Meow

Are you leaving Dubai? If so I have an article that might be useful to you.

Big_Show

Doha actually. But the same paranoia applies I reckon

Thanks for the offer though

ScottJ1987

A good read and useful info for a new guy coming to the GCC as I will one day be leaving!

DXBtoDOH

Update:

My bank is Emirates NBD. Contrary to Norsk's experience Emirates told me it would be forty-five working days, not four to five working days (I had them repeat it to me multiple times) to cancel the credit card, and only when the credit card is cancelled will they close down the actual bank account. If you are out of the country you can send a letter to your home bank branch (where you opened the account) formally asking to close down the bank account and they will do that in 3 working days and presumably transfer the remaining money to your other bank accounts.

I'm a bit annoyed as Norsk in another thread confirmed he had his accounts closed within the week, including the credit cards. Not sure why mine is a different case given that I have no credit balance.

norsk

I'm obviously special

The only thing I can think of is that I was a premier customer although why that would make a difference when closing your accounts I cannot imagine..

Millhouse

On reading this thread, I decided to check in on a ENBD account I had but wasn't using.

ENBD closed it automatically a amonth ago - after 2 years idle with zero money in - as it failed the KYC checks. i.e. no valid Emirates ID on it, so they closed it.

DXBtoDOH

Norsk, what branch did you bank with?

I'm going to try a different branch tomorrow and see what the response is.

Mill, didn't Emirates charge you for having below minimum balance? My account had a 5k minimum balance and below that I would be docked 25 AED a month (which is going to happen to me for the next two months).

norsk

I never went to 'my' branch actually, but it was apparently in the data building in Deira. The branch I cancelled everything through was Dubai Marina Mall.

Minimum balance fee? I didn't have that on my account..

Millhouse

No, they didn't.

It's been idle and empty for just over two years. Zero balance the whole time.

Emirates ID expired around 2 years ago and was never loaded in. They closed it automatically in december 2016. No charges.

mission

with HSBC I think you have to have a minimum balance of AED 250k and a minimum salary of AED 50k to be credited to the account on a monthly basis.

DXBtoDOH

Update:

Spoke to a friendly Filipina at the ENBD branch at Dubai Mall. Gave her my sob story and further explained that I knew of others who had closed their accounts in just a week.

She checked my credit card closure status and said that it should be cancelled within 5 or so working days from the first day, in other words, in 2-3 more working days the card should be cancelled. Either Thursday or early next week at the latest.

Who knows why the other ENBD branch told me a different story. The broad there was very insistent it would take forty-five working days.

The Filipina did confirm that the bank wouldn't start closing down the bank account till the credit card was formally cancelled but I should be able to start that process early next week.

norsk

And?

Meow made my nervous so I emailed my old relationship manager to ask her the status of my cards and account and she has confirmed by email that everything is closed.

The 45 day wait to see if there are pending transactions is complete bollocks anyway. A credit card transaction consists of 2 steps (authorisation and settlement). Without the first there cannot be the second so unless there are pending authorisations on the card there is no way there can be charges coming that they would be liable to pay. Surely they close the card on their systems the moment you cancel in which case further authorisations would be declined.

Millhouse

quite sure it is "or"

Meow

I make a lot of people nervous. I'm good at that.

Better safe than sorry though.

Notnewtome

Good luck with getting a confirmation letter. I will be amazed if a bank will supply one.

Closure processes vary from bank to bank, and can be haphazard, with conflicting advice given.

I work in banking, so I know :-)