A new resident with an Emirates ID reported opening a WIO account in 5 minutes via the mobile app. No proof of employment or address was requested. A virtual card was available immediately and a physical card was mailed to their Dubai address.

A new resident with an Emirates ID reported that Emirates NBD demanded 6 months of bank statements from their country of residence, printed, stamped, translated, and legalized. The bank also would not deliver cards to hotel addresses, requiring a residential address. ADCB was easier with a personal introduction.

A non-resident-foreigner reported that opening a regular checking account was impossible without a valid Emirates ID. A savings account was feasible but required a high minimum deposit and clear explanation of source of funds and purpose. The savings account worked practically like a current account with debit card for sending and receiving money. The residence visa route was described as dramatically easier — account opened in 10 minutes, often remotely.

A new resident reported opening an ADCB account at the Ubank location in City Walk in 20 minutes. No proof of address or salary certificate was required. A debit card and checkbook were issued on the spot at the branch.

An entrepreneur who set up a Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone company reported opening a Wio business account quickly after receiving their Emirates ID. The entire company setup including visa, Emirates ID, and banking took under 3 weeks entirely online. Wio charged 99 AED per month.

A user reported an excellent experience with Mashreq for both business and personal accounts. Having a New York branch location was cited as particularly helpful when needing to complete US transactions.

A new resident with an Emirates ID reported opening a Mashreq Neo account in 5 minutes through the mobile app with no address proof. A hotel address was used for courier delivery of the welcome kit containing a Visa card and checkbook within 2 days.

An entrepreneur who set up a Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone company reported opening a Mashreq Biz business account after receiving their Emirates ID. The account was free as long as the balance stayed above 10,000 AED. The entire company and banking setup was done entirely online in under 3 weeks.

A foreign national on a tourist visa reported being denied at a Mashreq branch in person despite having millions of dollars to deposit. The bank cited UAE Central Bank regulations since 2014 that prohibit tourist visa holders from opening accounts. The person expressed disbelief that remote setup was possible.

Non-residents reported RAKBank offers a current account with credit card for non-residents but is known to freeze funds and close accounts without reason. Multiple users advised against using RAKBank based on first-hand experiences of arbitrary closures.

A former UAE resident with an active HSBC UAE account was being pressured to close the account because the bank demanded an updated Emirates ID and residency visa page. Despite maintaining a healthy balance, the bank would not allow the account to remain active without valid residency documentation.