UAE Now Lets Tourists Open a Bank Account in Minutes
Since 30 April 2026, tourists can get an account and a digital card without a branch visit — built on the biometric profile created on entry, through a joint UAE Central Bank, ICP and ADCB service.
On 30 April 2026, the UAE Central Bank, the ICP authority and ADCB launched a joint service: a tourist can open an account and get a digital debit card without visiting a branch.
How it works
On entry to the country, a secure digital profile is built from biometrics and stands in for a passport and paper documents. Verification and card issuance happen inside the bank's app in a few minutes, and the card works immediately on instant-payment rails.
Why it matters to a property buyer
"How do I open an account if I'm not a resident yet" is one of the most common questions on a first deal. Now there's a simple answer, and it removes a step that used to stretch a purchase out by weeks.
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It's part of a broader trend: in the same period, the UAE dropped the minimum purchase-price threshold for the two-year investor visa — it's now issued for any property in Dubai regardless of price. Entry barriers keep coming down, and it shows in both banking and visas.
Related reading
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