Opening a Bank account
Jan 27th 2011, 10:54 pm
#1
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Joined: Dec 2010
Location: McHot Sandland
Posts: 73
Opening a Bank account
Hello - as the time is drawing ever closer to moving I need to open a bank account in Dubai.
For some reason my Payroll is moving to Dubai March 1st and I will be out end of month early April due to projects that have to be completed here.
I do have to head over mid Feb to find a house car etc... so what documents must I have to get an account, and for that matter, a place to live, a car in the few days I will be there.
Thanks
Z
For some reason my Payroll is moving to Dubai March 1st and I will be out end of month early April due to projects that have to be completed here.
I do have to head over mid Feb to find a house car etc... so what documents must I have to get an account, and for that matter, a place to live, a car in the few days I will be there.
Thanks
Z
Jan 28th 2011, 2:01 am
#2
hmmmm...nice
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 27,923
Re: Opening a Bank account
there's not much you can do without your residency visa which you won't get until you have properly moved to Dubai.
Unless you are planning on doing some villa or flat share, you will need your visa to rent a property. You will also need it to get your utilities connected.
If you are thinking of buying a car, you will need your visa as well in order to be issued with a Dubai driving license.
You can open a bank account but not at every bank I think, and there will be some restrictions as to what you can do with it. Most people come over and stay in a hotel or serviced apartments for the first few weeks while all the paperwork is being sorted out.
Unless you are planning on doing some villa or flat share, you will need your visa to rent a property. You will also need it to get your utilities connected.
If you are thinking of buying a car, you will need your visa as well in order to be issued with a Dubai driving license.
You can open a bank account but not at every bank I think, and there will be some restrictions as to what you can do with it. Most people come over and stay in a hotel or serviced apartments for the first few weeks while all the paperwork is being sorted out.
Jan 28th 2011, 4:56 pm
#3
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2010
Location: McHot Sandland
Posts: 73
Re: Opening a Bank account
there's not much you can do without your residency visa which you won't get until you have properly moved to Dubai.
Unless you are planning on doing some villa or flat share, you will need your visa to rent a property. You will also need it to get your utilities connected.
If you are thinking of buying a car, you will need your visa as well in order to be issued with a Dubai driving license.
You can open a bank account but not at every bank I think, and there will be some restrictions as to what you can do with it. Most people come over and stay in a hotel or serviced apartments for the first few weeks while all the paperwork is being sorted out.
Unless you are planning on doing some villa or flat share, you will need your visa to rent a property. You will also need it to get your utilities connected.
If you are thinking of buying a car, you will need your visa as well in order to be issued with a Dubai driving license.
You can open a bank account but not at every bank I think, and there will be some restrictions as to what you can do with it. Most people come over and stay in a hotel or serviced apartments for the first few weeks while all the paperwork is being sorted out.
Thanks MataHari
Work are sorting out my Visa as a work long term visa or something like that. I should have it soon. Will I also need things like proof of work, earnings etc..?
Jan 28th 2011, 5:17 pm
#4
Perky but sarky
Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Limboland
Posts: 608
Re: Opening a Bank account
Someone from the bank came to our office and sorted the forms. You have to get a letter of no objection from your employer for the account and another for a credit card - although my bank wanted to wait until the probation period was up for that or indeed any loan.
My company paid out in cash if accounts weren't ready for the first pay day - which mine wasn't.
You really can't do much without that magical little visa in your passport: how quickly you get it depends on your company's pro. Before I came here my friend told me to hire a car with my international licence as soon as i got here. I didn't - was getting transport gir the first week. Of course hr took my passport the first day To start the visa process and bang went my chance of getting a car. As soon as you have your visa you have to get a UAE license. It took me a just over month to get it all sorted. Those first six weeks were reall hard: the most frustrating and depressing time for me here.
After that it's all plain sailing. Until it... errr.... isn't.
My company paid out in cash if accounts weren't ready for the first pay day - which mine wasn't.
