Setting up a French company as a foreigner is simpler than most expect but riddled with specific traps: legal-form selection, banking access, taxation, visa, social compliance. This guide by Samuel HAYOT, English-speaking French CPA in Paris 8th, walks international founders through every step : and flags the decisions where a wrong move costs €5k-€50k/year.
Audience: non-French founder (EU and non-EU) wanting to incorporate a SASU/EURL/SAS in France, whether or not relocating physically.
Staying abroad and running the company remotely, without relocating to France? Head to our dedicated guide to company formation in France for non-residents instead: banking, capital deposit, powers of attorney and cross-border taxation are covered there in depth. The guide below focuses mostly on relocating to France (visa, impatriate regime).
EU / EEA / Swiss nationals
Full freedom of establishment (TFEU article 49). Same rights as French citizens to create, manage, hire. No specific authorisation. Tax residence is the only friction.
Non-EU nationals
- Owning or creating a French company: no restriction. You don't need to live in France or hold a visa.
- Living and operating physically from France: long-stay visa required, for example the « talent-porteur de projet » permit (business creation track, formerly Passeport Talent).
| Form | Best fit | Director social charges |
|---|---|---|
| SASU | Tech startup, fundraising, BSPCE, dividend strategy | ~80% (employee-equivalent) |
| EURL | Solo consultant/freelancer, compensation > €30k | ~40% (TNS self-employed) |
| SAS | Multi-founders, investors | ~80% president |
| Branch (succursale) | Secondary establishment of a foreign parent | Variable |
Decision matrix
- Tech startup raising > €100k: SASU/SAS : fundraising-friendly, BSPCE, dividends taxed at 30% flat.
- Solo consultant/freelancer: EURL : TNS halves social charges vs SASU.
- Multi-founder team: SAS : flexible bylaws, share classes, vesting.
- Holding US/UK company expanding into FR: branch or new SASU subsidiary depending on risk allocation.
Week 1 : Structuring decisions
- Pick legal form (CPA call to model 3 scenarios)
- Draft bylaws (avoid free templates : preemption clauses, AG dispensation, related-party clauses matter)
- Check that the company name is available (INPI search)
- Choose registered office: home (5-year max if lease/condo allows), commercial premises, or domiciliation company (€40-80/month)
Week 2 : Open a French bank account
- Neobanks (Qonto, Shine, Boursorama Pro, Revolut Business) : remote video KYC, account live in 24-72h
- Traditional banks (BNP Paribas International Buyers, Société Générale International) : physical visit usually required, 1-3 weeks
- Deposit capital (min €1, recommended €1,000-€5,000 for credibility); receive certificate of deposit required for INPI
Week 3 : Sign bylaws + legal notice
- E-signature via a provider (DocuSign Advanced, Yousign Qualified) OR notarised power of attorney with apostille from your country of residence
- Publish legal notice (2026 flat fee: €142 excl. VAT for a SASU, €124 for an EURL, €199 for a SAS) : JAL (journal d'annonces légales)
Week 4 : INPI single window + KBIS
- File via procedures.inpi.fr
- Documents: signed bylaws, deposit certificate, non-conviction declaration, address proof, M0 form, legal notice receipt
- KBIS issued once the company is registered; no processing time is guaranteed for the registration itself
- Fee: €33.83, plus €19.33 for the beneficial ownership declaration
Week 5+ : Post-setup
- Convert deposit account into pro account
- Mandatory professional liability insurance (RC pro)
- Social funds enrolment (TNS or Régime général)
- VAT registration if exceeding thresholds (€37,500 services / €85,000 goods)
- Optional IS election if EURL
- Engage CPA for monthly bookkeeping + payroll
Talent Passport : Création d'Entreprise
- Master's-level degree OR 5 years professional experience
- Project financing of at least €30,000
- Real and serious business project, subject to an opinion from the Ministry of the Economy
- Resources at least equal to the full-time annual gross SMIC, i.e. €22,404.20 (gross figure, not net)
- « talent-porteur de projet » permit (formerly Passeport Talent): renewable multi-year residence permit, valid for up to 4 years
- Family reunification on the same permit
Talent Passport : Startup founder (innovative project)
- Innovative project recognised by the Ministry of the Economy
- No €30k threshold
- Often faster than the entrepreneur category
- Same family rights
Application path
- Apply at French consulate before arrival
- Processing time: 2-4 months
- Required: bylaws OR detailed business plan, KBIS or M0, proof of funds, insurance, accommodation
- Fee: €99 + €269 OFII at arrival
France Visas: official portal
You become French tax resident if any one of these is true (article 4B CGI):
- Household or main home in France (where your spouse/children live)
- Main professional activity in France
- Centre of economic interests in France (where your main income/assets sit)
Consequences if resident
- Worldwide income taxable in France (with double-tax treaty relief)
- Wealth tax on real estate (IFI) if French/foreign real estate > €1.3M
- Social contributions on French source income
- Tax filing due each May
If non-resident
- Only French-source income taxable in France
- Dividends bear a withholding tax (12.8% for individuals, or the treaty rate)
- No personal income tax filing required (unless French rental income or pay for work carried out in France, which remains taxable in France)
Practical advice: get a written tax position from a French CPA before relocating. Treaty interpretation is fact-specific and binding errors cost five figures.
