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Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB)

Bank account opening

ADIB account for non-residents: terms, fees and documents

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank opens Sharia-compliant savings accounts for non-residents — with a branch visit and a personal manager. The balance here is counted for every day, not on average: that’s the key thing to know before opening.

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AED 3,000
Minimum for every day — from the second month
AED 25
Transfer abroad in the app, plus VAT
1.99%
Card purchase in another currency
Branch visit
Opening — at a branch, with your original passport

Other banks in the UAE

Emirates NBDEmirates IslamicDubai Islamic Bank (DIB)United Bank Limited (UBL)MashreqRAKBANKBanque Misr
All banks in the UAE

In short

ADIB opens Sharia-compliant savings accounts for non-residents, with a branch visit. The key condition is a daily balance of AED 3,000 from the second month: a single day below it costs AED 25 plus VAT; a transfer abroad in the app is also AED 25 plus VAT.

Checked 18 October 2026 · Elizaveta Germash

Cost of a mistake

AED 25 + VAT

What the bank charges for the month if the balance dips below AED 3,000 on even one day: at ADIB the threshold is daily, not an average.

How to avoid it

At ADIB what matters is not the average balance but every day

At Emirates NBD, Emirates Islamic and DIB the threshold is measured by the monthly average balance. At ADIB — by the daily balance: if on any day of the month the account holds less than AED 3,000, the bank charges AED 25 plus VAT.

  • First month — no threshold

    In the month of opening there is no balance requirement. Opened before the 20th — the threshold applies from the 2nd month, after the 20th — from the 3rd.

  • Savings only

    A non-resident gets Savings or Ghina Savings under . The bank lists current account requirements only for UAE nationals and residents.

  • Compliance decides

    A non-resident needs an original passport; everything else is at the request of Group Compliance. If the bank declines, it tells the client the reason.

  • Profit — from AED 5,000

    The return on the account is a share of profit, not interest. To qualify, the minimum monthly balance must be at least AED 5,000.

Expert tip

Keep a buffer above AED 3,000: one debit that takes the balance below the threshold for even a day means a fee for the month. For amounts from AED 10,000 the bank has a Short Term Investment account.
Elizaveta GermashElizaveta GermashLawyer · Bank accounts

Bank profile

ADIB: all about a non-resident’s personal account

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank

Islamic bank in Abu Dhabi · personal accounts for non-residents

  • Savings account
  • Branch visit
  • Daily balance
  • Personal manager
Open to
Non-residents — Savings, Ghina Savings and Short Term Investment; a current account — UAE nationals and residents
Opening
With a branch visit, with your original passport
Currencies
AED, USD and GBP — per the bank’s website; a card — AED only
Balance
1st month — no threshold, then AED 3,000 every day
Model
Islamic bank: a share of profit if the minimum monthly balance is at least AED 5,000
Personal manager
Yes
Limits
Depend on the transaction type and the package; Classic card — up to AED 25,000 in cash and AED 30,000 in purchases a day

Opening, manager and limits — based on our practice as of October 2026; fees and requirements — ADIB Personal Accounts KFS (V11, April 2026), Banking Services and Tariff Board (V66, October 2026) and the Savings Account page on the bank’s website; checked 18 October 2026. The decision to open the account rests with the bank.

Who it suits

Who it suits — and when to choose something else

A good fit if

  1. 01You need a personal UAE account without a residence visa — and you’re ready to visit a branch.
  2. 02You want the account to work under Sharia rules.
  3. 03You’ll send transfers abroad from the app: AED 25 plus VAT per transfer instead of AED 100 at a branch.
  4. 04You’ll pay by card abroad: for a purchase in another currency the bank charges 1.99%.
  5. 05Your balance never drops below AED 3,000 on any day of the month.

Consider something else if

  1. 01You can’t travel to the UAE — you need an account without a visit.Emirates Islamic
  2. 02Your balance often dips below AED 3,000 on some days: a bank that measures the threshold on average suits you better.DIB
  3. 03You need a company account: at ADIB we open it remotely, through us, after a consultation with our manager.UAE
  4. 04You need a current account with a chequebook — the bank opens it for UAE nationals and residents.Visas

Comparison

Three Islamic banks: what changes for a non-resident

All three open an interest-free personal savings account for non-residents with an AED 3,000 threshold. The difference is in how the balance is counted and what transfers and the card cost. Fees follow the banks’ documents, checked 18 October 2026.

Opening

With a visit

How the balance is counted

Every day

AED 3,000 from the 2nd month

Online transfer abroad

AED 25 + VAT

Account currencies

AED, USD, GBP

per the bank’s website

Benefits

What you get

A balance without surprises

We work out what buffer to keep above AED 3,000 for your spending, so the daily threshold doesn’t cost you AED 25 a month.

A file built for ADIB compliance

Officially a non-resident needs an original passport, and compliance asks for the rest. We prepare the source of funds and statements in advance so requests don’t drag out the opening.

Preparing for the visit

The application form, tax self-certification and answers about future transactions are ready before the trip — at the branch it’s just signing and checking originals.

The right account for the job

Savings or Ghina Savings — for payments, STI — for amounts from AED 10,000: we’ll tell you what fits and where the restrictions are.

Support after opening

We help you answer bank requests and keep the account within the declared profile, so there are no restrictions.

Let’s discuss the details

Is your buffer above the daily threshold enough?

