GOFIRM
United Bank Limited (UBL)

Bank account opening

UBL account in the UAE: for companies and individuals — remotely, through us

UBL is a Pakistani bank that has operated in the UAE since 1967, with seven branches in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. It opens accounts for both companies and individuals, including non-residents — we submit the application remotely, on your behalf. A company account needs an average balance from AED 25,000, in AED, USD, EUR or GBP.

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AED 25,000
Average balance on a business account — it determines the package
Remotely
We submit company and individual applications through us
AED 100,000
Average balance on a non-resident’s personal account
4 currencies
AED, USD, EUR and GBP on a business account

Other banks in the UAE

Emirates NBDEmirates IslamicAbu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB)Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB)MashreqRAKBANKBanque Misr
All banks in the UAE

In short

UBL opens accounts for both companies and individuals, including non-residents — we submit the application remotely, through us. A business account needs an average balance from AED 25,000, in AED, USD, EUR or GBP; a non-resident’s personal account — from AED 100,000.

Checked 4 November 2026 · Elizaveta Germash

Cost of a mistake

AED 500

What UBL charges if a copy of the renewed licence isn’t sent within 30 days of the old one expiring; AED 250 on the Corporate package.

How to avoid it

A UAE company account without travelling — through UBL

UBL opens both corporate and personal accounts remotely, through us — including for non-residents. The entry threshold is the average balance: from AED 25,000 for a UAE company and from AED 100,000 for a non-resident — individual or company.

  • Three business packages

    Business Current — from AED 25,000, Business Advantage — from AED 50,000 and with a personal manager, Corporate — from AED 100,000. The balance is counted as a month-to-date average.

  • Freezone and mainland

    The bank opens accounts for sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs and free zone companies — . The decision rests with UBL’s .

  • Emirates ID — on the bank’s list

    UBL asks for the passports and Emirates IDs of signatories, partners and beneficial owners. If there are no residence visas, we confirm the submission format with the bank in advance.

  • For non-residents — a savings account

    The bank keeps current accounts for UAE residents only. A non-resident gets a savings account: AED, USD, EUR or GBP, a Visa card, no chequebook.

Expert tip

Renewed the licence? Send a copy to the bank straight away. If UBL doesn’t receive it within 30 days after the old one expires, it charges AED 500, or AED 250 on the Corporate package.
Elizaveta GermashElizaveta GermashLawyer · Bank accounts

Bank dossier

UBL in the UAE: terms, tariffs and restrictions

United Bank Limited (UBL)

United Bank Limited (UBL)

Pakistani bank in the UAE since 1967 · 7 branches in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah

  • Companies and individuals
  • Remotely, through us
  • AED · USD · EUR · GBP
  • From AED 25,000
Open to
Sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs and free zone companies
Opening
Remotely, through us; the bank’s website describes opening via a branch
Currencies
Business Current — AED, USD, EUR, GBP; Business Advantage — AED
Balance
From AED 25,000 to AED 100,000 — depending on the package, as a month-to-date average
Personal manager
Dedicated — on Business Advantage; in our practice clients have one
Online banking
Digital Corporate Portal: transfers within the UAE, bulk payments within UBL, requests to the bank
Card
Debit, free — if one signatory operates the account
Limits
By transfer type: the bank sets them and may change them
For business
Letters of credit, guarantees, overdrafts, escrow accounts, WPS payroll

Opening — based on our practice as of October 2026; tariffs and requirements — per UBL UAE KFS and schedules of charges (for individuals — from October 2026, for companies — from 1 January 2026), checked on 18 October 2026. Amounts exclude 5% VAT. The bank decides whether to open the account.

Who it suits

Who it suits — and when to choose something else

A good fit if

  1. 01You need a company account without travelling to the UAE — we submit the application remotely, on your behalf.
  2. 02The company is a mainland LLC, partnership or sole proprietorship, or a free zone company — .
  3. 03You can keep from AED 25,000 on a monthly average — or from AED 50,000 for a personal manager.
  4. 04You need accounts in AED, USD, EUR and GBP at one bank.
  5. 05You need a personal account as a non-resident, and it will hold from AED 100,000.
  6. 06You will need letters of credit, guarantees or an escrow account — UBL offers trade finance for companies.

Consider something else if

  1. 01You are not ready to keep AED 25,000 in the company account: below the threshold UBL charges AED 350–500 a month.UAE
  2. 02You need a personal account as a non-resident, but the account won’t hold AED 100,000.Emirates Islamic
  3. 03An individual without a residence visa needs a current account with a chequebook — UBL keeps those for UAE residents only.
  4. 04There is no company yet: the bank needs a licence, articles and a resolution on signatories.Freezone

Benefits

What you get

A package for your balance

We compare Business Current, Business Advantage and Corporate against your turnover: threshold, shortfall fee, cost of transfers.

Applying without travelling

Documents, the questionnaire and bank requests go through us and the client portal. The bank interview is also held remotely.

A file built on UBL’s list

We collect exactly what the bank asks for: licence, articles, board resolution on signatories, passports and Emirates IDs, beneficial owner details.

The format, agreed in advance

If the signatories have no residence visas, we confirm with the bank how to submit the documents — before the file goes to compliance.

A story that adds up

Business activity, counterparties, turnover and tell one story. We remove inconsistencies before applying.

The account after opening, too

We remind you when to send the bank the renewed licence and update documents — so you don’t pay a penalty or face restrictions.

Let’s discuss the details

Which UBL package suits your company?

Tell us the expected balance, turnover and payment countries — we will work out where fees are lower: Business Current, Business Advantage or Corporate.

Process

7 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 7

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

  1. We look at the business, the owners, payment countries and the expected balance. We choose the UBL package and assess the risks through the bank’s eyes.

