Opening a business bank account in Dubai: What are the requirements?

If you have an Irish business and want to expand your footprint, the vibrant hub of Dubai may be an attractive option. Once you operate in the UAE, opening a business bank account in Dubai can help minimise the cost of currency conversion and allow for smoother transfers and transactions.

This guide looks at your options for opening a business bank account in Dubai for non residents, with or without a UAE registered business entity.

And as getting a bank account in Dubai may be tricky if you don’t want to register an official entity there, we’ll also touch on alternatives like the Wise Business account which you can open from Ireland and manage United Arab Emirates dirham.

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What are business bank account types in Dubai?

The most common business bank account types in Dubai will probably sound familiar to you but the range of features and fees may be quite different to those you’re used to here in Ireland.

Here are some of the key points to know about Dubai business bank accounts:

• Business transaction accounts often support AED with major global currencies like EUR, USD and GBP
• Business call deposit accounts include easy access savings and fixed deposit options
• Shariah compliant Islamic banking products are often available for business owners

It’s helpful to note that the business transaction accounts you come across may well have minimum balance requirements which can mean paying pretty high fees if you don’t hold a sufficient AED balance at any given time. This can cause a cash flow headache and may not be flexible enough for SMEs and startups. We’ll cover some alternatives which may suit you better a little later in this guide.

Is it possible to open a business bank account in Dubai from Ireland?

Whether or not you can open a business bank account in Dubai may depend on your residence and whether or not you are prepared to register your business in the UAE.

You’ll need to shop around with providers like FAB (First Abu Dhabi Bank¹) which may be able to support non-resident accounts depending on your situation. Some other major UAE banks like Emirates NBD² only offer standard business banking for businesses with a locally registered entity.

It’s worth noting that even if you are eligible to open a local business bank account in Dubai, you may find you have to pay high fees for the privilege.

For example, for accounts from FAB you’ll pay a monthly fall below fee of 250 AED (about 60 EUR) if you don’t maintain a balance of 10,000 AED (about 2,300 EUR) on the most basic business backing package.³

This rises to the premium package which requires a balance of 500,000 AED (about 117,000 EUR) to avoid a monthly fall below fee of 500 AED (about 117 EUR).

Opening a business bank account in Dubai: What are the best options?

You might find you struggle to open a business bank account in Dubai if you don’t want to register your business there. And even if you are eligible for a Dubai business bank account it may not be the cheapest or most flexible option out there.

There are alternatives. Payment institutions like Wise offer a multicurrency business account you can open from Ireland with your local Irish ID and business registration documents, to manage and receive payments from AED via SWIFT.

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If your priority is having an account you can use to connect with customers in Dubai or to pay suppliers or contractors there, this may suit you.

Other providers also offer business services which can work for Irish businesses trading in Dubai. For example, Airwallex⁴ has different account types which all come with AED account information to get paid by customers, and easy ways to send low cost international payments.

Revolut Business also has ways to hold AED, and receive payments sent through SWIFT, with different account plans depending on custom need.

Specialist providers like these can offer all you need to manage your day to day business finances in Dubai, and also give you great tools for use in Ireland and around the world, too.

Requirements to open a business bank account in Dubai as a non-resident

Whether or not you can open a business account in Dubai will depend on factors including your business registration location, your company type and your own residence.

If you do find a bank you’re happy with, which you’re able to use to set up an AED account, you’ll need supporting documents to get things moving.

Usually the documents you need to open a business bank account in Dubai include²:

• Completed Business Account Opening Form
• Passport copies for account signatories
• UAE residence visas for account signatories if applicable
• Business registration documents
• Constitutional Documents depending on entity type.

As the requirements to open a Dubai business account can be quite extensive, you’ll need to double check with the bank you prefer to make sure you have everything needed before you apply.

Wise: Open an international business account from Ireland

You might be able to open a business bank account in Dubai from Ireland but it may not be the easiest, most flexible or cheapest option.

Choosing a Wise Business account instead lets you get everything set up from home in Ireland with local documents, and no maintenance fees to pay, only a one-time fee to open your account.

Then your company can hold and exchange AED alongside EUR and 40+ other currencies, send payments to Dubai and beyond, and receive AED payments to your Wise account using SWIFT account information.

Wise offers the mid-market exchange rate when converting currencies which has no hidden fees, and just a low transparent transaction charge.

Get everything you need to manage AED incoming and outgoing payments, alongside your EUR and other business transactions. See all your finances across multiple currencies at a glance, and keep on top of business performance in Ireland, Dubai and wherever else you trade easily.

Join Wise Business today 🚀

Sources used:

Sources last checked on date: 29th August, 2025