Emirates NBD’s SWIFT code is EBILAEAD. The 11-character version, EBILAEADXXX, points to the same head office and works the same way. One code covers every Emirates NBD account in the UAE, whether it was opened in Deira, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah.
The code alone won’t get money into an account, though. A payer abroad needs four other details to match, and a mismatch in any of them is what usually turns a two-day transfer into a two-week trace.
Emirates NBD transfer details
| Detail | What to give the payer |
|---|---|
| SWIFT / BIC (8 characters) | EBILAEAD |
| SWIFT / BIC (11 characters) | EBILAEADXXX |
| Bank name | Emirates NBD Bank PJSC |
| Bank address | Baniyas Road, Deira, P.O. Box 777, Dubai, UAE |
| IBAN | 23 characters, starts with AE, bank code 026 |
| Sample IBAN layout | AE85 0261 2345 6789 0123 456 (illustrative only) |
| Account name | Your full name exactly as the bank holds it |
| Call centre | 600 54 0000 (+971 600 54 0000 from abroad) |
What EBILAEAD means
Each block of the code identifies one thing, and none of it is specific to your account:
- EBIL: the bank code. It comes from Emirates Bank International, one of the two banks that merged with National Bank of Dubai in 2007 to form Emirates NBD. The merged bank kept the code.
- AE: the United Arab Emirates.
- AD: the location code.
- XXX: the optional branch block. XXX means head office, which is why EBILAEAD and EBILAEADXXX are interchangeable.
The EBIL prefix confuses some payers, who expect something starting with “ENBD.” There is no ENBD code. If a payment form autofills “Emirates Bank International” after you type EBILAEAD, that’s the same bank under its old name, and the payment still lands at Emirates NBD.
8 or 11 characters: which to enter
Use EBILAEAD by default. Switch to EBILAEADXXX only when the sender’s banking app or form refuses to accept fewer than 11 characters. Some bank portals abroad have a fixed 11-character field, and adding XXX is the correct fix there, not a workaround.
Emirates NBD does have branch and department suffixes in the SWIFT directory, but the bank itself tells customers to share EBILAEAD for incoming transfers. Don’t hunt for a “Dubai Mall branch code” or a “Sharjah branch code.” Your IBAN already carries the account, so the branch never needs to be named.
Emirates NBD vs Emirates Islamic
Emirates Islamic belongs to the Emirates NBD group but is a separate bank with its own SWIFT code, MEBLAEAD. If your account number or card says Emirates Islamic, EBILAEAD is the wrong code and the payment can bounce.
The quickest way to tell is the bank code inside your IBAN. Emirates NBD IBANs carry 026 in characters 5 to 7 (AE·· 026·…). A different three-digit block means a different bank, and a different SWIFT code.
Receiving money from abroad
Send your payer this list and nothing else:
- Your full name, exactly as it appears on your account
- Your IBAN
- SWIFT code EBILAEAD
- Bank name: Emirates NBD Bank PJSC
- Bank address: Baniyas Road, Deira, P.O. Box 777, Dubai, UAE
Your account number isn’t needed when the IBAN is included. The IBAN already contains it.
Payers in the US and India sometimes ask for a “routing number.” UAE accounts don’t have a US-style routing number or an IFSC. The IBAN plus SWIFT code does that job, and those two are what the sender’s bank needs.
Finding your Emirates NBD IBAN
Your IBAN appears in three places:
- The ENBD X app, under the account’s details
- Online Banking, under the selected account
- Your account statement
If you can’t log in, the bank’s IBAN request service returns it after you enter your account number and the mobile number registered with the bank. It’s safe to share an IBAN. It can only be used to pay money in, never to take money out.
Who pays the charges
The sender chooses one of three charge options on the transfer, and it decides how much you actually receive:
| Option | Who pays | What you receive |
|---|---|---|
| OUR | Sender pays everything | The full amount sent |
| SHA | Shared between sender and you | The amount minus your bank’s side of the fees |
| BEN | You pay everything | The amount minus all charges along the route |
If you’re being paid an exact invoice amount, ask the sender to choose OUR. With SHA or BEN, a correspondent bank in the middle can also take a cut, so the shortfall isn’t always Emirates NBD’s fee.