You really can't do much without that magical little visa in your passport: how quickly you get it depends on your company's pro. Before I came here my friend told me to hire a car with my international licence as soon as i got here. I didn't - was getting transport gir the first week. Of course hr took my passport the first day To start the visa process and bang went my chance of getting a car. As soon as you have your visa you have to get a UAE license. It took me a just over month to get it all sorted. Those first six weeks were reall hard: the most frustrating and depressing time for me here.
After that it's all plain sailing. Until it... errr.... isn't.
Jan 30th 2011, 3:41 pm
#5
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Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2010
Location: McHot Sandland
Posts: 73
Re: Opening a Bank account
Someone from the bank came to our office and sorted the forms. You have to get a letter of no objection from your employer for the account and another for a credit card - although my bank wanted to wait until the probation period was up for that or indeed any loan.
My company paid out in cash if accounts weren't ready for the first pay day - which mine wasn't.
You really can't do much without that magical little visa in your passport: how quickly you get it depends on your company's pro. Before I came here my friend told me to hire a car with my international licence as soon as i got here. I didn't - was getting transport gir the first week. Of course hr took my passport the first day To start the visa process and bang went my chance of getting a car. As soon as you have your visa you have to get a UAE license. It took me a just over month to get it all sorted. Those first six weeks were reall hard: the most frustrating and depressing time for me here.
After that it's all plain sailing. Until it... errr.... isn't.
My company paid out in cash if accounts weren't ready for the first pay day - which mine wasn't.
You really can't do much without that magical little visa in your passport: how quickly you get it depends on your company's pro. Before I came here my friend told me to hire a car with my international licence as soon as i got here. I didn't - was getting transport gir the first week. Of course hr took my passport the first day To start the visa process and bang went my chance of getting a car. As soon as you have your visa you have to get a UAE license. It took me a just over month to get it all sorted. Those first six weeks were reall hard: the most frustrating and depressing time for me here.
After that it's all plain sailing. Until it... errr.... isn't.
That makes sense - so it is not worth me coming out to rent, buy a car, open an account until I get my Visa. I will have to ask HR to hurry along so I can come out in Feb to get everything sorted ready for April when Mrs Z wants to head on out
Cheers
Z
Jan 30th 2011, 3:45 pm
#6
hmmmm...nice
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 27,923
Re: Opening a Bank account
it's not possible to do these things without a visa, so therefore it's not worth it...you can come out for a look-see type visit, see which area you'd like to live, maybe look at a few properties to get an idea of what is available within your budget, but that's about it.
Jan 30th 2011, 5:51 pm
#7
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2010
Location: McHot Sandland
Posts: 73
Re: Opening a Bank account
it's not possible to do these things without a visa, so therefore it's not worth it...you can come out for a look-see type visit, see which area you'd like to live, maybe look at a few properties to get an idea of what is available within your budget, but that's about it.
Cheers - I will wait until my Visa comes through then take it from there
Thanks
Z
Jan 30th 2011, 9:31 pm
#8
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2010
Location: En route to Abu Dhabi
Posts: 7
Re: Opening a Bank account
Hi Zaaboot,
I'm in a similar position to you. What I did to speed things along was to set up a Dhirams account with HSBC International, It took about a week to set up, but quite painless and no need for silly amounts to set up the account. (I was already an HSBC account holder here in the UK.
I'm in a similar position to you. What I did to speed things along was to set up a Dhirams account with HSBC International, It took about a week to set up, but quite painless and no need for silly amounts to set up the account. (I was already an HSBC account holder here in the UK.
Jan 30th 2011, 9:43 pm
#9
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2010
Location: McHot Sandland
Posts: 73
Re: Opening a Bank account
Hi Zaaboot,
I'm in a similar position to you. What I did to speed things along was to set up a Dhirams account with HSBC International, It took about a week to set up, but quite painless and no need for silly amounts to set up the account. (I was already an HSBC account holder here in the UK.
I'm in a similar position to you. What I did to speed things along was to set up a Dhirams account with HSBC International, It took about a week to set up, but quite painless and no need for silly amounts to set up the account. (I was already an HSBC account holder here in the UK.
Legend! I am at HSBC so will go and do the same thing for now.
But will keep pressing work to get my paper work ready
Thanks Muchly
