Where should a UAE company start?

Almost always — with a bank in the UAE. That is the main account for revenue, rent, salaries and visa costs. Accounts in other countries make sense for specific flows: tenge, yuan, lira, settlements with Asia.

Why do banks reject applications?

The most common reasons are a high-risk business activity, an unclear source of funds, counterparties in higher-risk countries, no real presence in the country, and discrepancies between the application form and the documents. Some of this is fixed by preparation, some by choosing another bank. Sometimes the honest answer is to fix the structure first.

How many accounts does a business need?

At least two channels. One is the main operating account at a bank, the other a backup at another bank or on a payment platform — in case of a review, a document request or a technical failure. If your flows run in different currencies and regions, accounts for specific markets are added.

Can you help with an account if my company wasn’t registered through you?

Yes. First we review the documents and look at the company’s profile through the bank’s eyes. Sometimes something is worth fixing before applying — for example, clarifying the business activity on the licence or renewing the lease. Better to do it before the application than to explain it after a rejection.

How does the process work?

After the first call you get a document checklist and a step-by-step plan. Stages, files and whose move it is are visible in the client portal at my.gofirm.ae. We handle day-to-day questions on WhatsApp or Telegram.

Bank Accounts in the UAE and 5 More Countries

Q: Do you guarantee the account will be opened?

No. The decision is the bank’s, and it doesn’t have to explain a rejection. We work on what can be controlled: we pick a bank that suits your profile, put together a consistent file and prepare you for the interview. That noticeably improves your chances and saves time on applications that never stood a chance.

Q: Can an account be opened without travelling?

With some banks — yes. Emlak Katılım in Turkey opens accounts by power of attorney. Remotely — Al Safi Bank in Kazakhstan, OCBC, HSBC and Zhejiang Chouzhou in China, UBL in the UAE (Emirates Islamic — personal accounts only); a personal account at TBC in Georgia — with video identification. In Hong Kong, all five banks require the director to visit. Payment platforms are set up without a visit.

Q: Do I need a company in China to open an account there?

Not necessarily. OCBC, HSBC, Standard Chartered and Zhejiang Chouzhou open NRA accounts for foreign companies. OCBC doesn’t require a link to China but expects turnover from USD 1 million a month; HSBC and Standard Chartered are for companies already operating in the region. OCBC, HSBC and Standard Chartered don’t accept clients with links to Russia or Belarus. You need your own company in China if you have real operations there.

Q: Bank or payment platform?

Most often — both. A payment platform is set up in 3–15 days without a visit and gives you a multi-currency account, local bank details and cards — convenient for getting started and for paying suppliers. A bank is needed for the company’s main account, letters of credit and large volumes, and its rules are more stable. We choose a platform from eight — to fit the company’s country, its owners and currencies.

Services in this section

Choose where to start

Main account and a backup channel

UAE, Turkey, Georgia, Kazakhstan

UAE
Main company account and personal accounts for non-residents
2–8 weeks
To open a corporate account
No visit
A company account at four banks — remotely, through us
- — A bank that fits your profile, not a guess
- — A file that adds up
- — Preparation for the compliance interview
Learn more
Turkey
Emlak Katılım by power of attorney, plus three more banks
4 banks
Emlak Katılım, VakıfBank, İşbank and Ziraat
6 currencies
TRY, USD, EUR, AED, CNY and RUB at Emlak Katılım
- — A bank that fits your profile
- — Documents the bank will accept
- — A questionnaire with no inconsistencies
Learn more
Georgia
TBC Bank: a no-visit account for private wealth
USD 500,000
Total balance for Wealth Management
No visit
Individuals open an account remotely
- — A segment that fits your situation
- — A coherent story for compliance
- — Video identification without surprises
Learn more
Kazakhstan
A company account at Al Safi Bank — no visit needed
No visit
Company account at Al Safi Bank — online, through us
USD, EUR, KZT
Al Safi Bank: no payment limits, in our experience; a personal manager
- — A company account without the trip
- — Documents that will be accepted
- — A bank that fits the task
Learn more

Asia and payment platforms

Hong Kong, China, platforms

Country comparison

Six countries side by side: timeline, travel and entry threshold

Based on our practice as of October 2026. The decision to open an account is always the bank’s, and each bank’s terms are on the country page.

