France greffe document list for a UK company branch

6 November 2026

A UK company opening or maintaining a branch in France may face a document list from a greffe, professional adviser or filing office. The list can include a Certificate of Good Standing, incorporation evidence, articles, officer details and a translation, but the exact requirements depend on the filing and local office.

This Advice Centre guide is practical document information, not legal advice, an immigration opinion, a banking decision or a promise of foreign acceptance. Ask the named recipient for its current written checklist before ordering.

Short answer

Do not build the pack from a generic “France company documents” list. Ask the relevant French greffe or adviser for the document names, maximum ages, certification, apostille, translation and delivery format. A COGS can support current UK status, while other documents may be needed to show formation, constitutional powers or the identity and authority of representatives.

Map the French request

A branch filing may ask for evidence about the UK parent, its legal form, registered office, directors, authority and constitutional documents. Request the list in writing and label whether each item must be an original, certified copy, apostilled document or translated version. A French translation can be required even when a bank would accept English.

COGS is one item, not the whole pack

A COGS can be a concise current-status document, but it does not reproduce articles, prove every director’s authority or establish the branch’s French details. Combine it with the specific incorporation, articles or officer evidence the greffe requests. Keep documents for the UK parent separate from French branch forms.

Translation and apostille sequence

Ask whether documents should be apostilled before translation, translated by a recognised translator or presented in a bilingual format. The apostille authenticates the relevant UK element; it does not validate the French translation. Use consistent legal names and numbers across English documents and French forms.

Dates and branch changes

A greffe may apply a specific issue-date limit. Around 90 days is a common recipient habit, but use the office’s written rule. If the UK parent has filed a name, officer or registered-office change, check whether the French filing should wait for the Companies House record to update.

Practical checklist

• Obtain the exact list from the relevant French filing office or adviser.

• Identify which item answers current status and which answers formation or authority.

• Confirm French translation and apostille sequence.

• Check issue dates and recent UK filings.

• Use identical legal names and company numbers on every item.

• Retain delivery and submission evidence for the branch file.

Official fees and sources

Check the live GOV.UK guidance on ordering certified copies and certificates from Companies House before ordering. The current working figures for this batch are £22 for a standard Companies House certificate and £65 for a same-day certificate. These are official charges, not an agent’s full service price. Where legalisation is needed, the live GOV.UK document legalisation guidance lists £45 for a paper apostille, £35 for an e-Apostille, £40 for Next-Day and £100 for Urgent/Restricted Urgent where the relevant conditions apply. Certification, translation, courier, postage and any later embassy stage can be separate. UKCOGS does not claim FCDO partner status; use current official terms when describing any service.

Freshness is a recipient rule

There is no universal 90-day legal expiry for every Certificate of Good Standing. About 90 days is a common recipient habit, but a bank, authority, registrar or clerk may specify 30, 60, 180 days or a document issued after a particular filing. An apostille authenticates the relevant signature, seal or status; it does not refresh company information. Check the recipient’s written rule and the live Companies House record before presentation.

Questions to settle before payment

Ask the receiving organisation to confirm the exact document title, the legal entity, the maximum document age and the accepted delivery format. Ask whether it wants an original, a Companies House certified copy, a solicitor-certified copy or an electronic file. If the document will be used outside the UK, ask whether an apostille is enough or whether translation, embassy legalisation or local filing follows. Put the reply in the order file; a short written answer is more useful than an assumption based on a similar transaction. Also check the practical hand-offs: who will receive the certificate, whether a portal accepts the original electronic file, whether paper will be requested later and whether the courier address differs from the registered office. Keep tracking information and delivery confirmation with the final pack.

Keep the scope clear

A company certificate is one piece of evidence. It should not be described as a guarantee of incorporation history, ownership, financial health, tax compliance, authority to sign or permission to trade unless the document and recipient specifically establish that point. If a reviewer asks a question the certificate cannot answer, add the separate evidence it requests or obtain professional advice. Clear wording protects the client from relying on a document for a purpose it was never designed to meet.

Frequently asked questions

Does a French greffe always require a COGS?

Not always. The filing office and branch circumstances determine the list.

Can the COGS replace incorporation documents?

Usually not if the list asks for formation evidence or articles.

Who should translate the documents?

Ask the greffe or adviser what translator status it accepts.

Should apostille come before translation?

The required sequence varies. Confirm before processing.

How recent should the COGS be?

The greffe’s written limit controls; 90 days is a common but non-universal habit.

UKCOGS can help coordinate the relevant document route. See the Certificate of Good Standing service, apostille and legalisation information, order page or request a quote. Service prices and delivery times are separate from official fees, and the receiving organisation makes its own decision.