account and after that I’ve tried at Barclays bank. Here with no problem I’ve open it, they haven’t ask nothing else than a proof of identity which was my driving license(on in was the address where I’ve lived).

[Pickles]

A French bank may accept an "attestation sur l'honneur" (have I got that correct?) from your friend confirming that you are staying at his address.

Regards

Pickles

[christensen]

my friend is just a tenant.

[cooperlola]

[quote user="christensen"]my friend is just a tenant.[/quote]I don't think that matters as long as s/he has a rental agreement in place.

[Pickles]

[quote user="christensen"]my friend is just a tenant.[/quote]

The attestation is still valid, even if your friend is a tenant. EDIT: posting crossed with CLs

Regards

Pickles

[christensen]

thanks for help, i will try