Documents

What to prepare for UBL — for your case

Information

Documents

Ready

0 / 13

The list follows UBL UAE’s KFS; the bank may ask for additional documents. The bank’s documents have no separate list for a non-resident individual — we request one for your case before applying. Documents not in English or Arabic need a translation.

Timing and budget

What makes up the budget

The UBL budget is mainly the money kept in the account and transfer fees. Tariffs follow the bank’s schedules of charges, indicative as of October 2026; amounts exclude 5% VAT, the bank has the final say.

  • Minimum average balanceDepends onCompany: Business Current — AED 25,000, Business Advantage — AED 50,000, Corporate — AED 100,000. Individual — AED 3,000. A non-resident individual — from AED 100,000 under the bank’s tariff; a foreign company — also from AED 100,000, in our experience. Counted as a month-to-date average.WhenMonthly
  • Shortfall feeDepends onCompanies — AED 500 a month on Business Current and Corporate, AED 350 on Business Advantage. Individuals — AED 25 a month, and the bank may move the account to a basic package.WhenMonthly
  • Account serviceDepends onFree under the tariffs from 1 January 2026: account maintenance, chequebooks, the company debit card, Digital Corporate Portal, e-statements.When—
  • Transfers abroadDepends onCompanies: a regular transfer, not trade-related, — free; through the Digital Corporate Portal — AED 100 on Business Current and Business Advantage, free on Corporate; trade-related — AED 150–200. Correspondent bank charges — AED 100–125, if any.WhenPer transaction
  • Closing within the first 6 monthsDepends onAED 200 for a company, AED 100 for an individual. That is why we choose the bank before applying, not by trial and error.WhenOn closing
  • File preparation and supportDepends onOur work: profile review, choice of package, file and questionnaire, interview preparation, replies to the bank’s requests. The scope depends on the structure.WhenAt the start of work
  • Translation and legalisation of documentsDepends onIf a shareholder is a foreign company or documents were issued in a language other than English or Arabic. Depends on the number of documents and the issuing country.WhenBefore applying to the bank

After opening

What UBL expects from you after the account opens

Deadlines and fees — per UBL UAE KFS and schedules of charges, indicative as of October 2026; amounts exclude 5% VAT.

0123456789101112months from account opening

Opening day

Account opened

From this month the bank counts the month-to-date average balance. You connect the Digital Corporate Portal and the card.

End of the month

First balance check

The sum of daily balances divided by the number of days in the month must not fall below the package threshold.

If missed: AED 500 — Business Current and Corporate, AED 350 — Business Advantage

Up to 6 months

Closing — for a fee

If you close the account earlier, the bank charges a fee.

If missed: AED 200 for a company, AED 100 for an individual

Every month

  • All month

    Average balance

    Business Current — AED 25,000, Business Advantage — AED 50,000, Corporate — AED 100,000; a non-resident’s account — AED 100,000.

    If missed: companies — AED 350–500 a month, individuals — AED 25

  • Within 30 days

    Statement reconciliation

    The bank accepts statement discrepancies within 30 days.

Every year

  • 30 days after the licence expires

    Renewed licence to the bank

    We send the new trade licence copy to UBL right after renewal.

    If missed: AED 500; AED 250 on the Corporate package

On event

  • Passport, visa, Emirates ID, address or tax status has changed

    Update your details with the bank

    UBL requires up-to-date documents and contact details throughout the relationship.

    If missed: account restrictions

  • An error in tax details

    Correct the self-certification

    Your tax status and details at the bank must be accurate — we fill in the self-certification together with the questionnaire.

    If missed: Central Bank fine of up to AED 20,000

  • 4 returned cheques within 12 months

    Bounced cheques

    A cheque returned for insufficient funds — AED 250 each for a company.

    If missed: account closure and blacklisting under Central Bank rules

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

    Taking Business Advantage “to grow into” while keeping less than AED 50,000 in the account.

  2. 02 What people often do

    Renewing the licence and forgetting to tell the bank.

  3. 03 What people often do

    Counting on a non-resident personal account with an AED 3,000 threshold.

  4. 04 What people often do

    Expecting a debit card on a company account with two signatures.

  5. 05 What people often do

    Opening an account “as a trial” and closing it a couple of months later.

  6. 06 What people often do

    Not updating the passport, visa or Emirates ID with the bank after a replacement.

FAQ

Expert answers

Elizaveta Germash — Bank accounts

Yes, through us — for both companies and individuals. The bank’s website describes opening via a branch, so we confirm the format for your profile with UBL before applying. We prepare the documents, questionnaire and replies to compliance together, and the interview is held remotely.

Elizaveta Germash · Bank accounts

Sources

  1. UBL — about us
  2. UBL — news on its UAE presence since 1967
  3. UBL UAE — branch and ATM locator
  4. UBL UAE — business current account
  5. UBL UAE — Key Facts Statement for business entities
  6. UBL UAE — 2026 corporate Schedule of Charges: summary of changes
  7. UBL UAE — Key Facts Statement for individual accounts
  8. UBL UAE — Schedule of Charges for individuals (October 2026)

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

Emirates Islamic

A personal account for non-residents, also without travelling, through us, with an AED 3,000 threshold — if AED 100,000 at UBL doesn’t suit you.

Bank Accounts

RAKBANK

If the owners are UAE residents: RAKstarter with no minimum balance or a business account from AED 25,000 — a second account as a backup.

Company Registration

Freezone

There is no company yet: a free zone licence, articles and an establishment card — what UBL asks for in the account file.

Next step

Will your company suit UBL?

Tell us about the business, the owners and the expected turnover. We will say which UBL package fits and what to strengthen in the file, and prepare a remote application.

Elizaveta GermashElizaveta GermashLawyer · Bank accounts
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