France: serving expat and cross-border buyers

French agencies meet more and more buyers who do not fit the standard picture: one citizenship, a second country of residence and savings held in a third. This briefing sets out what an agent should establish about such a buyer before taking instructions, and what the rules say about checks. It is written for agencies and developers.

Step one: which rules apply to your buyer

A buying-guide summary states that there are no nationality-based restrictions on buying property in France (see the buying-process guide on Your Overseas Home). That is a useful starting point, but it does not remove the checks. What differs between buyers is the paperwork, the tax position and the financing, not the right to buy. Ask for citizenship and residence status in the first conversation anyway, because they decide which documents the notaire needs and how the buyer will be taxed.

What to collect before you take instructions

Treat the file as something a regulator might read later. For each buyer, collect:

• a valid passport or national ID, and the residence permit if the buyer lives outside the country of citizenship
• proof of address no older than a few months, such as a utility bill or bank statement
• the tax identification number in the country of residence
• marital status and matrimonial property regime, because the notaire records them in the deed; ask the notaire what is needed
• for a company buyer: the certificate of incorporation, the register of directors and shareholders, and the identity of the individuals who ultimately own or control it

Foreign buyers often use a lawyer in addition to the notaire. A guide for foreign buyers says that for non-residents or those with complex financial or legal matters it may be worth engaging a lawyer who specialises in French property.

Source of funds: what a useful file looks like

A bank statement showing a balance is not enough. The file should show where the money came from. Typical evidence:

• salary or business income: payslips, tax returns or company accounts, plus the bank statements where the income arrived
• proceeds of selling another property: the sale contract and the statement showing the receipt
• inheritance or gift: the will, probate or gift document
• a loan: the loan agreement
• savings built over years: statements covering a long period, not a single month

Check that the account holder is the buyer. If someone else will pay, ask why and document the relationship. Treat large cash, sudden transfers from unrelated parties and reluctance to explain as red flags.

What the rules ask of agents: Tracfin and the code

French real estate professionals are within the anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing system, with the scope set by article L561-2 of the Monetary and Financial Code, which covers persons carrying on the activities listed by the Hoguet Law. A compliance-vendor guide describes the main duties: map risks by client, product, channel and country and update the map at least yearly; apply simplified, standard or enhanced due diligence, with identification and verification of clients and beneficial owners; file suspicion reports with Tracfin without informing the client; train staff, appoint a person responsible and screen against sanctions lists. It gives a retention period of five years after the end of the business relationship (article L561-12) and fines of up to 10 percent of annual turnover for legal entities (article L561-36-1) (see the guide to LCB-FT obligations).

Decree 2026-310 of 24 April 2026, published on 25 April, is reported to tighten the rules for agents: training is mandatory on hiring and regularly afterwards, a register of training must be kept for the length of the contract and five years after the employee leaves, and access to the beneficial-ownership register is by a certificate valid for three years. Non-compliance exposes agencies to sanctions from the consumer-protection and fraud authority, the DGCCRF (see this trade-press report). We did not read the decree itself, so ask your professional body for the current obligations.

At EU level, the anti-money-laundering regulation, Regulation (EU) 2024/1624, is reported to apply from 10 July 2027, with customer checks for occasional transactions of at least EUR 10,000. Plan your onboarding for that standard now.

Sanctions screening, done by the book

Screen the buyer, any beneficial owner and any third-party payer against the EU consolidated sanctions list and the other lists your bank or lawyer requires. Under EU guidance, an entity owned or controlled more than 50 percent by a listed person is treated as listed too. Keep a dated record of every check. If a red flag appears, stop, take legal advice and report as the national rules require. Never advise a client on how to avoid a check or how to restructure to get around one.

Russian-speaking buyers are one example. Their nationality is not a reason to refuse the file, and it is not a reason to skip checks. What matters is the person: whether they or their business are listed, who owns the buying entity, and where the money came from. Under Article 5b of Regulation 833/2014, banks may not accept deposits above EUR 100,000 per institution from Russian nationals or residents, but the Commission's FAQ says the rule does not apply to nationals of EU or EEA states or to holders of a temporary or permanent residence permit in a Member State (see the Commission FAQ on deposits). Do not apply it yourself; just know that banks may still ask detailed questions.

A short checklist for your team

• ask for citizenship and residence status at the first call, and write them down
• collect identity, address, tax numbers and status documents before any offer is accepted
• build the source-of-funds file before money moves
• screen every party and payer and keep the record
• check that your staff training and the register required by the 2026 decree are in place
• put translations and apostilles on a timetable, because they take longer than buyers expect
• keep one person responsible for compliance, even in a small agency

Working with D.H. Realting

D.H. Realting is a trilingual (Russian, English, Polish) overseas-property platform. We introduce buyers, including expats and cross-border buyers, and support the process. Agencies that handle the deal locally and want to be introduced to such buyers can contact us through our partners page.

This briefing is informational only and is not legal, tax or investment advice. Facts were checked on 12 October 2026 from the sources named in the text; rules change, so confirm with a local lawyer before relying on any point.