Mashreq has launched a fully digital bank account for eligible international visitors to the UAE, allowing travellers to activate local banking services within minutes of arriving in the country.The NEO On Arrival account enables customers to register through the Mashreq NEO mobile application, complete passport-based electronic identity checks and receive a virtual account and digital payment card without visiting a branch. The service is aimed at tourists, business travellers and other short-term visitors who may need access to secure local payment facilities during their stay.
The launch expands a broader UAE initiative to connect verified visitor identities with regulated banking and payment services. Digital identity checks use passport information, biometric verification and facial-recognition systems to satisfy Know Your Customer requirements that have traditionally restricted rapid account opening for non-residents.
Mashreq said the service was developed with the Central Bank of the UAE, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, Emirates Facial Recognition and payment-network partners. The collaboration allows identity information recorded during the traveller’s entry process to support digital onboarding while maintaining regulatory and anti-financial-crime controls.
Once verification is completed, customers can activate a virtual bank account and receive a digital card for immediate use. This can reduce reliance on cash, foreign cards and currency-exchange counters, while giving visitors a locally regulated channel for payments and expenditure management.
Fernando Morillo, group head of retail banking at Mashreq, said the product was intended to support tourism and business travel, two sectors that remain central to the UAE’s economic diversification strategy.
“The launch of the NEO On Arrival Account reflects our commitment to shaping agile banking models that fuel the growth of the UAE’s most vital economic engines, particularly tourism and business travel,” Morillo said.
He added that the bank was aligning its digital strategy with the country’s ambition to develop a more connected and cashless economy. The service also gives Mashreq an opportunity to establish relationships with travellers before they become residents, investors, entrepreneurs or frequent visitors.
The account arrives as banks compete to remove paperwork and physical verification from customer onboarding. Digital account opening for UAE residents is already widely available, but most services require an Emirates ID and a valid residence visa. Non-residents have generally faced longer procedures, document checks, minimum-balance conditions or restrictions on the types of accounts available to them.
The UAE began extending instant account services to tourists in April through the Tourist Identity programme, developed by the central bank and the federal identity authority. The programme creates a secure digital identity for non-resident visitors when they enter the country and links that identity to participating financial services.
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank was the first lender associated with the programme, providing account access and digital debit cards through its mobile platform. Mashreq’s entry signals that visitor banking is moving beyond a single institutional arrangement and could develop into a wider competitive market.
The model differs from travel cards and international financial-technology wallets because users can be connected directly to the UAE banking and payments system. This can improve transaction speed, enhance regulatory oversight and reduce payment friction for visitors who stay for extended periods or make frequent trips.
Ghazal Al Sakaal, global head of ecosystems and platform banking at Mashreq, said the system brought together identity verification, partnerships and a simplified onboarding process.
“NEO On Arrival redefines how visitors engage with banking from the moment they land in the UAE,” Al Sakaal said. “By bringing together digital identity, strategic partnerships and a frictionless onboarding journey, we are removing traditional barriers to financial access.”
The product could also benefit hotels, retailers, restaurants, transport operators and entertainment businesses by making domestic digital payments easier for overseas customers. Local cards may help travellers avoid some international transaction complications, although charges, exchange rates, account conditions and eligibility requirements will remain important considerations.
Banks will be required to balance rapid onboarding with fraud prevention, sanctions screening, data protection and transaction monitoring. Passport-based identification must be supported by secure biometric checks to prevent impersonation, document misuse and the creation of accounts under false identities.
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