Corporate bank account opening in Dubai
The bank decides whether to open an account, after checks that UAE law requires. This page explains what those checks are, which documents they rest on and what nobody can promise you.
The short answer
A corporate bank account in Dubai is opened by the bank once it has completed customer due diligence under Federal Decree by Law No. 10 of 2025 and Central Bank of the UAE guidance. The bank must identify every individual who holds 25% or more of the company. No official source publishes a timeline, an approval rate or a minimum balance. The bank decides, and no consultant can guarantee an account.
How do you open a corporate bank account in Dubai?
You apply to a bank, and the bank opens the account only after it has completed customer due diligence. The law that requires this is Federal Decree by Law No. 10 of 2025 on anti money laundering, in force from 14 October 2025. It repealed Federal Decree by Law No. 20 of 2018.
The law defines customer due diligence as identifying and verifying the customer or beneficial owner, the nature of their business, the purpose of the relationship, and the ownership and control structure, with ongoing monitoring.
The Central Bank rulebook lists Cabinet Resolution No. 134 of 2025 as the executive regulations of the law. The Central Bank's customer due diligence guidance took effect on 7 November 2025.
What do UAE banks check before opening an account?
Banks check who the company is, who owns it and what the account is for. The table shows what the Central Bank guidance asks them to do.
| Check | What the guidance says |
|---|---|
| Company identity | Verify the name, legal form and Memorandum of Association, the head office or principal place of business, and the articles of incorporation where relevant |
| Evidence | A certificate of incorporation with an official seal, an official extract from a government corporate registry, or a government issued corporate ID |
| Beneficial owners | Identify every individual who holds a controlling ownership interest of 25% or more, generally before the relationship starts |
| Purpose | Understand the purpose and intended nature of the relationship |
| Sanctions screening | Screen customers, beneficial owners, persons acting for the customer and senior managers, such as directors and signatories, before onboarding |
| Source of funds | A newly formed entity with little or no business history that funds an account with significant funds is listed as a red flag |
Who counts as a beneficial owner?
A beneficial owner is an individual who, alone or jointly, holds a controlling ownership interest of 25% or more. That is the threshold in the Central Bank guidance.
A beneficial owner must be an individual. Where a company is owned by another company, the guidance tells banks to trace ownership up the chain until the individuals are identified.
Where risk warrants, a bank may identify owners below 25%, for example at 10% or lower.
What if the company is owned from outside the UAE?
The bank may ask for certified copies. The Central Bank guidance states that a bank may ask a non resident customer for copies certified by a notary, by apostille or by an embassy.
For non resident companies with complex structures, the guidance states that the first layer ownership documents should be certified by a notary.
Higher risk customers are subject to enhanced due diligence. The guidance lists a face to face meeting or a visit to the customer's place of business as possible verification methods. We found no official rule that says the signatory must or need not be present in person.
Can a bank refuse to open an account?
Yes. The Central Bank guidance states that if a bank cannot complete due diligence it shall not open the account, and shall file a suspicious transaction or activity report with the UAE FIU.
The law also requires financial institutions to refrain from opening or maintaining accounts under anonymous, fictitious, alias or numbered names.
The guidance gives examples of customers a bank may refuse.
- Customers who refuse to provide documents
- Customers whose beneficial owner cannot be identified
- Shell banks
- Companies with bearer shares or nominee shareholders
Good to knowThe bank makes the decision. No consultant can guarantee that an account will be opened, and Links does not.
How long does it take, and is there a minimum balance?
No official source gives a timeline for opening a corporate account, and none publishes an approval rate. We do not quote one.
No regulator page we checked sets a minimum balance. Ask the bank for its terms in writing before you apply.
We prepare the application file and book the appointments with the bank. We tell you the cost in writing before you commit.
Is the UAE on a grey list, and is the account reported abroad?
No. FATF removed the United Arab Emirates from its list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring on 23 February 2024.
On 10 June 2025 the European Commission announced the removal of the UAE from the EU list of high risk third countries, subject to scrutiny by the European Parliament and Council.
UAE financial institutions report account information every year to the Ministry of Finance under FATCA and the Common Reporting Standard. Under the Common Reporting Standard, the information is exchanged with partner jurisdictions. It went live in the UAE on 1 January 2017.
Documents you need
- Certificate of incorporation with an official seal, an official registry extract or a government issued corporate ID
- Memorandum of Association
- Articles of incorporation, where relevant
- Details of the head office or principal place of business
- Details of each individual who holds 25% or more, so the bank can identify and verify them
- For non resident customers: copies certified by a notary, by apostille or by an embassy, where the bank asks for them
Bank account opening: common questions.
Answered from the official sources listed below. If yours is not here, ask us directly.
Why do UAE banks ask for so much paperwork?
Federal Decree by Law No. 10 of 2025 requires banks to carry out customer due diligence. That means identifying and verifying the customer and the beneficial owner, the nature of the business, the purpose of the relationship and the ownership and control structure, with ongoing monitoring.
What documents will the bank want about my company?
Central Bank of the UAE guidance tells banks to verify the company's name, legal form and Memorandum of Association, and its head office or principal place of business. Evidence can include a certificate of incorporation with an official seal, an official extract from a government corporate registry or a government issued corporate ID.
Will the bank need to know where my money came from?
Banks must understand the nature of the business and the purpose of the relationship. Central Bank guidance lists a newly formed legal entity with little or no business history funding an account with significant funds as a red flag on source of funds.
My company has a holding company above it in the UK or Delaware. What does the bank do?
Central Bank guidance states that a beneficial owner must be an individual, and that banks should trace ownership up the chain until the individuals are identified. For non resident companies with complex structures, the first layer ownership documents should be certified by a notary.
Can the bank refuse to open my account?
Yes. Central Bank guidance states that if a bank cannot complete due diligence it shall not open the account. Examples of customers a bank may refuse include those who refuse to provide documents and those whose beneficial owner cannot be identified.
Will my UAE account be reported to my home tax authority?
UAE financial institutions report account information every year to the Ministry of Finance under FATCA and the Common Reporting Standard. Under the Common Reporting Standard, the information is exchanged with partner jurisdictions. It went live in the UAE on 1 January 2017.
Is the UAE still on a grey list?
No. FATF removed the United Arab Emirates from its list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring on 23 February 2024. On 10 June 2025 the European Commission announced its removal from the EU list of high risk third countries, subject to scrutiny by the European Parliament and Council.
How long does it take to open a corporate bank account in the UAE?
No official source gives a timeline, and none publishes an approval rate or a minimum balance. The bank sets its own process and makes its own decision, so Links does not quote a time.
Where these facts come from
Every fact on this page was checked against the official source on 29 September 2026. Rules and fees change, so we confirm the current position before any application.
- Central Bank of the UAE rulebook, Federal Decree by Law No. 10 of 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- Central Bank of the UAE rulebook, AML and CFT (opens in a new tab)
- Central Bank of the UAE, guidance on customer due diligence (opens in a new tab)
- Central Bank of the UAE, beneficial ownership identification and verification (opens in a new tab)
- FATF, jurisdictions under increased monitoring, February 2024 (opens in a new tab)
- European Commission, update to the list of high risk countries, 10 June 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of Finance, automatic exchange of information, FATCA and CRS (opens in a new tab)
Related pages
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