Every banking customer has a credit score. These scores are critical because they determine whether or not you’ll get approved for a credit card. In the UAE, the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB) provides financial institutions with credit scores of every individual, which they gather from various sources.
A poor credit score can make it more difficult for you to get a credit card because a low score means that’s extending credit is riskier, and banks don’t like to take too many risks. The lower your score is, the harder it is to find a credit card.
But all hope is not lost! There are still some credit cards you could get even with poor credit in the UAE. Any score below 300 is considered to be a poor score in the UAE. We’ve listed a few great options below.
1. Citibank Simplicity Credit Card
Credit cards for people with poor credit are usually fee-free in the UAE. The Citibank Simplicity Credit Card has no annual membership fee. It also has no late fee or cash advance fee. It’s extremely easy to sign up for this card as well. All you need is to be 21 years or older and have a minimum income of 5000 AED per month.
2. Finance House CartNet
The Finance House was founded in 2004, in Abu Dhabi. Since then, it has offered a wide range of commercial and consumer services. Their CartNet card is a great credit card for poor credit. This card is free for life, with no kind of annual fee. All you need to get this card is a UAE residency and a minimum salary of 5000 AED.
3. HSBC Zero Credit Card
The HSBC Zero Credit Card is another excellent choice for people with poor credit. This card is also completely fee-free. There’s no fee for getting the card, cash advances, or going over your limit. You can also enjoy a 0% interest on purchases in the first three months and an installment plan.
4. FAB Classic Credit Card
This FAB bank card is free for life, as well. Even though it’s only interest-free for 25 days, it has high credit limits and a complimentary money transfer service that other cards on this list don’t provide. You can also get up to 10% cashback all year round at select stores. This card also allows you to earn a lot of stars that you can then spend to book Etihad and Emirates flights.
Having poor credit can be stressful. As the number of people using credit cards in the UAE is increasing, the need to get a credit card is also rising. Luckily, a low credit score is no obstacle that you can’t overcome.
You can still get quite a few credit cards for poor credit in the UAE. FAB’s Classic Credit Card is an excellent option because it gives you benefits that no other bank would give customers with poor credit. However, even with one of these cards, you should aim to improve your credit score so that you can get an even better card in the future.