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Expand Business Area with Branch office in France

Let Lexidy France handle the Legal Stuff So You Can Focus on Building Your Dream

Open Branch Office in France

Opening a branch office in France provides a unique opportunity for businesses to tap into a highly skilled workforce and a strong consumer market, while benefiting from the country’s competitive tax system and favorable business environment. With its central location in Europe and well-developed infrastructure, France offers an ideal gateway for businesses looking to expand their reach beyond their domestic market.

🇫🇷 Why should I start the business in France?

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How can our French Partner help with opening a branch in France?

If you’re considering opening a branch office in France, don’t go it alone. At Lexidy France, we have a team of experienced lawyers who specialize in helping businesses navigate the legal and regulatory landscape of France. With their guidance, you can avoid costly mistakes and ensure compliance with local laws while staying focused on growing your business. Contact our French Partners today to learn how to get the best-tailored help to unlock the full potential of the French market and achieve your business goals. Let our French Partners be your trusted partner in this exciting journey.

  • Our French Partner is compound of lawyers who have a deep understanding of the legal and business landscape in France, and who can provide you with the expert guidance you need to succeed.
  • Lexidy France understands that every business is unique, as well as the personalized approach to every client required.
  • Our clients trust they will be provided with reliable and effective legal guidance as Lexidy France have helped many businesses achieve their goals in the French market.

A branch office is a secondary establishment endowed with permanent representation and with a certain management autonomy, through which the parent company’s activities are fully or partially developed. 

  1. A branch office is ideal because: 

    • It doesn’t have its own legal personality (it is the same legal entity as its foreign parent company), this means that the parent company has control over the branch. It is attached to the main company and depends on the head office. 
    • It does not require a minimum share capital for its constitution. 
    • The parent company will be responsible for the debts incurred by the branch 
    • This structure also makes it possible to test the new market by experimenting with the sales of products or services in the targeted territory, and to withdraw at any time if the experiment does not prove conclusive.

Legal personality:

  • A branch is “an extension” of the parent company and doesn’t have its own legal personality. 
  • A subsidiary is a new company and has its own independent legal personality (it is subject to the rights and obligations it contracts, independently from the ones undertaken by its parent company). 

Minimum share capital

  • A branch does not require a share capital or economic allocation at the time of its establishment. 
  • A subsidiary does require a share capital: the parent company owns more than 50% of the capital. (The amount of the company’s capital is set by the status of a company). 

Establishment formalities and registration

  • Common formalities: 
    • Registration at the RCS (Trade and Companies Register) at the place of domiciliation. 
    • Translated status of the foreign company;

 

  • Different formalities:
    • For the establishment of a subsidiary it will be required a statement and a publication in a newspaper. 
    • Subsidiary: in the case of SAS (Simplified Joint Stock Company), it is mandatory to submit a publication announcement in a certified legal bulletin. 
    • Branch: It is not necessary to carry out a formality of publication of a legal announcement during the constitution of a branch
  •  
  • The scope of the activities that the branch may realize is the same as the one of the foreign entity: The branch may operate only in respect of the activities included in the corporate purpose of the foreign entity.
  • It must be located abroad, with a distinct workforce in terms of employees or personnel. 
  • Does not have its own legal personality (it is the same legal entity as its foreign parent Company). → Branches do not have a legal personality independent from the parent company, meaning that the liabilities the branch enters, are obligatorily assumed by the foreign parent company with the legal limits set under their respective national law.
  • It is managed by a representative of the parent company (manager) who has the power to deal with third parties. 



  • An incorporation file must be filed and presented to the clerk of the commercial court. 
  • Translate the foreign status.
  • Registration at the RCS (Trade and Companies Register) at the place of domiciliation, within 15 days from its opening. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

EU Nationals, Switzerland Nationals and Nationals from the European Economic area, graduates from French higher education. 

→ a foreign creator can register a branch in France if he or she does not live in the French territory

→ If the creator wants to reside in France there are different resident permits that allow them to start a business such as the Entrepreneur residence permit or the Talent Entrepreneur residence permit.

The overall process takes between 1 to 2 months. 

A branch does not require a minimum share capital or economic allocation at the time of its establishment. 

In general, the attorney’s fees are around 1200 euros depending on the project. The other formalities linked to registration fees cost between 180 and 300 euros. 

OUR FRENCH PARTNERS

Lexidy France has a team of qualified legal experts who have been trained in the field of corporate law. They work on these requests every day and it’s their passion. Lexidy France understands the provision of service is a way of life and what excites us the most is to be able to deliver the happiness and satisfaction of a successful process. We want to help you achieve your goals and dreams.

