Opening a bank account is usually one of the first tasks of anyone who takes up residence or registers a company in the UAE. Banks have their own rules, but the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has set minimum standards for all licensed financial institutions that make the customer's rights clear. This article is based on the Central Bank's "Rulebook" and the official UAE Government portal (`u.ae`), checked on 24 October 2026.
Usual documents
The UAE Government portal, updated on 4 September 2026, lists these documents as usual for a personal account:
| Document | Note |
|---|---|
| Emirates ID | |
| Valid UAE residence visa | |
| Passport or family book | |
| Salary certificate or employment letter | |
| Proof of address | Only in some cases |
| Trade licence and company documents | For the self-employed |
The portal says you can go to a branch or apply on the bank's website or app. Some banks verify identity digitally in the app, and approval usually takes from a few hours to a few days. Many banks require a minimum monthly balance and may charge a monthly fee if the balance falls below it. The page says nothing separately about non-residents; ask the bank itself.
The Central Bank's rules for opening personal accounts
The Central Bank's "Consumer Protection Standards" (Notice 1158 of 2021, clause 5.1.2.1) contain these rules:
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Deadline | The account must be opened within 2 complete business days of the application date |
| Exception | When the bank is acting under the UAE's financial crime compliance requirements |
| Delay for another reason | The bank must explain the delay to the customer and record it; the account may be opened with limited transactions |
| Refusal | The bank must immediately tell the customer in writing that the application was refused and that they may complain to the Central Bank; it also records the specific reason for the Central Bank's review |
| Limited-feature account | The risk-based policy must allow accounts with limited features and transactions for low-risk customers |
| Transparency | The bank must state the requirements and process for opening and all fees, and explain the consequences of giving others access to the account, cheques or cards |
One ground on which a bank may refuse to open an account is reasonable grounds to believe the account will be used for "suspicious" transactions under the UAE's financial crime requirements.
Blocking and closing an account
| Topic | The Central Bank's rule |
|---|---|
| Blocking | Only for specific reasons, such as a court order or an instruction from the Central Bank, or under UAE law |
| Notice of blocking | Written notice within 24 hours with the details and what the customer must do, except in financial crime cases |
| Request to close the account | Written acknowledgement of the request within 2 complete business days |
| Closing fee | No closing fee or penalty if the account has been open for 6 months or more |
| Closing deadline | Within 7 complete business days of the request, except credit cards, payment accounts and investment accounts |
| Pressure | The bank must not exert undue pressure to cancel the closure request |
Two more useful rules
- **Returned transfers:** if a correspondent bank returns funds, the bank must tell the customer within 2 complete business days and credit the funds to their account as soon as they arrive; this deadline does not apply during a financial crime investigation.
- **Cooling-off period:** when a customer buys a credit, insurance or structured product, the bank must tell them of their right to a "cooling-off period" of 5 complete business days after signing the contract, unless another rule requires a longer period.
Accounts for small and medium-sized companies
For companies, the Central Bank's "SME Market Conduct Regulation" (Circular 1 of 2021, in force from 26 February 2021) has separate rules:
- the bank should have systems to open the account of a company with a low-risk profile and complete standard due diligence documents within 3 business days;
- the documents required to open an account must be disclosed clearly, transparently and consistently;
- opening the account does not mean every transaction is allowed until the bank has completed the necessary checks, including sanctions screening under the anti-money laundering law (Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2018);
- with the customer's consent, the bank may receive the funds for opening the account but keeps them blocked until the requirements are met.
A timeline example
This example is hypothetical and only puts the deadlines side by side.
| Day | Event |
|---|---|
| Monday | A person applies for a personal account with their Emirates ID, residence visa, passport and salary certificate |
| By the end of two complete business days | The bank must open the account, explain the delay or, if it refuses, say so immediately in writing |
| If refused | The customer keeps the refusal letter and may complain to the Central Bank |
| A few months later | The customer asks to close the account; the bank acknowledges within 2 complete business days and closes it within 7 complete business days |
Complaints
The UAE Government portal links to the Sanadak platform for "filing a banking-related complaint". Keep the bank's letters and written replies; they are useful in a complaint.
Practical points
- Bring complete, up-to-date documents; the Central Bank's rules count missing documents among the reasons for a delay or a limited account.
- Ask in writing for all fees and the minimum balance before signing; the bank must disclose them.
- Do not give others access to your account, cheques or cards.
- Banks ask for your tax residency on CRS forms; your answer must be correct and documented. For the UAE tax residency certificate, see our separate article.
Royal Golden does not give banking or legal advice. This article is general information and not banking or legal advice.
Sources
- UAE Government portal, banking in the UAE — https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/finance-and-investment/banking-in-uae (checked on 24 October 2026)
- Central Bank of the UAE, Rulebook, Consumer Protection Standards, Article 5: Business Conduct — https://rulebook.centralbank.ae/en/rulebook/article-5-business-conduct (checked on 24 October 2026)
- Central Bank of the UAE, Rulebook, SME Market Conduct Regulation, account opening — https://rulebook.centralbank.ae/en/rulebook/account-opening (checked on 24 October 2026)