How long transfers take
International transfers into a UAE account usually arrive within 4 working days. Local transfers between UAE banks usually take up to 2 working days. Weekends in the sender’s country and public holidays at either end add to that, and a transfer sent on a Friday afternoon from abroad often won’t move until Monday.
When a transfer doesn’t arrive
Ask the sender for an MT103. It’s the SWIFT payment message their bank generated, and it shows the date, amount, currency, sender and receiving bank. Without it, Emirates NBD has nothing to trace.
Before you raise anything, check two lines on the MT103:
- The receiving bank code reads EBILAEAD (an MT103 header often shows it as EBILAEADAXXX, which is the same bank).
- Field 59, the beneficiary line, shows your IBAN with no missing or swapped digits.
If both are right and the money still hasn’t arrived after 4 working days, submit the MT103 through the bank’s inward remittance request. You can follow up on an open request by calling 600 54 0000 and saying “follow up on my request” at the voice prompt.
If the receiving bank code is wrong, the problem sits with the sender’s bank. Only they can recall or amend the payment, and Emirates NBD can’t pull it back.
Mistakes that bounce or delay payments
- Using MEBLAEAD for an Emirates NBD account. That’s Emirates Islamic’s code. It goes to the wrong bank.
- Leaving the IBAN off. In the UAE the IBAN is mandatory for incoming and outgoing transfers. A payment without one gets rejected or held, and extra processing charges can apply.
- A name that doesn’t match. “M. Khan” instead of “Mohammed Imran Khan” is a common reason for a hold. Use the name as printed on your account.
- Adding spaces or dashes to the SWIFT code. Some portals reject “EBIL-AE-AD.” Enter it as one block.
- Sending your account number instead of the IBAN. Most foreign banks won’t process a UAE payment on an account number alone.
Paying someone else in the UAE
For a transfer between two UAE banks, you enter the recipient’s IBAN and the app fills in the bank automatically. You don’t need the SWIFT code for a local transfer from the ENBD X app.
Salaries paid through the Wage Protection System also run on the IBAN alone. If your salary has stopped showing up, that’s an employer or payroll issue rather than a SWIFT one, and a UAE salary balance check shows whether it has been credited.
FAQ
What is the SWIFT code for Emirates NBD in Dubai?
EBILAEAD. It’s the same in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and every other emirate. EBILAEADXXX is the 11-character form of the same code.
Is BIC the same as SWIFT code?
Yes. SWIFT is the network, and BIC (Bank Identifier Code) is the name of the code itself. A form asking for either one wants EBILAEAD.
Does every Emirates NBD branch have its own SWIFT code?
No branch-level code is needed to receive money. Emirates NBD gives customers EBILAEAD for incoming transfers, and the IBAN identifies your account.
Is Emirates Islamic’s SWIFT code the same as Emirates NBD’s?
No. Emirates Islamic uses MEBLAEAD. Check the bank code in your IBAN: 026 means Emirates NBD.
What does an Emirates NBD IBAN look like?
It’s 23 characters long, starts with AE, then two check digits, then the bank code 026, then 16 digits for the account. Written in groups of four, it reads AE·· 026· ···· ···· ···· ···.
Is it safe to give out my IBAN & SWIFT code?
Yes. Both can only be used to send money to your account. Nobody can withdraw funds with them. Your card number, PIN and one-time passwords are the details to keep private.
Next steps for an Emirates NBD transfer
- Copy your IBAN straight from the ENBD X app rather than typing it from memory.
- Send the payer the five-line list above, with EBILAEAD as the SWIFT code.
- Ask for OUR charges if you need the full amount.
- Keep the sender’s MT103 until the money lands.
Codes for every other bank in the country are on the UAE bank SWIFT codes list.
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