# Open a bank account in Dubai



## njumb (Jul 24, 2012)

Dear Members,

I am visiting Dubai this December and planing to move there permanently in next 12 months.

is it possible for me to open a back account while i was visiting in december ?
i am not a UAE resident.

please share your experience.

Thanks
Naveed


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## m1key (Jun 29, 2011)

I believe you can open a savings account with Emirates NBD. You can't open a current account/have cheque book without a residence visa. Best bet is visit a branch when you are here...


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## Beamrider (May 18, 2012)

Correct. Non-residents can open a "Call Deposit Account" (I think that was the name), which WILL NOT provide you any debit/credit cards nor cheque book. I had been offered this when I was still on my visit visa, with the guarantee that as soon as I got my residency visa my account would have been converted in one of the "regular" options.

As m1key said, best go to a branch and discuss. There's one every other corner in Dubai.


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## XDoodlebugger (Jan 24, 2012)

Beamrider said:


> Correct. Non-residents can open a "Call Deposit Account" (I think that was the name), which WILL NOT provide you any debit/credit cards nor cheque book. I had been offered this when I was still on my visit visa, with the guarantee that as soon as I got my residency visa my account would have been converted in one of the "regular" options.
> 
> As m1key said, best go to a branch and discuss. There's one every other corner in Dubai.


When I went to NBD they asked me to provide 6 months of US bank statements and a letter from my company & US bank.

Might be a US thing though as we have new nanny state rules that came into effect recently.


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## m1key (Jun 29, 2011)

Might that be something to do with you guys having to pay taxes to Uncle Sam?


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## XDoodlebugger (Jan 24, 2012)

m1key said:


> Might that be something to do with you guys having to pay taxes to Uncle Sam?


Dip stick Obama now makes any bank report to the US government if our accounts go over $10k.


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## m1key (Jun 29, 2011)

XDoodlebugger said:


> Dip stick Obama now makes any bank report to the US government if our accounts go over $10k.


Does that include offshore? No doubt the muppets running the UK will introduce something for us eventually.


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## Andy_self (Sep 2, 2013)

On the bank accounts in UAE for non-residents - possible in most of the UAE banks if you know the requirements. On documents -bank statement and bank reference letter from your home country are quite standards. Debit cards are possible to receive. Credit cards - against the respective security deposit is possible to receive as well. Cheque books - no. But this is not a big issue. Internet banking is available as well Have my own positive experience on this.


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## ACertainRomance (Jun 21, 2013)

Andy_self said:


> On the bank accounts in UAE for non-residents - possible in most of the UAE banks if you know the requirements. On documents -bank statement and bank reference letter from your home country are quite standards. Debit cards are possible to receive. Credit cards - against the respective security deposit is possible to receive as well. Cheque books - no. But this is not a big issue. Internet banking is available as well Have my own positive experience on this.


try renting an apartment without a cheque book...


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

Andy_self said:


> On the bank accounts in UAE for non-residents - possible in most of the UAE banks if you know the requirements. On documents -bank statement and bank reference letter from your home country are quite standards. Debit cards are possible to receive. Credit cards - against the respective security deposit is possible to receive as well. Cheque books - no. But this is not a big issue. Internet banking is available as well Have my own positive experience on this.


No reference needed
No statement needed
Debit card easy
Cheque book easy
Credit card easy

This place is alarmingly easy to get credit.
They even phone constantly trying to get you to borrow your backside into the middle of the next century.

Salary letter
Passport and visa
Job done


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## Andy_self (Sep 2, 2013)

ACertainRomance said:


> try renting an apartment without a cheque book...


I was referring to the case of the account for non-resident. As non-resident you do not rent an apartment.


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## Andy_self (Sep 2, 2013)

vantage said:


> No reference needed
> No statement needed
> Debit card easy
> Cheque book easy
> ...


If salary letter in UAE is available - means job in UAE = UAE resident. And question was on opening bank account for non-resident means no resident visa in UAE.


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

Andy_self said:


> If salary letter in UAE is available - means job in UAE = UAE resident. And question was on opening bank account for non-resident means no resident visa in UAE.


apologies - mis-read your post!


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## Andy_self (Sep 2, 2013)

vantage said:


> apologies - mis-read your post!


no issue


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## XDoodlebugger (Jan 24, 2012)

m1key said:


> Does that include offshore? No doubt the muppets running the UK will introduce something for us eventually.


Yes, any back that needs to transfer US dollars, which is to say almost any bank.


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## OMG (Sep 19, 2013)

You can open a non-resident account at Citibank, I did, it takes about a month. You get a debit card but no credit card or cheque book. However once you have a residents permit these are released to you.


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