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Many bureaucracies in France are attached to having a French IBAN. You can have it by creating an account in a digital or physical bank. Here you have some examples:
Revolut1
- Download the app
- Create an account
- Within your account, you can hold balances in multiple currencies (you’ll definitely need one in euros)
- It will ask for an address — ideally enter a French one
- You should be able to transfer euros to this account from your home country
- Use the digital card (e.g. with Apple Pay), but you can also request a physical card if you prefer
BNP2
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First, you need to go to the bank to book an appointment to open an account
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If you’re 25 or older, they charge a monthly fee
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Requirements:
- Passport (physical copy)
- Certificat de scolarité (Centrale Méditerranée)
- Rental agreement
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Watch out — they might try to add an “ASSURANCE CONTRAT HABITATION” or “Assurance de Responsabilité Civile”, but your rental contract might already include it.
Basically, it covers things like fire damage or accidents you might cause in public.