Why foreign groups pick the SAS
Most foreign-owned companies in France incorporate a SAS (société par actions simplifiée). It is flexible on governance, works cleanly with a corporate shareholder, and its president can be a foreign company represented by an individual. That combination is exactly what a Dutch holding or a US parent needs, which is why the SAS has become the default for international setups.
The alternative, the SARL, is more rigid and tends to suit smaller, owner-managed businesses. A branch is lighter to open but leaves the foreign parent exposed to French liabilities, so it rarely wins once the activity is real.
What the incorporation file contains
A foreign company registers a French entity through the Guichet Unique run by INPI, France’s single national registry. The file brings together:
- the company statutes, drafted for a non-resident shareholder;
- proof of a registered office (a lease, a domiciliation contract or a registered-office service);
- a deposit of the share capital on a blocked French bank account;
- identification of the directors and the beneficial owners;
- a legal announcement in an authorised journal.
Once the file is complete, registration itself is fast. Where foreign founders lose weeks is upstream.
Where the delays really come from
Three points, in order of how often they slow a setup down:
- Certified translations. Parent-company documents, IDs and corporate resolutions often need a sworn translation into French.
- The bank account. A French bank must open the account and receive the capital deposit before registration. For a non-resident shareholder, the compliance review takes time.
- The statutes. Getting the governance right for a corporate, non-resident shareholder avoids a rejected file and a second round.
Expect a few weeks from a complete file to a registered company in most standard cases, and longer if the bank account or the parent-company paperwork drags.
What comes right after registration
Registration is the start, not the finish. In the first weeks a new SAS also needs to set up its accounting under French GAAP, register for VAT, and, if it hires, register as an employer and run compliant French payroll. Handling those in parallel, with one contact, is what keeps a foreign setup from stalling.
