Before Opening a Personal Bank Account in Dubai
Know that most personal bank accounts in Dubai attract a monthly account maintenance fee.

Having a bank account is essential, especially for freelancers and employed people in Dubai. With a bank account, your money is more safe, flexible and easy to access(with an ATM card). It is also easy to deposit your money anytime you want, thanks to Cash&Cheque Deposit Machines(CDM) near you.
As you all know, the majority of employers in UAE normally open salary accounts for us. Which only enables us to withdraw the salary they have credited to those accounts. In those accounts, only the company can deposit money as salary. But if we have some extra cash we want to deposit it is impossible to deposit in the salary account. All ATMs do not even accept some; we need to go to specific banks to withdraw our salaries. Some are not accepted by POS machines in supermarkets and grocery stores. Just imagine the frustrations.
Opening a Personal Bank Account Online
Coupled with these frustrations some Kenyans prefer opening personal bank accounts. A bank account brings freedom and flexibility in how we use and access our money. Local banks know this need, therefore, they have made it very easy to open a personal bank account.
It will take you less than 10 minutes to open a bank account in UAE. Provided you have a smartphone, high-speed internet, an Emirates ID, and a passport copy. The process of opening a bank account in the UAE is paperless and effortless.
Opening a Bank Account is Free But…
Just like everything else in the world offered for free by a man has a hidden cost, and so does a free personal bank account. When opening your bank account the bank app will not display a message saying “By opening this account you confirm that your account will have a minimum balance of AED 3000 every month or incur an AED 26 monthly account maintenance fee.”
Instead, they will bundle this crucial message in their “Term and Conditions” and instruct you to check the box to confirm that you agree to their terms and conditions. When you press confirm and proceed, it’s done. Cast on the stone. You must abide by those terms and conditions.
You can undo the process but it will cost you money to permanently close the account. If you say to hell with that account and ignore it, the monthly charges will be debited from your account regardless. That means after one year you will have a balance of AED (-26 x 12), and you will owe your bank AED 312.
Therefore, if you are planning to open a personal bank account in Dubai proceed with caution by reading their Terms and Conditions. Because ignorance is not an evidence or proof of innocence.