Eleonore Tavares
Head of Lexidy France

Eléonore Tavares de Pinho

Lawyer | Avocate à la Cour

Lawyer | Avocate à la Cour

Julio Vero
Legal Counsel

Julio Vero

Hector Valero
Legal Trainee

Hector Valero

Pauline Flaviano
Legal Trainee

Pauline Flaviano

Eva Novoa Andino
Lawyer

Eva Novoa Andino

Sandra V
Tax Lawyer

Sandra Vannier 

Gergana Illieva
Legal Trainee

Gergana Ilieva

Immigration Lawyer

Yris Vernier

Head of Lexidy France

Eléonore Tavares de Pinho

Born in Senegal to Belgian-Portuguese parents and having lived for several years in various countries, Eléonore quickly became passionate about Immigration legislation. She graduated from the University of la Sorbonne and the University of Florence and obtained a five-year dual degree in Italian and French Law. As an attorney, she chose to work in Immigration Law in order to have real action on the field and help people fulfill their projects.  Deeply convinced that digital technologies can make law and legal services simpler and impact people’s lives in a positive way, Eléonore will always be looking for the most efficient way to meet your needs.

Lawyer | Avocate à la Cour

Lawyer | Avocate à la Cour

Victoire is born and raised French, despite family from all around the world.
She graduated her Masters degree in international law and human rights law,
and believes she did not fall into Immigration law by accident. She is passionate
about helping others transform their dream to move to France into a project,
either professional or familial. She loves her crazy Paris city and the French
countryside, discovering new cultures, and showing off good old France.
Speaking: French and English.

Legal Counsel

Julio Vero

Born in Brazil, where I started my Law studies, changing to Law School in Portugal and got my degree from University of Porto in 2021. I got a Master’s  in European Law in Paris, at the University Paris 12. I have been having an enriching experience during my traineeship at Lexidy, where I get to complete with practical skills the knowledge I have acquired during these many years of  legal studies. What I like to do the most is reading and cooking. I am fluent in Portuguese, French and English, and I am currently learning German.

Legal Trainee

Hector Valero

Born in Valencia, Spain, he started a Double Degree in French and Spanish Law between the Universitat de Valencia and the Université Toulouse 1 Capitole. Along with this degree formation, he specialized in European and International Law in for two years, completing it with a Master Thesis about the Evolution of the concept of States Boarders in the light of Internet. During my Master’s degree, Hector was able to discover Immigration law through the lens of European and French Law. Throughout the internship at Legal Service at the European Parliament, he learned the practical side of European and Public International Law from the lens of creation and conclusion of International Agreements. Finally, his experience at M&B Avocats helped to develop the profile as a French and Spanish Law Jurist, knowing the insights and particular traits of both legal systems. Speaks: English, Spanish, French.

Legal Trainee

Pauline Flaviano

Pauline Flaviano is half-french half-hongkongese, and lived in both places. Her European law studies also allowed her to live in Spain for a year. Her European studies focus on the European asylum and immigration policies. Having lived in different countries and speaking multiple languages, she joined the Paris immigration team for her end-of-studies internship. Speaks: French, English, Cantonese.

Lawyer

Eva Novoa Andino

Eva is originally from El Salvador but has lived in France and Spain. She obtained a double degree in French and Spanish Law from the Université Toulouse Capitole I and Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, specializing in International & European Law, reflecting her keen interest in the intersection of legal systems across borders. She has obtained her Master’s in Access to the Legal Profession and is registered at the Barcelona Bar Association (ICAB). Drawing from her diverse experiences in an international setting, Eva has cultivated a profound interest in international and immigration law. She speaks Spanish, French, English, and Portuguese and is currently learning Catalan. Eva’s extensive international exposure, coupled with her linguistic proficiency, positions her as a valuable asset for clients seeking comprehensive legal expertise in a global context. 

Tax Lawyer

Sandra Vannier 

Sandra is half-French and half-Lebanese. She is born and raised French and travels around the world to visit her family. Sandra has known since she was a teenager that she wanted to become a lawyer. Passionate about numbers, she naturally turned to tax and corporate law and graduated in these subjects from Assas University and INSEEC business school. Sandra has been practicing as a lawyer since December 2015. She loves assisting people and companies who come to France to facilitate their tax matters. She also assists entrepreneurs, shareholders and companies to set up or develop their business in France. Her approach is to provide personalised legal advice adapted to the client’s needs, because every project is unique. Speaks: French and English.

Legal Trainee

Gergana Ilieva

She was born in Bulgaria where she pursued her Bachelor’s degree in European Studies, majoring in law at Sofia University. Seeking to deepen her understanding of EU law and proficiency in French and English, she’s currently enrolled in a Master’s degree in European Law and Litigation from the University Paris-Panthéon-Assas in Paris, France. As an immigrant herself, Gergana empathises with the legal hurdles faced by individuals establishing themselves in a new country. Driven by her own experiences, she has joined the Immigration team at Lexidy Paris to assist fellow expatriates and to ease their transition into a new cultural and legal landscape. Speaks: English, French, Bulgarian, Russian.

Immigration Lawyer

Yris Vernier


Born in Paris, Yris has worked and travelled in Greece, Canada, and Southeast Asia. She has completed her Law Degree at Panthéon-Assas University and at the Paris Bar School. She has gained significant professional experience working in several law firms, courts, and associations specialized in immigration law. Knowing the various adversities a foreigner can face, she has joined our immigration team in Paris, where she is fully dedicated to helping our expat clients achieve their goals. Languages: French and English

How Can Our French Partners help you?

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