How to close the UAE bank accounts you no longer need
Close linked cards and loans first, move your balance out, then request the closure the way your bank takes it: in the app at FAB, ADCB and HSBC, in the app or at a branch at Emirates NBD, and at a branch at Emirates Islamic and Dubai Islamic Bank. Ask for a closure confirmation and a no-liability letter. Central Bank rules give the bank 7 business days.
- When
- 2 weeks to 8 days before your flight
- Time
- 30 min to 1 hour per bank
- Cost
- Free at most banks once the account is six months old; AED 100 to 105 before that. A no-liability letter can cost up to AED 60.
Find your bankEmirates NBD, FAB, ADCB and 4 more: how each one does it, with its own page.
Have ready
- Emirates ID
- Cards and chequebooks
How to do it
- Settle and close linked cards and loans first. A card can take up to 45 days, so that step starts earlier.
- Cancel direct debits and standing orders, and get back or replace any cheque you have written that has not been cashed, such as rent or security cheques.
- Download your statements. Most banks remove the online history once the account is closed.
- Transfer the balance to the account you are keeping or abroad. Banks only close an account with a zero balance.
- Request the closure the way your bank takes it: see your bank below. Under Central Bank rules the bank must acknowledge it in writing within 2 business days and close the account within 7.
- Ask for the closure confirmation and a no-liability letter. The bank must hand over closure documents by the 8th business day.
- Return or destroy cards and unused cheques.
How each bank closes an account
Taken from each bank’s own page. Apps change: if a menu has moved, follow the bank’s page.
Emirates NBD
In the ENBD X app or at a branch. The balance must be zero. Free after six months, AED 100 before. Nobody else can close it for you. If you are already abroad, its page says you can ask by email.
FAB
Only in the FAB Mobile app. Since 1 October 2025 (1 November for FAB Islamic) the bank takes account closure requests there and nowhere else. Keep the app working on your phone until the account is closed.
ADCB
In the ADCB Mobile Banking app: Accounts, choose the account, Service Requests, Request Account Closure. The balance must be zero. You confirm with a one-time password, and ADCB reviews the request within 5 to 7 working days.
Dubai Islamic Bank
At any branch, with your original valid ID. Linked products are cancelled first. The account shows as “Account Under Closure” until any pending profit is paid. A savings account closed in its first six months costs AED 26.25.
Mashreq
NEO current account: in the Mashreq Mobile app, choose the account, More Actions, Close Account. Move the balance out first. Other accounts: at a branch, with your Emirates ID or your passport with the visa page. AED 105 in the first six months.
Mashreq: NEO current account (questions) · Mashreq: accounts (questions)
Emirates Islamic
Only in person at a branch, with your Emirates ID or passport, your cards and cheque books. For a joint account, all holders go together. It takes 2 to 3 working days. It cannot be done from abroad, but someone with your Power of Attorney can do it. AED 100 in the first six months.
HSBC
In the HSBC UAE app (accounts in one name only), by phone or at a branch. The balance must be zero. It takes about 3 working days and the closing statement comes by email. Joint accounts: branch only. AED 105 with VAT in the first six months.
Watch out
- Do this while your Emirates ID is still valid.
- A cheque that reaches a closed account bounces, and a bounced cheque can become a case. Clear every outstanding cheque before you close.
- If your bank closes accounts only in its app (FAB) or by one-time password (ADCB), keep the app and your registered mobile number working until you have the confirmation.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to close a UAE bank account?
Under Central Bank rules it must complete within 7 business days of your request. Simple accounts often close in one to three days.
What is a no-liability letter?
A letter from your bank confirming you owe it nothing. Ask for it with your closure confirmation; some employers want one before final settlement.
Can I close a UAE bank account in the app?
At some banks. FAB takes closure requests only in the FAB Mobile app. ADCB and HSBC take them in their apps, and Emirates NBD in ENBD X or at a branch. Mashreq does it in the app for NEO current accounts. Emirates Islamic and Dubai Islamic Bank ask you to go to a branch.
Is there a fee to close a UAE bank account?
Usually not once the account is six months old. Before that, Emirates NBD and Emirates Islamic charge AED 100, and Mashreq and HSBC AED 105 with VAT. Dubai Islamic Bank charges AED 26.25 on a savings account.
Sources
Official: Central Bank of the UAE: account closure rules (clause 5.1.1.32)
Also checked against: Gulf News: frozen accounts and debts when leaving
Outro is an independent guide, not a government service or legal advice. If an official page says something different, follow it and .