One of the very first things you will need in France is a local bank account. Some places, like the student residence, will require payment in checks. You will also need housing insurance from here. Luckily this procedure is not that hard.
0. Choose a bank
Of course there are a lot of banks to choose from. Google is your friend. But you may be suggested a particular bank by your university. If so, go for it. Otherwise, choose a bank that has an agency near your place.
1. Get an appointment
This came to me as a surprise, but you actually need to arrange an appointment in advance. You may want to get it while still at home...
2. Get the needed papers
You will need three documents to open the account:
- une piece d'identite en cours de validite - this means your passport, for those from Schengen countries a national id will do
- l'attestation d'inscription - this should be a certificate from your university. In fact any official letter with both start and end dates of your courses is OK.
- le bail ou attestation de résidence - this is the certificate of residence you get while trying to get into your room
Only the last one has to be acquired in France.
3. Go to the bank
During your appointment you will have to sign a lot of papers. That's almost all interaction you need. But don't forget the insurance. You need the attestation d'assurance habitation to get a room in a student residence. If you don't see a contract for that among the papers you sign - ask for it. It will cost around 50EUR for the year. On the other hand, they might give you something around that as a gift when you open the account.
4. Wait
They will not give you the insurance certificate immediately. You'll have to come back the next day. Furthermore, in my bank you can't deposit money at this point...
5. Wait more
You have to wait another week for your credit card and checkbook to arrive. You will be given some instructions on how the deposit machine works. Finally, your account is fully functional.