Opening time

2–8 weeks

company account, from a complete file

No travel

At 4 of 8 banks

personal — Emirates Islamic and UBL; company — UBL, Emirates Islamic, ADIB and DIB

Own company in the country

Needed for a company account

personal account for non-residents — at 5 banks

Entry threshold

From zero to tens of thousands of AED

personal account — from AED 3,000, company at UBL — from AED 25,000

Click an option to highlight it across every parameter

Opening time

2–8 weeks

company account, from a complete file

—

at Al Safi — depends on the package and shipping the originals

6–8 weeks

HSBC and Hang Seng; DBS and CITIC — several months

3–4 weeks

plus about 2 weeks for tokens

—

legalisation and translation before applying — usually 2–4 weeks

1–2 weeks

for individuals; for companies — 5–10 working days of compliance plus legalisation

No travel

At 4 of 8 banks

personal — Emirates Islamic and UBL; company — UBL, Emirates Islamic, ADIB and DIB

Company account

Al Safi: online application, originals by post

No

director’s visit — at all five banks

At 3 of 4 banks

OCBC and HSBC — forms by DHL; Chouzhou — through a representative

By power of attorney

Emlak Katılım and VakıfBank; İşbank and Ziraat — in person

Individuals

by video; companies — the director meets the bank

Own company in the country

Needed for a company account

personal account for non-residents — at 5 banks

Not needed

Al Safi opens accounts for non-resident companies

As a rule, yes

OCBC, DBS and CITIC — for Hong Kong companies

Not needed

NRA account; Standard Chartered expects a related company in China over a year old, HSBC an operating business in the region

Not needed

Emlak opens accounts for UAE companies

Not needed

TBC — for companies from the UAE and other countries

Entry threshold

From zero to tens of thousands of AED

personal account — from AED 3,000, company at UBL — from AED 25,000

≈ KZT 1 million

about USD 2,300 — deposit into the Al Safi account

HKD 100,000

HSBC, Hang Seng, OCBC; DBS — deposit from HKD 1 million, CITIC — insurance product of USD 100,000 over 5 years

Turnover requirements

OCBC — from USD 1 million a month, HSBC — from USD 1 million a year, Standard Chartered — over USD 2 million a year

—

we’ll quote the bank’s fees before you apply

USD 500,000

for Wealth Management; Corporate Banking — per the bank’s fee schedule

Currencies

AED, USD, EUR

USD, EUR, KZT

HKD, USD, CNY, EUR, GBP

at HSBC and Hang Seng; at other banks — others on request

USD, EUR, HKD, CNY

and others, depending on the bank

TRY, USD, EUR, AED, CNY

at Emlak Katılım; other banks — TRY, USD, EUR

USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, AED

and other major currencies

Personal account

Non-residents — at 5 banks

no UAE visa needed; remotely — Emirates Islamic and UBL

With an IIN and a visit

at a regular bank

With a link to Asia

OCBC, CITIC, DBS — with a visit

With a branch visit

passport, visa or entry stamp, Chinese phone number

By power of attorney

Emlak Katılım and VakıfBank

Remotely

Wealth Management — from USD 500,000; video identification, no apostille

Company documents

Translation and legalisation

if a shareholder is a foreign company

Originals by post

per Al Safi Bank’s checklist

Proof of a link to Asia

contracts, invoices, shipping documents

Translation into Chinese

passport and articles of association; bank forms by courier

Legalisation and sworn translation

UAE MOFA — AED 2,000 per commercial document

Legalisation — for UAE companies

not needed for individuals

Banks we work with

8

1 — Al Safi Bank

5

4

1 — TBC Bank

The bank opens the account. Our job is to make it clear who it is taking on

The decision is the bank’s, and it rests on the whole picture: who owns the company, what it does, where the money comes from and where it goes. We make that picture clear before you apply.

