If you’re being paid from abroad into a National Bank of Umm Al Qaiwain account, the SWIFT code to give is UMMQAEAD, or UMMQAEADXXX on a form that wants 11 characters. The code starts with UMMQ, not NBQ, which is why people searching for “NBQ” in a sender’s bank list often can’t find it.
Pair the code with your NBQ IBAN. That’s the part that carries your account number.
Payment details for an NBQ account
- SWIFT / BIC: UMMQAEAD (UMMQAEADXXX for 11 characters)
- Bank name: National Bank of Umm Al Qaiwain
- Country: United Arab Emirates
- Beneficiary account: your 23-character IBAN
- Beneficiary name: exactly as it appears on your NBQ account
How your NBQ IBAN is built
NBQ builds every IBAN from your 10-digit account number. If your account number is 1234567890, your IBAN looks like this:
| Part | Characters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Country code | 2 | AE |
| Check digits | 2 | XX (unique to each account) |
| Bank code | 3 | 042 |
| Padding zeros | 6 | 000000 |
| Your NBQ account number | 10 | 1234567890 |
Put together: AE XX 042 000000 1234567890, 23 characters in total. The 042 is NBQ’s bank code, and it’s the fastest check that an IBAN belongs to NBQ and not another bank.
Your old account number still works inside NBQ. For payments between banks in the UAE and from abroad, the IBAN is what counts.
Getting your IBAN
Three routes:
- The NBQ IBAN utility on NBQ’s website. Enter your 10-digit account number and it generates the IBAN. The same page has a validator that checks an IBAN you’ve already got.
- Your account statement. NBQ prints the IBAN next to the account number.
- The call centre on 600 56 56 56, or any NBQ branch.
NBQ can only generate IBANs for NBQ accounts. Credit card and Rateb card accounts don’t have an IBAN, so a payer abroad can’t send money directly to them.
What happens if the IBAN is missing or wrong
NBQ states that inward payments without a valid IBAN are likely to be rejected or delayed, and may carry extra processing charges. For transfers within the UAE, the receiving bank returns payments without a valid IBAN, and rejection charges can apply. Within NBQ, from one NBQ account to another, you don’t need the IBAN.
For a transfer from abroad, a correct UMMQAEAD with a wrong IBAN is the most likely reason money comes back to the sender.
Charges & timing on incoming payments
The sender picks the charge option:
- OUR: they pay all fees and you receive the full amount
- SHA: fees are split, so expect a deduction
- BEN: you pay all fees, including any intermediary bank’s
Most international transfers into UAE accounts arrive within 4 working days.
Tracing a late transfer
- Get the MT103 SWIFT copy or payment confirmation from the sender’s bank.
- Check that it shows UMMQAEAD as the receiving bank and your full IBAN, with 042 in characters 5 to 7.
- If both are right and 4 working days have passed, call NBQ on 600 56 56 56 with the confirmation.
- If either is wrong, the sender’s bank has to amend or recall the payment.
FAQ
What is the SWIFT code of NBQ?
UMMQAEAD. The 11-character head office form is UMMQAEADXXX.
Why doesn’t the NBQ SWIFT code start with NBQ?
The SWIFT code’s first four letters are the bank’s registered identifier, UMMQ for Umm Al Qaiwain. NBQ is the bank’s brand abbreviation, not its SWIFT code.
How many digits is an NBQ IBAN?
23 characters: AE, two check digits, bank code 042, six zeros, then your 10-digit NBQ account number.
Can I receive money from abroad on my NBQ Rateb card?
Not with an IBAN. NBQ doesn’t issue IBANs for credit card or Rateb card accounts.
What is the NBQ customer service number?
600 56 56 56.
Before you share your NBQ details
- Generate or validate your IBAN on NBQ’s IBAN page.
- Confirm 042 appears in characters 5 to 7.
- Send UMMQAEAD, the bank name and the IBAN together.
- Ask for OUR charges when the full amount matters.
All UAE bank codes are on the UAE bank SWIFT codes list.
