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To open a corporate bank account in Dubai, expect to need an issued trade licence first: Emirates NBD's business account page starts there and Mashreq NEO BIZ lists the licence too, though each bank sets its own rules. Banks then usually ask for the MOA or articles of association, a board resolution where relevant, Emirates ID and passport copies of every shareholder, partner and signatory, and proof of the company's address such as the tenancy contract. Each bank sets its own list and decides on its own.
This page is about getting the file ready. It does not compare banks, quote bank fees or promise that any account will be opened. Those decisions belong to the bank alone.
What banks usually ask for
The lists below come from the business account pages of two large UAE banks (Emirates NBD and Mashreq NEO BIZ), read in . Lists change, so ask your bank for its current one before you start.
| Document | Why the bank wants it |
|---|---|
| Valid trade or commercial licence | Proves the company exists and what it may do |
| MOA or AOA, partnership contract and any amendments | Shows who owns the company and in what shares |
| Board resolution (where the company has a board) | Authorises opening the account and names the signatories |
| Emirates ID and passports of shareholders, partners and signatories | Identifies the people behind the company |
| Tenancy contract or other company address proof | Shows where the company operates |
| Bank statements, where asked | Shows existing banking history of the company or the partner |
Emirates NBD lists an attested MOA or AOA. A new company with no history of its own may be asked for statements from a partner instead.
How the licence, establishment card, Emirates ID and visa fit together
These four papers come from different authorities, and the bank sees only some of them directly. It helps to know which depends on which.
- Trade licence (DET or the free zone). Everything starts here. Without an issued licence, the two bank pages read for this guide will not begin. If the licence is about to expire, renew it before you apply: see trade licence renewal.
- Establishment card (GDRFA). This is the company's immigration file, and it lets the company sponsor residence visas. The bank lists we read do not mention it. You still need it before owners or staff can get company-sponsored visas. See the establishment card.
- Residence visa. An owner can hold a partner visa through the company (see partner visa), or another UAE residence. The visa is what makes an Emirates ID possible.
- Emirates ID. Banks list it for every shareholder and signatory. An owner who lives abroad with no Emirates ID should ask the bank first how it handles that case.
The order that usually works: licence, establishment card, owner's residence visa and Emirates ID, then the bank. Some owners apply to the bank before their Emirates ID is ready. Whether a bank accepts that is the bank's call.
Why banks reject or delay company accounts
Banks do not publish their reasons, and each one applies its own checks on who owns and controls a company and where its money will come from. In practice, delays tend to trace back to the file itself:
- Names that do not match. A shareholder spelled one way on the licence and another on the passport or MOA. Fix the record at source before you apply.
- Missing attestation. An MOA, board resolution or parent company document that is not attested when the bank asks for attestation. Foreign documents take longest. See company document attestation.
- Expired documents. A licence, Ejari or Emirates ID that expires mid-application stops the file.
- No clear address. No tenancy contract, or one that is not in the company's name. A commercial Ejari must be registered under the licensed company: see commercial Ejari.
- An unclear business picture. The bank cannot match the licensed activity to the clients, suppliers and countries you describe. Be ready to explain who pays you, from where, and roughly how much per month.
- Signatory gaps. The person who signs for the account is not named as a signatory in the MOA, a resolution or a POA.
None of these guarantee a yes when fixed. They remove the reasons a bank can easily point to.
What the account is needed for next
The bank account is a dependency for other company tasks:
- WPS salaries. Companies registered with MOHRE pay wages through the Wage Protection System, via a bank, exchange house or other Central Bank approved institution. See WPS registration.
- VAT registration. Once turnover nears the AED 375,000 threshold, the FTA application asks about the business and its turnover. See VAT registration.
- Closing the company. When a licence is cancelled, market guides list the bank's clearance and closing the account near the end of the process.
What you can do yourself
Plenty. Most of the work is collecting papers you already own and checking they match. If your licence is fresh, your Emirates ID is issued and your MOA is attested, you can apply online or at a branch without help.
Getting the bank file ready
The partner team does not open accounts and cannot influence a bank's decision. What they do is prepare the file the bank will check: your licence, MOA, board resolutions and partners' IDs, compared against that bank's current list. Banks usually stall on a spelling difference between the MOA and a passport, a signatory missing from the resolution, or no Ejari in the company's name. The team arranges notarisation and attestation where needed, sorts out the commercial Ejari, and finishes the establishment card or partner visa if either is still open. You see one total price, with government fees and the service charge on separate lines, before any work starts. Then you book the bank meeting yourself.