Every bank has its own risk appetite
All banks follow anti-money-laundering rules and screen clients under KYC. But each has its own risk appetite: a rejection at one bank does not mean a rejection at another.
The goal first, the application second
Where your clients and suppliers are, which currencies you settle in, where you are resident. Sometimes the answer is a second bank in the UAE, sometimes Hong Kong or China, Turkey, Georgia or a payment platform.
We’ll tell you upfront what won’t work
If an account in a given country is unrealistic for your profile, we’ll say so before you spend time on paperwork.
We build the structure with the bank in mind
We register companies ourselves, so the business activity, shareholder structure and address are set up with the bank in mind. You follow the project in the client portal; we stay in touch on WhatsApp and Telegram.

How to choose

How to choose the country and the bank

01
Bank where your money is
The country of the account should match where your money flows. Suppliers in China — Hong Kong, or an NRA account in China, with no company of your own there. Settlements in lira — an account in Turkey.
02
Your main bank belongs where your company is
A UAE company almost always needs its operating account in the UAE: that is where its licence, office and residents are. Accounts in other countries supplement it for specific flows — they don’t replace it.
03
Residency widens your options
A UAE visa and an Emirates ID open the door to most local banks, and many expect the signatory to have them. Five UAE banks open personal accounts for non-residents — Emirates Islamic and UBL remotely — and for wealth from USD 500,000 there is TBC in Georgia.
04
Be realistic about your documents
For Turkey, UAE documents go through consular legalisation and translation — usually 2–4 weeks. For Hong Kong and China you need contracts and invoices — for real or planned deals.
05
A second channel — a bank or a platform
Reviews and temporary restrictions happen even to flawless clients. A second account — at another bank, in another country or on a payment platform — keeps your payments moving.

Choosing a country

Which country to start with — five questions

Your answers add up to a pointer, not a decision: the bank looks at the profile as a whole. If the choice isn’t obvious, we’ll go through your case in a consultation.

01Who needs the account?
02Is this your first account or an additional one?
03Where does your money come from and go to?
04Can you visit the bank in person?
05When do you need to make the first payments?

Answer the questions — we will show what fits and why.

UAE
The main account for a UAE company and a personal account for non-residents
Turkey
An account by power of attorney: lira alongside dollars, euros, dirhams and yuan
Georgia
TBC Bank: a personal account by video and a segment for private wealth
Kazakhstan
A company account at Al Safi Bank — no visit, in USD, EUR and KZT
Hong Kong
A traditional bank for trade with China and Asia
China
An NRA account at a Chinese bank — without your own company in China
Payment platform
A multi-currency account in days, with no visit — as a first or second channel

Fits

UAE

The main account for a UAE company and a personal account for non-residents

2–8 weeks

company account, from a complete file

8 banks

we work with

Remote

a company account at four banks, a personal one at Emirates Islamic and UBL

Why

A UAE company almost always needs its main account in the UAE: that is where its licence, office and residents are.
Five banks open personal accounts for non-residents without a UAE visa; Emirates Islamic and UBL do it remotely, through us.
A UAE bank account handles rent, salary and cards — and for a company, revenue and visa costs too.
Remotely, through us: a personal account at Emirates Islamic and UBL, a company account at UBL, Emirates Islamic, ADIB and DIB.

Open the page

Fits

Turkey

An account by power of attorney: lira alongside dollars, euros, dirhams and yuan

By power of attorney

at Emlak Katılım

4 banks

we work with

2–4 weeks

legalisation and translation

Why

Emlak Katılım opens accounts for non-resident companies — by power of attorney.
Emlak Katılım and VakıfBank open personal accounts for non-residents by power of attorney.
An account in Turkey is a second channel alongside a UAE account: a different country and a different banking system.
Settlements in lira call for an account in Turkey; at Emlak Katılım, lira sits alongside dollars, euros, dirhams and yuan.
Emlak Katılım opens the account by power of attorney — as a rule, you don’t need to travel to Turkey.

