United Arab Emirates IBAN
A United Arab Emirates IBAN is 23 characters long.
AE and two check digits open every United Arab Emirates IBAN; its remaining 19 form the BBAN (Basic Bank Account Number). Transfers into United Arab Emirates arrive in AED over SWIFT.
Quick answer: A UAE IBAN is 23 characters long and starts with "AE" followed by two check digits, a 3-digit bank code, and a 16-digit account number. Example: AE07 0331 2345 6789 0123 456 (Emirates NBD, bank code 033). The UAE is not part of SEPA — all international transfers route via SWIFT. The Central Bank of the UAE made the IBAN mandatory for payments from 19 November 2011. For inbound international transfers, senders need both the IBAN and the receiving bank's SWIFT/BIC code.
Example United Arab Emirates IBAN
Electronic format
AE070331234567890123456
Print format
AE07 0331 2345 6789 0123 456
IBAN structure for United Arab Emirates
Major banks in United Arab Emirates
21 banks in United Arab Emirates that support IBAN-based international transfers:
Format reference: SWIFT IBAN Registry.
United Arab Emirates IBAN questions
What is the IBAN format for the UAE?
A UAE IBAN is exactly 23 characters long. It starts with the country code AE, 2 check digits, a 3-digit bank code, and a 16-digit account number. Example: AE07 0331 2345 6789 0123 456.
When did the UAE start using IBAN?
The Central Bank of the UAE made the IBAN the standard identifier for all UAE bank accounts from 19 November 2011, and from 15 June 2012 inward payments for UAE beneficiaries without an IBAN were to be rejected and returned to the sending bank.
Is the UAE part of SEPA?
No. Payments into UAE accounts from abroad travel over SWIFT, so the sender needs the AE IBAN and the bank's BIC. Domestic dirham transfers between UAE banks also identify the account by its IBAN.
What are the bank codes for Emirates NBD, ADCB, FAB, and Mashreq?
The bank code is the three digits in positions 5–7 of the IBAN: Emirates NBD is 033, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) 030, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) 035 and Mashreq 020.
How do I find my IBAN in the UAE?
Your AE IBAN is displayed in your bank's mobile app or online banking under account details. Emirates NBD's Liv. app, ADCB's mobile banking, FAB's mobile app, and Mashreq's NeoBiz portal all show the 23-character IBAN. It also appears on bank statements and correspondence from your bank.
How long does it take to receive an international SWIFT transfer in the UAE?
International SWIFT transfers to UAE banks typically take 1–3 business days, depending on the sending country, intermediary banks involved, and time zone differences. Transfers from GCC countries (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman) often arrive faster due to direct correspondent banking relationships. Your bank's incoming wire cut-off time also affects same-day vs next-day processing.
Can I receive foreign currency in my UAE bank account?
Into a dirham account the money is converted on arrival. Banks that offer dollar, euro or sterling accounts give each its own IBAN, so give the payer the IBAN of the account in the currency they are sending.
How do I validate a UAE IBAN?
Check that it is exactly 23 characters, starts with AE, and that the three-digit bank code in positions 5–7 matches the bank named on the invoice (033 Emirates NBD, 030 ADCB, 035 FAB, 020 Mashreq). The check digits in positions 3–4 follow the ISO 13616 modulo-97 rule, so a single mistyped digit fails validation.
What is Aani and does it work with money from abroad?
Aani is the UAE's instant payments platform, launched by Al Etihad Payments, a CBUAE subsidiary, on 16 October 2023, with payments of up to AED 50,000 in its first stage. Enrolled users can be paid in dirhams by mobile number. It is domestic: a transfer from abroad still arrives over SWIFT to the AE IBAN.
UAE: the 2011 IBAN switch, inward-payment rejections and Aani
The Central Bank of the UAE made the IBAN the identifier for every UAE bank account for payments with a value date on or after 19 November 2011. From 15 June 2012, inward payments for UAE beneficiaries that arrived without an IBAN were to be rejected and returned to the remitting bank, which is why an AE IBAN is the first thing a sender abroad must get right.
- Al Etihad Payments, a CBUAE subsidiary, launched the Aani instant payments platform on 16 October 2023 with eight participating banks, among them ADCB, Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Mashreq, supporting payments of up to AED 50,000 in its first stage. Users enrol with their bank and can then be paid by mobile number; it is a domestic dirham service, not a route for money arriving from abroad.
- The UAE is not in SEPA. Money from abroad arrives over SWIFT, and the sender needs the 23-character AE IBAN together with the bank's BIC; the three digits after the check digits identify the bank.
- A standard UAE current account is held in dirhams. A bank that offers a dollar, euro or sterling account gives it a separate IBAN, so a recipient who wants to avoid conversion on arrival should send the payer that account's IBAN rather than the AED one.
Sources: CBUAE: Al Etihad Payments launches Aani (October 2023); Khaleej Times: UAE central bank launches IBAN (2011); Mashreq: IBAN service guidelines.
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