BNP Paribas may require you to have an existing Computershare account to DRS transfer.
Therefore, they may ask you for a Computershare account number. For security reasons it is not recommended to give this information to your broker, but in this case there may not be another choice. With Computershare accounts, the account number is the "key" that allows brokers to authorize a transfer of shares out of the DRS and back to the broker.
If you provide your account number to initiate the transfer, it is recommended to protect your Computershare account by making a small change to your name or address to block any unauthorized attempts at withdrawing your direct registered shares. Such as adding or removing a middle initial, or making a subtle enough change to your address that you can still receive your snail mail (add or remove a borough, or a space in your postal/zip code).
Only do this when you are confident you are finished transferring your shares from your broker to the DRS, and if you are confident you do not want to move your shares back to your broker.
If you don't have a Computershare US account:
The only way to open one as a non-US citizen is to transfer shares to them, which is possible with IBKR (see our guide for directly registering from IBKR here), or you can use GiveAShare.com.
Once your Computershare account is open:
BNP Paribas charges a €75 fee for each DRS transfer. This means each time you want to transfer a specific stock (no matter how many shares) you are charged €75.
How to Transfer:
Once your shares and €75 are settled in BNP Paribas:
You can log in to the Easy Banking app and contact the helpdesk.
Tell the support agent you want to DRS transfer your GME shares to Computershare.
Provide them with your name and address details, as they are defined on your Computershare account.
Accept the €75 fee.
The transfer will be processed within 1-3 weeks. If you're unsure, you can log back into the Easy Banking app and reach out for an update.
If you have an existing Computershare account:
Your broker will DRS transfer the shares based on your name and address. As a result, a second account may be created for you. This can be for a few reasons, such as a middle initial existing on one account, but not the other. If your name and address match exactly, then the transfer will process within the normal amount of time. If not, then it will take another 2-4 weeks for the account to be made and the DRS Account Statement sent out to you.
Tax Form:
At this stage it is important to verify your tax status as a non-US citizen. While logged into your account, go to the My Profile tab, then “Tax Details”. A guide on how to fill in the W-8 BEN form is linked here).
You must fill in the W-8 BEN form before you buy any shares through Computershare, or add your banking information (especially if it's a US dollar account). Otherwise you will be assumed to be a US citizen.