Please list the precise, bank‑requested documents you submitted for each company type and note the bank you applied with, the timeline from application to approval, any additional requests from compliance, and whether you needed attestations or apostilles. For each company type include:
- Company type and jurisdiction (example: Mainland — DED trade license; Free Zone — DMCC; Offshore — RAK ICC).
- Core company documents you provided (examples: Trade license; Certificate of Incorporation; Memorandum and Articles of Association; Company board resolution authorizing account opening).
- Identity and residency documents for shareholders, directors, and signatories (examples: passport copies; UAE residency visa; Emirates ID; proof of residential address).
- Proof of company presence in the UAE (examples: Ejari tenancy contract for mainland; free zone office lease or flexi-desk contract; registered agent letter for offshore).
- Banking-specific documents (examples: board resolution; specimen signatures; bank reference letter from previous bank; business plan and projected cash flow; shareholder structure chart).
- Financial history or credibility documents (examples: audited financials; management accounts; contracts with clients/suppliers; invoices; VAT registration if applicable).
- Any notarisation, attestation, or apostille requirements you had to meet and from which country.
- Minimum deposit, monthly fee or minimum balance the bank required, and whether a local signatory or UAE-based director was required.
- Compliance or extra requests (examples: source of funds documentation; source of wealth for major shareholders; proof of business activity; site visit requests).
- Practical tips you found useful to speed approval and avoid rejection (example: preparing a concise one-page business description and a customer/supplier list; using banks experienced with the company’s sector).
Be specific and concrete; anonymous examples and exact documents help others decide which bank and company structure to choose.
Short examples you can copy and paste
- Mainland — Bank X: Trade license; MOA; Certificate of Incorporation; Ejari; Emirates ID of signatories; passport copies; board resolution; 3 months personal bank statements; business plan; proof of major contracts. Bank asked for notarised passport copies and an apostilled company incorporation for non-resident shareholders. Approval in 6 weeks.
- Free Zone (DMCC) — Bank Y: Trade license; lease agreement from DMCC; MOA; passport and visa copies; board resolution; audited statements; bank reference letter. Bank required a site visit and source of funds documents. Approval in 3 weeks.
- Offshore (RAK ICC) — Bank Z: Certificate of Incorporation; memorandum; registered agent letter; passport copies; proof of business activity outside the UAE; notarised and apostilled documents. Enhanced due diligence caused 8+ week timeline.
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