Opening a bank account - please help

[ann_w_]

Hi everyone,

I spoke online with a representative from BNP Paribas today, and he said that fees on bank accounts depend on your CB and Insurance. Can someone clarify this? How much do each of these cost/month and is there a specific CB (not sure what that is?) and Insurance that is best suited for expats?

It also said on their site that all that is required to open a bank account is proof of id (passport) and proof of residency. Can we use a utility bill from the hostel we will be staying in upon arrival in France and just change our address after the bank account is opened?


Thanks for all your help!!
Anna and Victor

[DPK]

CIC gave me a 3 month "deal" of 9 euros per month when I opened my account with them - whoops forgot to ask what it is after that, but it is a standard flat fee.

I opened the account about 10 weeks ago

They are very strict on references.

They wanted 3 months bank statements.
Passport.
Letter from Landlord
Proof of income in the UK
Utilities bill in my name, which I do not have, as I pay/paid landlord based on meter reading, they are still muttering about this......................
Landlord wrote another letter explaining how utilities are paid.......................
Saw them yesterday and they are still not happy??????????????

Asked for copy of Landlords passport yesterday?? Told them not to be absurd..........

I may not have a bank account there for much longer............

I would ask around at several banks and see what the requirements are.

I am also travelling at the moment so am of "no fixed abode" have not told them that yet!!

[ann_w_]

All these strange rules and requirements is exactly what we're trying to sort out. From what I've read, to rent an apartment, you need a bank account, but to get a bank account you need some sort of proof of address, so what are we to do? I remember reading somewhere (I forget where at this point) that someone used their hostel address to open a bank account...

Does anyone else have information on how to open a bank account when you do not yet have a permanent address? Or am I confused, can you rent an apartment without first having a bank account?

[DPK]

Yes you can def rent without a French bank account.

One of the easiest ways to do this, is to take on a "holiday rental".

This is easily done, as long as you are not arriving "in the season". A lot of summer holiday rentals are made available from about October to May, on a monthly rental basis, at "normal or even discounted rents"

If you google "long term house rental France" there are about half a dozen sights that specialise in these types of rental.
This is a really good way to stay somewhere short term, look at the area, and find what you want in the longer term, and gives you an address for the bank.
You do not pay agents fees this way either, just your one months rent and your deposit.
Rent can be paid by Bank Transfer from your home bank (expensive on transfer) whilst you sort out your french bank account.

Which area are you moving to?

Good Luck

[ann_w_]

That's right - I keep forgetting about holiday rentals! It will help avoid lease agreements too! We'll be in either Nice or Toulouse from about January to May, so we should catch those discounted rates too Thanks!

[Bevdeforges]

CB is short for "carte bleue" which is the combination bank card and "credit" card you use to access your bank account. I put "credit" in quotes because credit cards here work like debit cards in North America - even though they carry a Visa or Mastercard logo.

The options for a CB are basically a straight debit card (i.e. they take the money out of your account when the charge comes in) or a "deferred" card, where they take the money out of your account at the end of the month automatically for all your charges during the month. The deferred card option costs a little more.

The insurance is usually not an option and is simply added to your monthly fee. There is also the option to have Internet access to your account, which will cost a couple euros a month. These days the banks are consolidating these fees into a monthly service fee, which runs anything from 5 or 6 euros a month to 20 or more (for professional accounts). Used to be they hit you for the CB fees annually, the Internet charge monthly and they just bury the "insurance" in there, claiming it's "illegal" to bill you for it, whatever it is. (I've had a go-around with our bank over this issue and am not at all happy with the answers I've had. But it appears to be something you can't avoid.)

Getting a short term rental is probably the best approach to the residency issue. When you find your "permanent" home, just change your address with the bank. I'm really surprised they haven't asked to see proof of employment (or other source of funds). You'll most likely need that when looking for a long-term rental.
Cheers,
Bev

[RayRay]

I know that the requirements must be different at each banking chain because we were able to open an account with the Paris office of Barclays Bank by telephone from the US.

We were in the middle of buying our home in France, but had no French address at the time. Our realtor let us know we'd need a French bank account in order for her to set up our water, electric, and telephone/internet accounts once the sale of the house closed.

We spoke by telephone with M. ROBERT Frédéric at the Paris branch of Barclays. He took our information over the phone and emailed us one or two forms. We filled out the forms and either emailed, faxed or mailed them to him. A few weeks later, we received all of the paperwork from Barclays, including our RIB and carte Bleue.

After we arrived, we opened a new account at the Caisse d'Epargne in our village. Their fees are substantially lower those at Barclays. However, I was quite happy to pay the higher fees for a few months for the convenience of establishing our first bank account in France. .

Best of luck.

Ray

[bluesaturn]

Any advise, maybe in my case? I stay in the guest house of the CROUS at Grenoble. You can rent as longs as you want basically and pay each month your rent all inclusive. I try now to open a bank account with ING Direct and I have send them a attestations de residence. They still say no, because they want bills for electricity, tax habitation....
I tried to explain them I pay everything (!) in one go. They don't understand and don't say why they don't accept the given attestations de résidence. No common sense. What is going on, please? I rent legally a studio.

[Bevdeforges]

There is a worldwide banking movement to "know your customer" - backed by the OECD as part of its program to fight money laundering and tax evasion. Banks (in France and elsewhere) are required to collect certain information on their customers before opening an account - and this requirement seems to be most strictly applied in the online banking community. (Yes, I was turned down for an online bank account several years ago because my situation wasn't stock standard.)

Your best bet might be to visit a local bank in person and take an appointment to open an account. That way you have the option of explaining your situation and they can better advise you of what you need to open an account with them.
Cheers,
Bev

[bluesaturn]

Hi Bevdeforges,
Thanks for your reply, but sorry to disagree with you. Even if there is such a movement, it is possible to verify your address and ID without such a fuss. Experience in Germany and UK. The local bank asks just for access to internet banking 50Euros in the first year and 100Euros in the second. Nice, right? And I ask exactly for what? That I do my transactions?
I will try to call the bank later.