07 Sep 2022

How to get an e-Dirham card in the UAE?

What is an UAE e-Dirham card

The e-Dirham is an online payment system introduced by the UAE Ministry of Finance in 2001 to promote a simple, transparent and secure digital payment for the Government services in the UAE. Payments with this card are made in the Arab Emirates Dirham (AED) currency. e-Dirham offers smart payment for more than 5,000 services provided by various ministries, authorities, and even private companies.

The UAE was the first country in the Middle East that introduced such a digital payment system in response to development in technology and market demands. This has placed the UAE as a globally recognised region for a world class technological service while being centered in four values:

Innovation
Empowerment
Leadership
Synergy

The efficiency and success of the e-Dirham system from the beginning led to the launching of both the second (G2) and third generations (G3) in 2011 and 2020 respectively.

How the e-Dirham system works in the UAE

The e-Dirham card looks like an ordinary debit card but it works differently. Over the years, the e-Dirham system has been in collaboration with some banks in the UAE to offer premium services to the people.

The participating banks for the e-Dirham system are:

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
Commercial Bank of Abu Dhabi
First Abu Dhabi Bank
National Bank of Fujairah
RAK Bank

How to register and activate your e-Dirham card

To use your e-Dirham card seamlessly, you will need the eDirhan Instant App. All you need to do is to download the mobile application and link your e-Dirham card to your bank account as your main source of funds. Later, you will need to top up your e-Dirham card from time to time.

Read our short instructions below to register and activate your e-Dirham card. Alternatively, you can watch an informative video on the e-Dirham mobile app activation process.

So, to register and activate your card:

Download the e-Dirham Instant mobile app from Google Play or App Store.
Select either English or Arabic language.
Enter your mobile number using the UAE country code.
Enter the code sent to your mobile number for verification.
Enter your name and email address.
Create a 6 digit password for your account or use face ID if supported by your device.
Define a preferred source of funds for payments. Select either the e-Dirham prepaid card (enter its number) or your bank account (enter your Emirates ID).
Scan and enter the card number.
Enter the access code sent by your bank.

Congratulations! You have created an account and can now access all the great benefits and services offered by the e-Dirham card.

How to pay online for Government services with your e-Dirham card

To get your e-Dirham card, visit the issuing bank to collect it. Use your e-Dirham card to pay online for any services provided by the UAE Government. It is really easy. Just follow the steps below:

Go to the website of the Government institution whose service you are going to use, log in if required, and select that service.
Choose e-Dirham card as your payment option.
Enter your e-Dirham card details.
Open your eDirham Instant app and check out for the one-time password (OTP) sent to you there.
Enter the OPT on the website to complete the payment.

How to pay online for Government services with eDirham Instant App

With eDirham Instant, you don’t need any physical card and you are good to go after creating an account. The mobile application is very useful if you haven’t received the physical card yet. Note that you may need to contact your bank to facilitate the registration process.

To pay online using eDirham Instant, follow these steps:

Download eDirham Instant from Google Play or App Store. If you don’t have an account, create it as described in the How to register and activate your e-Dirham card section above.
Go to the website of the Government institution whose service you are going to use, log in if required, and select that service.
Choose eDirham instant as your payment option.
Check out for the one-time password (OTP) sent to your eDirham Instant App account.
Enter the OPT on the website to complete the payment.

To view your transaction history in eDirham Instant, tap History at the bottom of the application screen.

Difference between red, blue, green, silver, and gold e-Dirham cards

If you have ever seen or used e-Dirham cards you may have noticed that they can be of different colors. Well, it’s not for fancy but to differentiate them as they have different features. These are called the Al Haslah e-Dirham prepaid cards that can be topped up at any time from your bank account.

All the cards except for the red Haslah e-Dirham card have electronic chips. The red one comes with a magnetic stripe.

Difference between the 5 types of e-Dirham Haslah cards

e-Dirham Haslah card category	Availability	Purchase price	Purchase location	Other features
Blue Haslah	Always available for purchase	AED 12	First Abu Dhabi Bank locations across the UAE	Approved by G2 e-Dirham and world service provider. Valid for 2 years Your name is not written on the card. Registered card requires AED 20,000 at most as balance.
Green Haslah	Issued within 5 working days from the date of registration	AED 27	At any FAB branch in the UAE	A 3 year validity period Has your name on the card It requires registration to start functioning It is accepted by any global merchant service provider that accepts visa cards Accepts maximum balance of AED 50,000
Red Haslah	Always available for purchase	AED 6	First Abu Dhabi Bank locations across the UAE	Only approved by the e-Dirham service providers and merchants Valid for one year from the first time of loading up your balance Available as both registered and unregistered transaction item Registered card has a maximum balance of AED 50,000 Equipped with magnetic stripe
Silver Haslah	Available with 5 business days from the date of registration	AED 30	At any FAB branch	Also visa supported transaction card Requires registration before using the card Requires a balance of AED 2 million maximum
Gold Haslah	Received within 5 business days	AED 25	e-Dirham G2 websites and FAB branches across the UAE	The card must be registered to function 2. Accepts maximum balance of AED 1 million 3. Delivered through courier services

How to get an e-Dirham card

You can receive an e-Dirham card at the bank where you have an account. This bank must be one of the e-Dirham partner banks. We provided a list of these banks above. So, visit your bank and request an e-Dirham card. Once you get it, download the eDirham Instant mobile app and follow the registration procedure described above.

Alternatively, you can use the eDirham Instant app to access the services without a physical card. Contact your bank to learn more about the services available with eDirham Instant.

e-Dirham card types

e-Dirham cards can be of three different types with their particular features.

Halal card
Gold card
Signature card

To learn more about their features and benefits to users click here.

For more information about e-Dirham cards, eDirham Instant mobile application, registration process, and much more, visit the UAE Ministry of Finance website or dial 600550000.