Emirates NBD
traditional bank
Emirates NBD is one of the UAE's largest banks, headquartered in Dubai with branches across the GCC, Egypt, Turkey, India, and Singapore. Requires UAE residency; non-residents cannot open personal accounts. The bank is notable for accepting US persons (FATCA-compliant) making it one of few UAE banks willing to bank Americans. Multi-currency accounts support AED, USD, EUR, GBP, and select other currencies. The Emirates NBD Beyond and Skywards Mastercard offer strong Miles rewards. Business accounts available for UAE-registered entities. Zero monthly fees on salary accounts; fees apply to non-salary accounts below minimum balance. Strong digital banking via the Emirates NBD app.
Details
- Headquarters
- United Arab Emirates
- Currencies
- 6
- Monthly Fee
- Free
- Non-Residents
- Not accepted
- US Persons
- Accepted
- Debit Card
- Available
- Business Account
- Available
Opening Requirements
- •UAE residency visa
- •Emirates ID
- •Passport
- •Salary certificate or proof of income
- •Minimum salary of AED 5,000/month for standard accounts
Restricted Nationalities
Not available to nationals of: north-korea, iran, syria
Nationality Acceptance Matrix
Who this provider will and will not onboard. Refusals are listed first. Sourced from the provider's own published terms and recent public onboarding reports — confirm with the provider before applying.
| Nationality | Accepted | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| iran | NO | Blocked — UAE adopted UN Iran sanctions; ENBD has been fined historically for Iran-related violations and now strictly complies. |
| cuba | NO | Blocked — OFAC Cuba sanctions (USD-clearing risk). |
| north korea | NO | Blocked — UN/OFAC DPRK sanctions. |
| syria | NO | Blocked — UN/UAE sanctions on Syria. |
| us | YES | US persons accepted — Emirates NBD is one of few UAE banks compliant with FATCA willing to bank Americans; W-8BEN/W-9 and additional paperwork required. |
| uk | YES | UK nationals accepted; UAE residency visa required for personal accounts. |
| eu | YES | EU nationals accepted; UAE residency required. |
| russia | YES | Russian nationals historically accepted; UAE has not adopted Western sanctions against Russia; enhanced due diligence applies; individual SDN screening conducted. |
| china | YES | Chinese nationals accepted; significant Chinese expat community banks with Emirates NBD. |
| myanmar | YES | Accepted with standard enhanced due diligence; UAE does not impose blanket Myanmar sanctions. |
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