Conditions
- Not French tax resident in the 5 years preceding arrival
- Recruited from abroad by a French employer (or transferred intra-group)
- Activity in France triggers the move
Benefits, up to 8 years
- Exemption of the impatriation bonus, at its actual amount or, on option, at 30% of net pay, plus exemption of the share of pay for work carried out abroad, within the caps set by the law
- 50% exemption on certain foreign-source passive income (dividends, interest, royalties, capital gains on securities), when the payer (for capital gains, the custodian of the securities or, failing that, the company whose shares are sold) is established in a country that has a tax treaty with France containing an administrative assistance clause
- IFI limited to French real estate until 31 December of the fifth year following the year of arrival (article 964 CGI)
Practical numbers
A €120,000 gross executive package with €30k impatriation premium → ~€8-12k tax saving per year vs standard regime, replicated 8 years.
Eligibility tested case by case. We model it during the setup audit.
| Item | Annual cost |
|---|---|
| CPA (bookkeeping + filings) | €1,800 - €4,800 excl. VAT |
| Legal/social filings | €600 - €1,500 |
| Corporate income tax | 15% up to €42,500, 25% above |
| Pro bank account | €0 - €360 |
| Domiciliation (if needed) | €480 - €960 |
| RC pro insurance | €300 - €1,500 per activity |
| Director social charges | Variable (~30% TNS / ~80% employee-equivalent on net comp.) |
Full breakdown: How much does a French CPA cost in 2026.
- Picking SASU when EURL would save €15k/year (or vice versa) : model both before deciding.
- Using a free bylaws template : missing clauses cause future tax/legal cost.
- €1 capital : banking and supplier credibility null.
- No physical/virtual address compliant with bylaws : KBIS rejection.
- Forgetting IS election in 3 months (EURL) : locked in IR for the year.
- Underestimating Y1 social charges (TNS forfait + URSSAF acompte).
- Tax residence ambiguity : get a written position.
- Missing impatriation regime due to wrong wage structure.
- Self-managing payroll : French payslips have 25+ lines, errors trigger URSSAF audits.
- No bilingual CPA : translation costs and miscommunication compound.
We are an English-speaking French accounting firm in Paris 8th, working with foreign founders and with French entities controlled from abroad. On this kind of file, our work covers:
- Choice of legal form, discussed in English, with the tax consequences set out
- Incorporation and INPI single-window formalities
- Impatriation regime (article 155 B of the French tax code) and tax treaty positions on the French side
- Bookkeeping, corporate tax returns and payroll, in English
Where we stop. We handle the French side. Your home-country filings (a US return, a UK return, and so on) are for a professional licensed there, and we will say so rather than take them on.
- service-public.fr : Foreigners starting a business in France
- BOFiP : Tax residence (article 4B CGI)
- URSSAF : Impatriation regime
- France Visas : Talent Passport
- INPI : Single window
- Bpifrance : Foreigners in France
- Legifrance : Monetary and Financial Code (banking)
See also: Set up a SASU | Set up an EURL | Status comparison | CPA pricing
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner create a company in France?
Yes. EU/EEA/Swiss nationals have full freedom of establishment: same rights as French citizens, no specific authorisation. Non-EU nationals can also create or own a French company without needing to live in France: legal form, capital and bylaws are open. The constraint is only at the immigration level if they want to physically reside and operate the business in France: a long-stay visa is required (for example the « talent-porteur de projet » permit, business creation track, formerly Passeport Talent, which requires a real and serious project and at least €30,000 of project financing).
Which legal form is best for a foreign founder in 2026?
Three forms cover 90% of cases: (1) SASU: single-member SAS, best for tech startups, fundraising, BSPCE, dividend strategy; president treated like a salaried employee. (2) EURL: single-member SARL, best for solo consultants/freelancers earning > €30k/year; TNS director with halved social charges. (3) SAS multi-member: for projects with co-founders/investors. Branches (succursale) of foreign companies are also possible but heavier to operate. Avoid micro-entreprise unless you reside in France full-time and revenue stays small.
