In practice, usually yes. Many French lenders ask a non-resident borrower for a euro account in France, often with them, and collect the monthly repayments from it. Some also ask you to keep savings there, often the equivalent of 18 to 30 months of repayments. A bank cannot simply impose having your salary paid in: since 2019 it can only ask for it in exchange for a real, individual advantage, and the offer must say so.
What the law says
From January 2018 to May 2019, a lender could require you to have your salary paid into an account with it, for up to ten years, in exchange for a personalised advantage. The PACTE law of 22 May 2019 removed that rule (ANIL), and the Conseil d'État annulled the ten-year decree in February 2021.
The Banque de France now puts it simply: a bank cannot oblige you to open an account and have your income paid into it because it granted you a home loan, but it can ask you to, as part of the negotiation, in exchange for a real advantage on the loan (Banque de France). If a loan does depend on it, the offer has to say so. If a loan does depend on it, the offer has to say so. Account fees tied to the loan count in its overall cost.
What lenders ask non-residents for
- A French euro account. Many banks that lend to non-residents ask for an account in France, often with them, to collect the euro repayments, and some will only lend on that basis.
- Savings placed with the bank. Banks often ask non-residents for savings equal to 18 to 30 months of repayments (CAFPI International, 2025). The money stays yours and keeps earning what was agreed, but you cannot draw on it while it secures the loan.
- Business in exchange for a better rate. Moving savings, investments or your income to the bank can improve the rate. Weigh that against fees and against what your money would earn elsewhere.
Paying into the account from abroad
If you earn in pounds, dollars or another currency, you will send money to the French account every month, or in larger amounts less often. The exchange rate then moves your real monthly cost. A standing transfer at a known cost keeps it predictable, and the guide to repaying a euro mortgage from abroad compares the options.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Is an account with the bank required, and what does it cost each year?
- Is any savings placement required, how much, for how long and at what return?
- Is any part of the rate conditional on moving your income or savings, and for how long?
- Can repayments be collected in euros from an account you already hold?
Ask for the answers in writing and compare offers on their full cost, not the headline rate. A broker does this comparison as part of the file.
Questions
Do I have to move my salary to the French bank?
Not as a simple requirement. Since May 2019 a lender can only ask for it in exchange for a real, individual advantage, such as a lower rate, and the offer must say so.
Can I repay a French mortgage from a UK or US account?
The repayments are in euros, and many lenders collect them from a French account, often with them, which you fund from abroad. Ask the lender what it accepts.
Why does the bank want my savings?
Pledged savings reduce the bank's risk on a borrower whose income and assets are abroad. The money remains yours, but it stays blocked while the pledge lasts.