UAE visitors can open digital bank accounts in minutes with new 'Tourist Identity' initiative

Biometric-based service lets tourists open accounts, access digital debit cards and make cashless payments soon after arrival.

Visitors to the UAE can now open digital bank accounts within minutes using a new ‘Tourist Identity’ initiative launched on Wednesday, authorities said.

The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), in collaboration with the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB), said the service allows non-resident visitors to open accounts instantly and securely through a fully digital process.

Powered by biometrics and facial recognition, ICP offers visitors a Tourist Identity as soon as they land in the UAE. The initiative links this digital identity system with ADCB’s mobile banking application, enabling visitors to open bank accounts within minutes and instantly access essential banking services, including digital debit cards.

Previously, non-residents and visitors could open certain UAE bank accounts, but the process was document-heavy. The new initiative shifts that process to an official digital identity-led model, allowing tourists to open an account within minutes.

Officials said the move is aimed at boosting financial inclusion and accelerating the country’s push towards a digital payments ecosystem, while reducing reliance on cash transactions.

Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri, Assistant Governor for Banking Operations and Support Services at the CBUAE, said the initiative connects visitors to the UAE’s national payment ecosystem, including the ‘Jaywan’ card scheme and the instant payment platform ‘Aani’.

“The initiative contributes to enhancing ease of doing business and delivering an integrated and secure banking experience for visitors from the moment they arrive in the UAE,” he said.

Major General Suhail Juma Al Khaili, Acting Director General of Citizenship at ICP, said the system enables multiple sectors to deliver services seamlessly to visitors using advanced identification technologies.

ADCB Group CEO Ala’a Eraiqat said the bank’s participation reflects a push to align banking innovation with the UAE’s tourism economy and enhance the country’s attractiveness as a global financial hub.