# Where to bank that doesn't require a minimum balance



## AndreaMarshall (Nov 22, 2010)

Hey all, i searched through the forums but couldn't seem to find this answer. I keep googling various banking websites for Dubai and can't seem to find one that DOES NOT require a minimum balance of 5000 dirhams a month. As i start a new job and am only making 9,000 dirhams a month, this sounds ridiculous. I could open a joint account with my husband, but would really like my own account. Do ya'll think i'm stuck opening a joint account> (it would have to be at HSBC) or has anyone heard of any banks out here that don't require a minimum ,yet offer a credit card, debit card, and online banking?
thanks


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## PolarBear (Jul 12, 2010)

AndreaMarshall said:


> Hey all, i searched through the forums but couldn't seem to find this answer. I keep googling various banking websites for Dubai and can't seem to find one that DOES NOT require a minimum balance of 5000 dirhams a month. As i start a new job and am only making 9,000 dirhams a month, this sounds ridiculous. I could open a joint account with my husband, but would really like my own account. Do ya'll think i'm stuck opening a joint account> (it would have to be at HSBC) or has anyone heard of any banks out here that don't require a minimum ,yet offer a credit card, debit card, and online banking?
> thanks


Standard Chartered does... I won't say they are a perfect bank, but at least they don't charge an arm and a leg like most others.


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## DubaiATC (Jun 26, 2010)

I use UNB: Union National Bank, and am quite happy with them. To my knowledge they do _not_ have a minimum balance requirement and they do offer both debit/credit cards, and online banking.


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## AndreaMarshall (Nov 22, 2010)

thanks


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## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

I have an account with HSBC and am not aware of any minimum balance requirement unless this is a new thing.


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## AndreaMarshall (Nov 22, 2010)

maybe because you're not a "housewife" with a job 

HSBC has a 5,000 minimum requirement. told me themselves.


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## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

May be that's it Andrea. I actually have 2 HSBC accounts here. One is a normal current account based on my employment with a check book. The second I got as soon as I arrived here, before I had a residence visa, and is just a simple savings account with an ATM account and no check book. I don't really used the second account so it rarely has a balance of AED 5000 bit HSBC have never queried this with me. Maybe things have changed and in any event I wouldn't really recommend HSBC to anyone ;-)


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## Lita_Rulez (Nov 4, 2010)

Jumeirah Jim said:


> I have an account with HSBC and am not aware of any minimum balance requirement unless this is a new thing.


Not only do they have a minimum balance requirement, but they have even raised it to 10 000 AED end of 2009.


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## AndreaMarshall (Nov 22, 2010)

Lita_Rulez said:


> Not only do they have a minimum balance requirement, but they have even raised it to 10 000 AED end of 2009.


thats only for an advance premier account or something fancier than something else that isn't as fancy.

Does anyone else use UNB?? I'm hearing standard chartered is as horrid as hsbc.....  i miss regular banks. You can open an account with a $10 check from grandma... ::sigh:::


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## Andrew James (Nov 6, 2010)

AndreaMarshall said:


> thats only for an advance premier account or something fancier than something else that isn't as fancy.
> 
> Does anyone else use UNB?? I'm hearing standard chartered is as horrid as hsbc.....  i miss regular banks. You can open an account with a $10 check from grandma... ::sigh:::


I've had a good experience with RAKBANK. Not sure if there's a min balance but they are responsive and polite.

Best, Andrew


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## AndreaMarshall (Nov 22, 2010)

>:I 5,000 minimum. Can't figure anything out from union national bank, but if they charge a minimum balance too then i'm stuck!


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