Bank account and personal information requirements for Shopify Payments in France

Before you can start using Shopify Payments in France, it's important to understand the personal information requirements. These requirements are in place to comply with regulations and prevent financial crimes. In this article, you can find the purpose of collecting personal information, the types of documents accepted, and guidance on ensuring that your documentation meets the necessary criteria.

Overview of requirements for Shopify Payments in France

Before you can start using Shopify Payments in France, it's important to ensure that you meet the following requirements:

Eligible business types: Certain types of businesses and services aren't permitted to use Shopify Payments. To determine if your business is eligible, refer to the list of prohibited business types for France, which can also be found in the Shopify Payments Terms of Service (TOS).
Bank Account Requirements: Your bank account must meet specific criteria before it can be connected to Shopify Payments. Make sure that the following requirements are met:
- The bank account is in EUR currency.
- The bank account is eligible for SEPA transfers.
- The bank account has an IBAN that starts with one of the following letters: AT, BE, CY, DE, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LT, LU, LV, MC, MT, NL, PT, SI, SK, or SM.
- There are no restrictions on the type of bank account. You can use a checking, savings, or virtual account.
Personal Information Requirements: To comply with regulatory requirements and prevent financial crimes, you're required to provide information about yourself and your business. This includes details about the individual creating the Shopify Payments account, the associated business, and the individuals who own or control the business. Ensure that your documentation is clear, correct, up-to-date, and free of errors or typos.

Purpose of collecting personal information

The collection of personal information is necessary to identify merchants using Shopify Payments and to comply with regulatory requirements. This helps prevent money laundering, terrorist financing, and other financial crimes. As regulations evolve, Shopify and its partners may request additional information from you to ensure compliance. These reviews can occur at any time during the lifespan of your Shopify Payments account.

Required information

The personal information that Shopify is required to collect varies from country to country. In the case of France, the following details are typically required:

The individual creating the Shopify Payments account.
The business associated with the Shopify Payments account.
The individuals who ultimately own or control the business, including the business owner or a senior executive with legal signing authority.

Acceptable document types

To help with the verification process, you'll need to provide certain documents as evidence. The following document types are acceptable for individuals and businesses in France.

Identity documents:

Passport
Driver license: scans of front and back are required
National Identity card: scans of front and back are required
Official government-issued photo ID (Military, police, diplomatic, tax office)
Residence permit: scans of front and back are required

Address documents:

Driver’s license
Utility or cell phone bill
National ID card
Financial Statement (bank statement, CC statement, or mortgage statement)
Government-issued documents such as a tax bill
Insurance bill
Proof of residency

Company/entity documents:

Certificate of incorporation
Articles of Association

Ensuring documentation compliance

When providing your documents, it's important to ensure that they meet the necessary criteria. Follow these guidelines to ensure compliance:

Accuracy and validity: Ensure that the information on your documents is correct and valid.
Clarity and legibility: Make sure that your documents are clear and large enough to read.
Completeness: Provide all necessary details and ensure that all information is visible.
Consistency: Ensure that the information on your documents matches the information provided during the account setup process.
Currency: Keep your documents up-to-date with the most recent date possible.
Error-free: Double-check your documents for any errors or typos.