Can second-home owners get a mobile phone contract in France?

Reader Question: Do you need proof of residency for a French mobile phone contract or can people with second homes also get one?

French mobile phone operators have largely the same document requirements when you take out a mobile phone contract – and it should be possible for most second-home owners to meet them.

For most, too, it is possible to sign up for a mobile phone via the internet, fulfilling the document requirements by scanning and attaching them online, if you are happy doing so.

Rules are quite strict – operators have come under fire in France for not doing enough to discourage crooks from using “burner” phones (where a phone cannot be linked to a person) to facilitate their crimes. 

Read more: Warning over rise in telephone ‘spoofing’ scams in France – what is it?

What documents are needed for a phone contract in France?

You will need:

1. Valid ID: it does not have to be French, a passport will do.
2. A RIB (relevé d’identité bancaire) linked to a French bank account: this will be used to set up a standing order (prélèvement automatique) to pay for the contract.
3. A bank card number: this is essential if you are setting up the contract online, but if you are in a physical shop, a French cheque (with ID) may be accepted.
4. An existing telephone number and email address to confirm the order are also usually required.
5. Some providers will ask for a justificatif de domicile (proof of address). In France, this is usually a statement from a utilities provider – EDF provides up-to-date ones from the client page of its website – but a copy of a tax bill with your address on will do just as well.

The documents required are likely to be the same if you opt for prepaid phones. These can have the advantage of not having tie-in periods.

For the prepaid offer you usually need to sign up, get a SIM card, and then choose a subscription, usually for one month, with variations on the amount of data you use. 

Even prepaid SIM cards, still occasionally seen at supermarket checkouts, necessitate you going through paperwork formalities in order for them to be activated.