Open the page

Fits

Georgia

TBC Bank: a personal account by video and a segment for private wealth

By video

opening for individuals

USD 500,000

Wealth Management threshold

0.2%

outgoing SWIFT

Why

Companies from the UAE and other countries with real operations can apply to TBC’s Corporate Banking.
A personal account at TBC is opened remotely — by video identification, with no apostille and no visit.
For private wealth, TBC has Wealth Management: from USD 500,000 in total balance, with free opening and maintenance.
Individuals don’t need to visit TBC — identification is by video; for a company, the director meets the bank in person.

The Wealth Management threshold is a total balance of USD 500,000. For a smaller amount, we look at personal accounts in the UAE.

Open the page

Fits

Kazakhstan

A company account at Al Safi Bank — no visit, in USD, EUR and KZT

No visit

online application, originals by post

≈ KZT 1 million

deposit into the account

No limits

on payments, in our experience

Why

Al Safi Bank opens accounts for non-resident companies, with documents to its checklist.
Al Safi Bank is a second channel in USD or EUR alongside a UAE account — no travel and no payment limits.
Clients and suppliers in Kazakhstan are easier to pay in tenge — Al Safi Bank holds accounts in KZT, USD and EUR.
Al Safi Bank opens a company account without a visit: online application through us, originals by post.

Open the page

Fits

Hong Kong

A traditional bank for trade with China and Asia

6–8 weeks

at HSBC and Hang Seng

HKD 100,000

typical minimum balance

In person

director’s visit

Why

Hong Kong’s traditional banks prefer a local company with operations in the region.
Hong Kong is close to the Chinese banking system: yuan payments go through in a way suppliers’ banks are used to.
A director’s visit is mandatory at all five Hong Kong banks we work with.
At HSBC and Hang Seng, it usually takes 6–8 weeks from application to opening.

Open the page

Fits

China

An NRA account at a Chinese bank — without your own company in China

3–4 weeks

plus about 2 weeks for tokens

4 banks

OCBC, HSBC, Standard Chartered, Chouzhou

No visit

at OCBC, HSBC and Chouzhou

Why

OCBC and Chouzhou open NRA accounts for foreign companies — you don’t need your own company in China.
An NRA account at Chouzhou works well as a backup account in Asia.
You can pay suppliers in China from an NRA account at a Chinese bank — without your own company there.
OCBC and HSBC send the forms by courier, and Chouzhou opens the account through a representative — no need to travel to China.
An NRA account usually takes 3–4 weeks to open, and tokens about 2 more weeks.

OCBC in China expects turnover from USD 1 million a month, HSBC from USD 1 million a year. For smaller volumes, we’ll compare Chouzhou, Hong Kong and platforms.

Open the page

Fits

Payment platform

A multi-currency account in days, with no visit — as a first or second channel

3–15 days

to set up

8 platforms

to choose from

No visit

online identification

Why

We match the platform to the company’s country of registration — each has its own list of countries it accepts.
A second channel keeps you going during a review, a document request or an outage at your main bank — and a platform is set up without a visit.
Platforms with bank details from Chinese partner banks are set up in 3–7 working days, with no turnover or deposit required.
Local bank details in euros, dollars and Hong Kong dollars make it easier for clients in different countries to pay you.
Payment platforms are set up without a visit: a selfie with your documents, a photo with your passport or a video call.
A platform is set up in 3–15 days, with no bank visit.

In Hong Kong, all five banks we work with require the director to visit.

A bank review usually takes weeks. For a company, we set up a platform as the first channel and pursue the bank in parallel.

Open the page

Banks in six countries

No travel, personal or in yuan: which banks fit

Here are 21 banks in six countries — based on our practice as of October 2026. We tag a bank only when the condition is confirmed; the decision to open an account is always the bank’s.

