Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

Good day all,

I'll be coming to Dubai next month for a 2 year stint and I have been looking into local Dubai bank accounts. I am currently with HSBC and Barclays in the UK.

Are there any recommendations? My requirements are:

- internet banking
- credit card
- low fees (especially as I will be transferring 50% of my salary into Dubai every month from the UK).

Are any of the "frills" worth going for? For example, Masreq Bank offers AAA membership and airport lounge access for a fee...
I am not so bothered about loyaty points or airmile promos.

Thanks all !

There's a Lloyds TSB out in Dubai and they provide an internet banking service. I'm not sure about the other features though.

Check their website at www.lloydstsb.ae

Ross

I hold Gold Payroll account from NBD so far I have no issue with the service.

- Internet banking for bills payment & outward remittance (100 AED fee, no amount limit, to any bank in the world)
- Free for life Gold credit cards
- No minimum balance
- No administration fee

And my friend has HSBC account in Dubai. The remittance fee is lower (80 AED), but there's minimum balance and annual fee for credit card. There's an option to open "Status" account with no fee for once a month transfer and other benefits, but you'll be charged monthly fee of 70 AED.

what ever you do, dont go for Mashreq and ABN Amro...heard some horror stories about them...

I am with Mebank...not that great either... Get used to bad or almost non-existent customer service..and you have to call them, people dont call you in Dubai...

just opened an account with Dubai Islamic Bank. So far so good. Has internet banking, mobile phone banking and phonebanking.

Good customer service, simple and straight forward.

Have not explore other products from them though, although some of their financing products look good.

I bank with HSBC in Dubai and have no trouble with them at all. The service is pretty much the same as in the UK, the bonus is that I get is airmiles when I use my credit card and a pre-approved loan to purchase a car. Hope it helps.