# Opening a Bank Account in France from US



## guardship_147

For what it's worth: I just opened an account from the US with HSBC in France. It took about a month or so, but to my surprise it worked. I really wasn't expecting it to but I received my IBAN to send my 200 euros to open the account (via my Wise account), and my user ID and debit card in the mail today. I'm still waiting for my secret squirrel code to come in the mail so I can log on to my account so I can make sure my money wasn't sent to Nigeria. One has to show proof of address in US, proof of ID, proof of income, tax return, etc.






Open an online bank account - Online current account | HSBC







www.hsbc.fr


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## jweihl

We also opened our HSBC account from the US, actually a couple of years be for made the move (thanks COVID for the year+ delay). It gave us time to set up regular deposits which built our balance, but also showed a pattern of regular "income". Don't know if that was useful or not during our visa application, but I don't imagine it hurt any. We're also using Wise to move money from our US credit union to HSBC. Works a treat.


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## NOB3125

I just completed the process of opening an account -- from the USA -- with BNP-Paribus. We initiated the contact when we were in Paris last year, but everything else was done from Birmingham, Alabama. BNP-P has an international office for this service in Paris, which is a bit of a concern because I understand the French banking system is VERY decentralized. So I don't know that my branch in Orleans will be any help (I even have to pick up my checks at the Paris branch) but I can pay utilities, taxes, etc. from a real French bank, and that was the key issue. No other French back was of any help (we don't have HSBC in my part of the world). We are buying an apartment in France, but just for part-time occupancy, so we're not immigrating. But that was not a problem.


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## jweihl

NOB3125 said:


> I just completed the process of opening an account -- from the USA -- with BNP-Paribus. We initiated the contact when we were in Paris last year, but everything else was done from Birmingham, Alabama. BNP-P has an international office for this service in Paris, which is a bit of a concern because I understand the French banking system is VERY decentralized. So I don't know that my branch in Orleans will be any help (I even have to pick up my checks at the Paris branch) but I can pay utilities, taxes, etc. from a real French bank, and that was the key issue. No other French back was of any help (we don't have HSBC in my part of the world). We are buying an apartment in France, but just for part-time occupancy, so we're not immigrating. But that was not a problem.


Similar, but different for HSBC. When you open an account online from abroad, you're getting an account with HSBC Continental Europe, which is headquartered in Paris. But, I don't think it matters much when you do. I know that it's a French bank account (RIB starts with FR). We haven't done much with the local HSBC branch here in Nîmes, but our American friends opened an account there, and we did pick up our french cheque book there.


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