A payer abroad types “First Abu Dhabi Bank” into their banking app, gets a code starting with NBAD, and stops to ask whether that’s right. It is. FAB’s SWIFT code is NBADAEAA, and the 11-character version is NBADAEAAXXX.
The code has nothing to do with your branch or your account type. Every FAB personal and business account in the UAE receives international money under the same code, and your IBAN tells FAB which account to credit.
FAB SWIFT code summary
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| SWIFT / BIC (8 characters) | NBADAEAA |
| SWIFT / BIC (11 characters) | NBADAEAAXXX |
| Bank name for the transfer form | First Abu Dhabi Bank |
| IBAN length | 23 characters, starting with AE |
| FAB bank code inside the IBAN | 035 |
| Sample IBAN layout | AE54 0351 2345 6789 0123 456 (illustrative only) |
| FAB contact centre | 600 52 5500 |
Why FAB’s code starts with NBAD
NBAD stands for National Bank of Abu Dhabi. NBAD merged with First Gulf Bank, and the combined bank took the First Abu Dhabi Bank name, with FAB shares starting to trade on 2 April 2017. The new bank kept NBAD’s SWIFT identity, so the code still carries the old initials.
That leftover is the source of most hesitation. Some payment systems still display “National Bank of Abu Dhabi” when NBADAEAA is entered, and some show “First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC.” Both point to the same bank. If your payer sees either name, they can carry on.
There is no FABAE code to look for. A code beginning FAB or FABA is not FAB’s, and a payer who invents one will see the payment rejected or sent to the wrong institution.
The code, block by block
- NBAD: the bank code inherited from National Bank of Abu Dhabi
- AE: United Arab Emirates
- AA: the location code for FAB’s head office in Abu Dhabi
- XXX: the optional branch block, meaning head office
Because XXX means head office, NBADAEAA and NBADAEAAXXX are interchangeable. Enter the 8-character code unless a form will only accept 11, then add XXX.
The AA location code doesn’t mean the account has to be in Abu Dhabi. A FAB account opened in Dubai, Sharjah or Al Ain receives money under exactly the same code.
Is that IBAN really a FAB account?
Look at characters 5 to 7 of the IBAN. A FAB IBAN carries 035 there:
AE·· 035· ···· ···· ···· ···
If those three digits are anything else, the IBAN belongs to a different UAE bank, and NBADAEAA is the wrong code for it. This check takes five seconds and catches the most common mix-up: someone with accounts at two banks sending the IBAN from one and the SWIFT code from the other.
What to send someone paying you from abroad
Give the payer these details, copied rather than typed:
- Your full name as it appears on your FAB account
- Your 23-character IBAN
- SWIFT code NBADAEAA
- Bank name: First Abu Dhabi Bank
The IBAN replaces your account number for international transfers. Sending the account number alone is a common reason a foreign bank refuses to process a payment to the UAE.
Getting your FAB IBAN
FAB Mobile shows your IBAN in the account details, and it also appears on your account statement. If you only have your account number to hand, the FAB IBAN generator converts it into the full IBAN on FAB’s own site.
Old NBAD & FGB customers
If you opened your account before 2017 at either NBAD or First Gulf Bank, you’re a FAB customer now and NBADAEAA is your SWIFT code. Older NBAD-branded debit cards and chequebooks don’t change that, and an NBAD balance inquiry on those cards now runs through FAB’s channels.
Use the IBAN shown in FAB Mobile today, not one written down years ago. If an old document shows an IBAN that doesn’t carry 035 in characters 5 to 7, don’t send it to anyone. Get the current IBAN from the app or the IBAN generator.
Mistakes that hold up FAB transfers
- “Correcting” NBADAEAA to something with FAB in it. There is no such code. The NBAD prefix is correct.
- Mixing banks. A FAB SWIFT code with an IBAN from another bank won’t land. Check for 035 in the IBAN.
- A shortened name. Use the name exactly as FAB holds it, not initials or a nickname.
- Spaces or dashes in the code. Enter NBADAEAA as one unbroken block.
- Leaving the IBAN off. UAE transfers require the IBAN. Without it, the payment is held or returned.
Ratibi cards & salary payments
International transfers need a FAB account with an IBAN. A Ratibi payroll card works differently: your employer loads it inside the UAE, and you check it through the Ratibi card salary check methods rather than through FAB Mobile. Don’t give a Ratibi card number to someone overseas as if it were a bank account.
On a regular FAB account, your FAB bank balance in FAB Mobile updates once an incoming transfer is credited.
FAQ
What is the SWIFT code for First Abu Dhabi Bank?
NBADAEAA. The 11-character form is NBADAEAAXXX, and both reach FAB’s head office.
Why does FAB’s SWIFT code say NBAD?
FAB was formed from the merger of National Bank of Abu Dhabi and First Gulf Bank in 2017. The merged bank kept NBAD’s SWIFT code, NBADAEAA.
Is the FAB SWIFT code different in Dubai?
No. NBADAEAA is used for FAB accounts in every emirate. The AA part refers to the head office location, not to where your account is held.
Do I need a branch code to receive money at FAB?
No. Give the payer NBADAEAA and your IBAN. The IBAN identifies your account.
How do I check that an IBAN belongs to FAB?
Characters 5 to 7 of a FAB IBAN are 035. Any other three digits mean a different bank.
Can I receive an international transfer on a Ratibi card?
Give a payer abroad the IBAN of a FAB bank account, not a Ratibi card number. Ratibi is a payroll card loaded by your employer in the UAE.
Before you share your FAB details
- Copy the IBAN from FAB Mobile and check it carries 035 in characters 5 to 7.
- Send the four-line list above with NBADAEAA as the SWIFT code.
- Tell your payer that a bank name showing “National Bank of Abu Dhabi” is expected.
- Keep the payer’s transfer receipt until the money shows in your account.
Codes for every other UAE bank sit in the UAE bank SWIFT codes table.
