From 11 January 2027, the EU applies new rules to banks from third countries, and that includes the banks of the United Arab Emirates. Here is what this means for your account in Dubai, and, more importantly, what it does not.
Anyone buying property in Dubai will normally need a local bank account: to pay the developer, to receive rental income, to cover ongoing costs. Since the term CRD6 started circulating, the same worry keeps coming up: as a German, Austrian or Swiss buyer, will I even be able to hold an account in Dubai in the future? The short answer is yes. The longer answer is worth reading, because it shows where the new rule actually bites and where it does not.
CRD6, the sixth version of the EU Capital Requirements Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/1619), introduces a new principle in its Article 21c: a bank from a third country, meaning a country outside the EU, may no longer provide certain core banking services on a cross-border basis to clients located in the EU without maintaining a licensed branch in the relevant member state.
The key dates are fixed:
No postponement of these dates has been announced to date.
The trigger is narrowly defined. Only three activities fall under the restriction: deposit-taking, lending, and guarantees and commitments. Not covered are, among others, payment services, foreign exchange, custody, and securities and investment services, which are governed by their own framework.
Equally important is the test on which everything turns: what matters is where the client is established and who approaches whom. CRD6 targets the case where a bank in the Emirates actively reaches across the border into Germany and sells an account or a loan from Dubai to a client located there.
For a typical property purchase, little changes. Not covered, at its core, is the following:
What CRD6 actually restricts from 2027 is the ability of a bank in the Emirates to actively solicit EU-resident clients remotely for deposits or loans. The account you need when buying an apartment in Dubai, for purchase price, rent and running costs, is not affected.
Not all of the DACH region is treated the same. Germany and Austria are in the EU, where CRD6 applies directly. Switzerland is itself a third country, so the rule does not apply directly to Swiss clients. Liechtenstein belongs to the European Economic Area, where CRD6 will apply only once the EEA Joint Committee adopts the directive, and that runs on a delay.
No, not necessarily, but the Emirates ID determines the type of account.
Without an Emirates ID, meaning without UAE residence status, a non-resident account is possible, usually a savings account. Requirements are a passport with at least six months' validity, proof of address from the home country, bank statements for the recent months, and often a reference letter from the existing bank. The appointment takes place in person at the branch, and the purpose of the account must be explained. Such accounts carry higher minimum balances and fewer features.
With an Emirates ID, meaning with residence status, the full current account is available. For many buyers, residence status comes with the Golden Visa anyway, which is tied to a property of at least AED 2 million.
Since April 2026, there is also a Tourist Identity initiative by the Central Bank of the UAE together with ADCB, intended to give eligible visitors digital account opening. This is still early and depends on the bank.
Two points tend to require more effort with a Dubai account than CRD6 does.
First, proof of source of funds. Banks in the Emirates check identity and the origin of funds thoroughly, and a well-documented money trail speeds up account opening considerably.
Second, tax transparency. An account in the Emirates is reported to the home tax authority under the Common Reporting Standard for the automatic exchange of information. An account in Dubai is therefore not a hidden account, it is a regular account in another country that is subject to reporting obligations.
CRD6 is a rule for the EU banking market, not for your property purchase in Dubai. Anyone opening an account on-site or with residence status stays outside the new restriction. Anyone who documents cleanly and knows their tax obligations has already done the larger part of the work.
TAH perspective
The Access House supports the purchase, including the question of which bank and which type of account fits the individual situation, and works with partners on the ground for that purpose.
Legal status & notice
Legal status: 23 September 2026. This article provides general information and is not legal or tax advice. Your own situation calls for an individual review by an adviser specialised in cross-border banking and tax matters. Rules and banking practice can change.
Investor knowledge
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The bank account, the payment route and proof of source of funds are part of the preparation, long before the first contract is signed. We frame your situation and work with partners on the ground for the banking and tax side.