Tell us how much will be in the account and how often you’ll spend. We’ll work out how to avoid the fall-below fee and check your documents for ADIB before the trip.

Process

6 steps from the first conversation to the result

Every step is visible in the client portal: what’s happening now and whether we need anything from you.

Steps on your side: 3 of 6

We handle it · 2Needed from you · 3Bank · 1

  1. Why you need the account, what amounts and how often you’ll spend — this decides whether your buffer above the AED 3,000 daily threshold is enough.

Documents

What you’ll need

Non-resident — personal account

  • Valid passport — original
  • Documents on income and source of funds — at compliance’s request
  • Statements from your bank — at compliance’s request
  • FATCA/CRS tax self-certification — we fill it in together with the application form

UAE resident — personal account

  • Original
  • Passport — original or a copy signed by you
  • Residence visa in the passport — original or a copy signed by you; except for GCC residents

Joint account

  • Original passports of all holders
  • All holders come to the branch

Timing and budget

What makes up the budget

Amounts follow the bank’s KFS (V11, April 2026) and the Banking Services and Tariff Board (V66, October 2026); 5% VAT is added to the fees. Indicative as of October 2026; the bank has the final say.

  • Daily balanceDepends onAED 3,000 every day from the 2nd month, from the 3rd if the account was opened after the 20th.WhenMonthly
  • Fall-below feeDepends onAED 25 plus VAT — for a month in which the daily balance fell below AED 3,000 even once. Not charged if the account is linked to active financing with the bank.WhenMonthly
  • Closing the accountDepends onWithin the first 6 months — AED 100 plus VAT: the cooling-off period does not apply on opening.WhenOn closing
  • Transfers abroadDepends onIn the app and internet banking — AED 25, at a branch — AED 100; plus VAT and correspondent bank fees.WhenPer transaction
  • Incoming in foreign currencyDepends onSHA or BEN: up to AED 500 — free, up to AED 1,000 — 37.5, up to AED 1,500 — 50, above — 75, plus VAT. OUR and dirhams — free.WhenPer transaction
  • CardDepends onThe first one is free, replacement — AED 25. A purchase in another currency — 1.99% on top of the exchange rate and the Visa fee, paying abroad in dirhams — 2.75%; a withdrawal at another bank’s ATM in the UAE — AED 2.WhenPer transaction
  • File preparation and supportDepends onOur work: profile review, documents, the application form, preparing for the visit, answers to bank requests.WhenAt the start
  • Trip to the UAEDepends onThe account is opened during a branch visit — budget for the flight and time in the UAE.WhenFor the visit

The first six months

What ADIB counts and when after opening

The threshold, fees and closing are tied to the opening date — here is how they fall across the first six months. Amounts are plus 5% VAT.

0123456months since the account was opened

Month of opening

No threshold yet

There is no balance requirement in the first month. The cooling-off period does not apply — you waive it on opening.

2nd month

Daily threshold of AED 3,000

If the account was opened before the 20th. One day below the threshold — AED 25 for the month.

3rd month

Threshold for accounts opened after the 20th

Opened the account after the 20th — the daily threshold starts to apply from this month.

End of the 6th month

End of the paid-closure period

Until this date, closing the account costs AED 100.

Every month

  • Every day of the month

    Balance not below AED 3,000

    Otherwise — AED 25 for the month. Not charged if the account is linked to active financing with the bank.

  • 1st of the following month

    Profit for the month

    If the minimum monthly balance is at least AED 5,000; the amount of profit is not guaranteed.

On an event

  • 3 years without transactions

    The account becomes dormant

    Counted from the client’s last transaction on the account.

  • Incoming foreign-currency transfer

    Crediting fee

    With the SHA or BEN option above AED 500 — from AED 37.5 to 75 depending on the amount.

Getting it right

Common mistakes — and how to avoid them

Click a card to see how to do it right · 0 of 6 open

  1. 01 What people often do

    Assuming the threshold is “on average”, as at other banks.

  2. 02 What people often do

    Ignoring the opening date.

  3. 03 What people often do

    Sending transfers abroad through a branch.

  4. 04 What people often do

    Expecting profit on a small balance.

  5. 05 What people often do

    Closing the account after a month or two.

  6. 06 What people often do

    Leaving the account without transactions.

FAQ

Expert answers

Elizaveta Germash — Bank accounts

In our practice, no: a non-resident opens an ADIB account during a branch visit. Without a trip, you can open a personal account with Emirates Islamic or UBL — remotely, through us.

Elizaveta Germash · Bank accounts

Sources

  1. ADIB — Personal Accounts Key Facts Statement (V11, April 2026)
  2. ADIB — Banking Services and Tariff Board
  3. ADIB — Savings Account

Deadlines, amounts and rules are based on these sources as of the check date. Rules change: check with us before deciding.

Often goes with this

What else you may need

Bank Accounts

DIB

Islamic bank in Dubai: the same AED 3,000 threshold, but as a monthly average; the account is opened with no initial deposit.

Bank Accounts

Emirates Islamic

An Islamic bank without a trip: a personal account for non-residents — remotely, through us.

Company Registration

Mainland

Mainland company: an operating business with an office and local contracts — a profile banks understand for a company account.

Next step

Going to open an account with ADIB?

Tell us why you need the account, where the money comes from and how you’ll use it. We’ll put together a file for the bank’s review, prepare you for the visit and work out a balance that avoids the fall-below fee.

Elizaveta GermashElizaveta GermashLawyer · Bank accounts
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