Living Abroad Life in France

Can I keep my French bank account if I move abroad?

Alex Beaney

23.12.24

Read time 2 minutes

Been living in France but planning to move back to the UK? Perhaps work or business commitments are calling you away, or you’re a student and your course at a French university has ended.

Whatever your circumstances, you’ll need to get started on planning your move abroad. A major thing to get sorted is your finances.

You might find it useful to keep your French bank account when you move abroad, but is it possible? Read on to find out.

Can I keep my French bank account after leaving France?

Yes, you can keep your French bank account when moving abroad - although it does of course depend who you hold an account with.

Banks in France all have their own policies, so you’ll need to get in touch with yours, tell them that you’re moving and find out what their procedures are - and whether there are any additional charges.

If you’re only moving away temporarily or you have ongoing ties to France, you might find it worthwhile to keep your account open.

After all, it can sometimes be tricky for foreigners and UK expats to open a bank account in France, so you don’t want to go through the whole process again.

But if you do decide to close your French account, make sure to arrange a money transfer for any remaining balance to a new account first.

If you’re worried about having a way to manage your money in euros, remember that there are alternatives to banks available.

For example, you can open an international Wise account, which lets you manage your money in 40+ currencies including EUR and GBP. This makes it an easy, convenient and truly global alternative to having a local bank account.

How to manage your French bank account from abroad

The first thing to do if you’re keeping your French bank account open is check whether there are any fees. Most French accounts have a monthly maintenance fee, so you’ll need to make sure there is always enough in the account to cover these.

You’ll also need to find out whether there are any inactivity/dormant account fees, just in case you won’t be using the account very much.

Other tips for managing your French bank account from abroad:

Make sure you’re registered for online and mobile banking (if available) so you can check in on your accounts wherever you are in the world.
Tell your bank that you’re moving, and provide them with your new address so that you can receive paper statements and other documents if needed.

Alternatives to keeping a French bank account

If you’re not able to keep your French bank account (or you don’t want to), you’ll need to research some alternatives. The most obvious solution is to open a new local bank account in your new country.

You can also see if your existing French bank offers any international bank accounts where you’re moving to. France has many multinational banking groups, including BNP Paribas, Société Générale and Crédit Agricole, which operate in many countries worldwide.

But these days, there are also a number of alternatives to a bank account to help you manage your money in another country.

Digital banks, money apps and money services providers like Wise, Revolut and N26 are a popular choice, as they’re set up to work internationally and let you do everything using just your smartphone.

Wise account – a brilliant alternative to a bank account?

While you’re considering alternative accounts and providers, make sure to check out the Wise account. It’s not a bank account, so it doesn’t provide the same protections that customers might expect from conventional banks, such as interest on savings. However, it does offer some similar features. It’s a fantastic alternative to your French bank account, especially if you need to spend overseas or send payments between countries.

With Wise, there are no sign up or monthly fees to pay. You’ll get a powerful account for managing your money in 40+ currencies, including making international transfers for low fees* and mid-market exchange rates.

For a one-time cost of just £7, you can also get a Wise debit card which has no foreign transaction fees for spending abroad, just a small conversion fee for cross-currency transactions.

Here are the main benefits for using Wise:
Fast and easy setup with no physical paperwork Dedicated support for large transfers Low, upfront, transparent fees* Mid-market exchange rate for currency conversions 24/7 Fully trackable transfers Fast transfer times Two-factor authentication and real-time notifications

Sources used: n/a

Sources last checked on date: 16-Dec-2024

*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.

This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.

We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.