Do I need a French bank account to set up a company?
Not necessarily: capital must be deposited with a credit institution or a notary, which issues the certificate of deposit required for registration. Traditional banks (BNP Paribas, Société Générale) request KYC documents and often a director's physical presence. Neobanks Qonto and Shine accept fully remote onboarding for non-resident founders in many cases (KYC by video). Boursorama Pro and Revolut Business are alternatives. Expect 1-3 weeks for traditional banks, 24-72h for neobanks.
What is the Passeport Talent visa?
The « talent-porteur de projet » permit (business creation track, formerly Passeport Talent) is a renewable multi-year residence permit for foreign founders, valid for up to 4 years. Requirements: a real and serious business project, project financing of at least €30,000, master's-level degree OR 5 years of comparable professional experience, and resources at least equal to the full-time annual gross SMIC, i.e. €22,404.20 (about €1,867 gross per month), not a net figure. Application via the French consulate before arrival. Processing time: 2-4 months. Other « talent » categories cover founders of an innovative project recognised by the Ministry of the Economy (no €30k threshold), highly-qualified workers and intra-corporate transferees.
Where will I be tax resident?
France considers you tax resident if any one of these is true (article 4B CGI): (1) household or main home in France; (2) main professional activity in France; (3) centre of economic interests in France. Tax residency triggers worldwide income taxation in France (with double-tax treaty relief). If you stay outside France, you are taxed in France on your French-source income only: the company pays corporate tax on its profits, dividends bear a withholding tax (12.8% for individuals, or the treaty rate), and pay for work carried out in France remains taxable in France. Each situation is unique: get a written tax position before moving.
What is the impatriation tax regime?
The régime des impatriés (article 155 B CGI) is a powerful incentive for foreigners arriving in France for an employment role. Benefits available for up to 8 years for employees recruited abroad: (1) exemption of the impatriation bonus, at its actual amount or, on option, at 30% of net pay, plus exemption of the share of pay for work carried out abroad, within the caps set by the law; (2) 50% tax exemption on certain foreign-source passive income (dividends, interest, royalties, capital gains on securities), when the payer (for capital gains, the custodian of the securities or, failing that, the company whose shares are sold) is established in a country that has a tax treaty with France containing an administrative assistance clause; (3) real-estate wealth tax (IFI) limited to French real estate until 31 December of the fifth year following the year of arrival (article 964 CGI). Conditions: not French tax resident in the 5 years before arrival, professional activity in France triggering the move.
How long does it take to set up a French company remotely?
Realistic timeline for a non-resident founder: week 1: choose legal form, draft bylaws (with French CPA), check that the company name is available; week 2: open neobank account remotely (Qonto/Shine), deposit capital; week 3: sign bylaws (electronically), file legal notice; week 4: INPI single-window filing; no processing time is guaranteed for the registration itself. Indicative total: 3-4 weeks up to the filing, with a fully remote process. Add 1-2 weeks for traditional bank or if power of attorney needed.
What ongoing costs should I budget?
Annual operating cost for a typical SASU/EURL with a French CPA: (1) accounting: €1,800 to €4,800 excl. VAT/year depending on volume; (2) legal/social: €600-1,500/year (annual filings, payroll if any employee); (3) corporate income tax: 15% up to €42,500 profit, 25% above; (4) bank fees: €0-360/year (traditional €15-30/month); (5) registered office: €0 if home, €40-80/month if domiciliation company; (6) RC pro insurance: €300-1,500/year per activity; (7) URSSAF / social charges: paid as cash flow (~30-80% of compensation depending on legal form). See our detailed CPA pricing guide.
Article written by Samuel HAYOT
Chartered Accountant, registered with the Institute of Chartered Accountants. Certified Pennylane trainer.
Regulated French accounting firm based in Paris 8, whose founder is also a statutory auditor, built to support companies across France with a digital and decision-oriented approach.
Sources
Official and operational sources cited for this page.
- service-public.fr, Foreign nationals starting a business in France
- Légifrance, Code monétaire et financier (banking)
- BOFiP, Tax residence in France
- URSSAF, International / impatriation regime
- INPI, Foreign company branch registration
- Bpifrance Création, Setup as a foreigner
- France Visas, Talent Passport (Passeport talent)
A guide written by a regulated French firm
This guide helps you pin down your situation and answers the first practical need, then points to the matching accounting, tax or structuring service.
Regulated firm
Samuel Hayot is a French chartered accountant registered with the Ordre of Paris Île-de-France, and a statutory auditor on the list drawn up by the H2A, member of the CRCC de Paris.
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