Matching 15 / 15

Emirates NBD · ADIB · DIB

Personal account for non-residents without a UAE visa — with a bank visit

Currencies: AED, USD, EUR
Minimum balance: AED 3,000; below that — AED 26.25 a month
Manager: Yes; at Emirates NBD — possible

Emirates NBD ADIB DIB

Emirates Islamic · ADIB · DIB

Company account — remotely, through us, after a consultation with our manager

Banking: Islamic, interest-free
Basis: Our practice as of 11 November 2026; terms — at the consultation

Emirates Islamic ADIB DIB

Emirates Islamic

Personal account for non-residents — remotely, through us

Currencies: AED, USD, EUR
Minimum balance: AED 3,000 monthly average
Banking: Islamic, interest-free

Emirates Islamic

UBL

Personal and corporate accounts — remotely, through us

Currencies: AED, USD, EUR
Company account: Average balance from AED 25,000
If below minimum: AED 350–500 a month + VAT

UBL

Mashreq · RAKBANK · Banque Misr

A UAE company account at a traditional bank

Timeline: 2–8 weeks from a complete file
Opening: Interview with the signatory at a branch
Products and review: Full range of services; stricter review than at digital banks

Mashreq RAKBANK Banque Misr

Al Safi Bank

Company account with no visit: online application, originals by post

Currencies: USD, EUR, KZT
Deposit: ≈ KZT 1 million, about USD 2,300
Manager: Yes

HSBC · Hang Seng

A traditional Hong Kong account: a call, then a meeting at the bank

Timeline: 6–8 weeks
Minimum balance: Typically HKD 100,000
Application: HK$1,300; an overseas company — from HK$10,000

HSBC Hang Seng Bank

OCBC · CITIC · DBS

Hong Kong company and personal accounts — with a link to China or Asia

Opening: Director’s personal visit only
Threshold: OCBC — HKD 100,000, DBS — from HKD 1 million
CITIC: Insurance product: USD 20,000 a year for 5 years

OCBC CITIC Bank International DBS

OCBC China

NRA account with no link to China or Asia — forms by DHL

Timeline: 3–4 weeks, tokens — about 2 more weeks
Turnover: From USD 1 million a month
Deposit: Not required

OCBC

HSBC China

NRA account for a company with a link to China or Asia

Turnover: From USD 1 million a year
Online banking: 200 RMB a month
Payments: 0.1%; outgoing — minimum 100 RMB

HSBC

Standard Chartered

NRA and FTN — with an affiliated company in China over a year old

Opening: Director’s personal visit only
Turnover: From USD 2 million a year
Yuan: No NRA account in CNY

Standard Chartered

Zhejiang Chouzhou

NRA through a representative — account on the day of the visit

Opening: Director’s video KYC; a representative goes to the bank
Required: Director’s personal seal, 2 Chinese SIM cards
Yuan and personal account: Only with a visit

Chouzhou

Emlak Katılım

Account by power of attorney — for UAE companies and individuals

Currencies: TRY, USD, EUR, AED, CNY
Documents: Consular legalisation and sworn translation
Does not serve: Alcohol, cigarettes, precious metals

Emlak Katılım

VakıfBank

Mainly personal accounts and cards, by power of attorney

Currencies: TRY, USD, EUR
Companies: Opens accounts, but with a demanding review
Manager: Yes

VakıfBank

TBC Bank

Personal account by video; companies — the director meets the bank

Currencies: USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, AED and others
Wealth Management: From USD 500,000 in total balance
SWIFT: Incoming — 0, outgoing — 0.2%

FAQ

Expert answers

Elizaveta Germash — Bank accounts

No. The decision is the bank’s, and it doesn’t have to explain a rejection. We work on what can be controlled: we pick a bank that suits your profile, put together a consistent file and prepare you for the interview. That noticeably improves your chances and saves time on applications that never stood a chance.