Deposit Share Capital for a French Company from the UAE / Dubai
You can deposit the share capital of a French company from the UAE entirely online, with no French bank account and no flight to France. A French notary (notaire) — a public officer authorised to receive cash contributions — holds your funds on a dedicated account at the Caisse des Dépôts and issues your certificate of deposit within 24 hours of the transfer arriving and your file being complete. For Gulf-based founders the flat fee is €500, and the whole file is handled asynchronously, so the time difference with France is never an obstacle.
Key takeaways
- No French bank account and no French residence proof — the notary is the authorised depositary.
- €500 flat for non-residents (€230 for France residents), no subscription, 100% online.
- Certificate of deposit within 24h once funds are received and your file is complete.
- Transfer in euros from your UAE account; a UAE TRN or your home-country tax number serves as the foreign tax number.
Why the capital deposit stalls founders in the Gulf
Before a French SAS, SASU, SARL, EURL or SCI can be registered, its share capital must be deposited with an authorised depositary. For a UAE-based founder this is where most projects stall. French banks rarely onboard non-resident, non-EU clients remotely, and Gulf-based applicants often face extended compliance review and requests for proof of French residence they simply do not have. The sequence locks up:
- No certificate of deposit without funds held.
- No funds held without an account.
- No account without appearing in person in France.
Expats in Dubai also deal with time-zone gaps and courier delays for paper documents. The traditional, branch-based route was not built for you.
The solution: a French notary as depositary, 100% online
Under the French Commercial Code (Code de commerce), a notaire (notary) is a public officer authorised by law to receive the deposit of cash contributions, exactly as a bank would. Depotdecapital.com, operated by Cellard Notaires & Avocats, runs the whole process online for founders based in the UAE. The notary holds the funds on a dedicated account at the Caisse des Dépôts (CDC) — the French state deposit body — and issues the official certificat de dépôt (certificate of deposit) your registration requires. You sign the fee agreement electronically, pay online, and the certificate is delivered electronically.
Step-by-step: deposit from the UAE
- Open your file online and state the company form and the capital amount.
- Sign the fee agreement electronically and pay the service fee online.
- Upload your documents through the secure portal.
- Transfer the share capital by international transfer from your UAE account to the notary's CDC account — no French IBAN of your own is required.
- Receive the certificate of deposit within 24 hours once the funds are received and the file is complete.
- Register the company at the one-stop shop (guichet unique / INPI).
- Release the funds by uploading the KBIS (registration extract) and the company's RIB (bank details) so the notary transfers the capital to the company.
Documents you need (UAE founder)
| Document | What it is | UAE-specific note |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Identity of each shareholder | Valid and legible |
| Proof of the French registered office | Lease or domiciliation contract | Must name the company's siège social |
| Draft articles of association (statuts) | Unsigned and undated | Finalised only after registration |
| Foreign tax number (NIF) | Tax ID reference | UAE TRN or your country-of-nationality tax number |
No French bank account and no French tax residence are needed for the deposit.
Cost and timeline
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Deposit fee (non-resident) | €500 flat, no subscription |
| Deposit fee (France resident) | €230 |
| Certificate of deposit | Issued within 24h of funds received + complete file |
| Overall registration | Handled by the guichet unique — timescales vary, no promise given |
We do not promise a full registration timeline, because the one-stop shop handles the registration itself — but the deposit, the main hurdle for Gulf-based founders, is quick and predictable.
UAE-specific angle: transferring from the Gulf across time zones
A few practical notes for Dubai, Abu Dhabi and wider UAE founders:
- Send euros. Transfer in euros so the credited amount matches your stated capital precisely and is not reduced by currency conversion on arrival.
- Check the FX spread. Dirham (AED) accounts convert cleanly, but confirm your bank's FX spread and SWIFT cut-off before sending.
- Time difference is a non-issue. Everything is online and asynchronous — upload documents and sign the fee agreement whenever suits you; the notary processes your file on receipt.
- Tax number. A UAE TRN or your home-country tax reference is accepted as the foreign tax number.
Nothing French is required before you deposit — useful if you are forming an SCI to hold property or an SAS for a European arm of your business.
Related guides
- Open a French company as a non-resident
- French capital deposit without a French bank account
- Documents required for the capital deposit
FAQ
Can I deposit French share capital from Dubai without a French bank account? Yes. The notary is the authorised depositary and holds the funds at the Caisse des Dépôts; you transfer directly from your UAE account.
How much does it cost from the UAE? A flat €500, no subscription. France residents pay €230.
How fast is the certificate of deposit issued? Within 24 hours after the funds are received and the file is complete.
Do I need to fly to France? No. The fee agreement is signed electronically, payment is online, and the certificate is electronic.
What tax number should a UAE expat provide? Your UAE Tax Registration Number (TRN) or your home-country tax identification number can serve as the foreign tax number (NIF).
Does the time difference slow the process? No. The file is processed asynchronously; you act on your schedule and the notary processes on receipt.
Deposit your capital online → https://depotdecapital.com/en/dossier
Certificate of deposit within 24h, flat fee, no French bank account required.
Start a deposit →Information only — not personalised legal or tax advice.