Glossary
UAE debt terms, in plain language
The words that come up when you deal with debt in the UAE, explained simply, with no jargon.
- AECB (Al Etihad Credit Bureau)
- The Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB) is the UAE's official credit bureau. It collects your loan, credit-card, and bill repayment history from banks and lenders, then produces a credit report and score that lenders check before giving you credit.
- AECB credit report
- An AECB credit report is the official record of your credit behaviour in the UAE, issued by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau. It lists your active loans and cards, your payment history, and any defaults, and it is what banks check before approving credit.
- Hisab Score
- The Hisab Score is an on-device measure of your debt pressure, from 0 to 1000. It is calculated on your phone from what you owe, your payment status, and your credit-card utilisation. It is separate from your official AECB bureau score.
- Travel ban (for debt)
- A UAE travel ban for debt is a court-ordered restriction that can stop you leaving the country until a debt is settled or an arrangement is made. It is usually linked to a filed case, such as a bounced cheque or an unpaid loan, rather than to the debt itself.
- Salary assignment
- A salary assignment is an arrangement where your employer sends part or all of your salary directly to a bank to repay a loan. In the UAE it is commonly attached to personal loans and can be enforced if you default.
- Financial remediation department
- A financial remediation (or hardship) department is the team at a UAE bank that handles customers who cannot meet their repayments. They can offer deferments, restructured instalments, or settlement plans instead of legal action.
- BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later)
- Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) lets you split a purchase into instalments, often interest-free. In the UAE, providers such as Tabby, Tamara, Postpay, and Spotii report missed payments and can pass overdue accounts to collections.
- Debt settlement
- Debt settlement is negotiating with a lender to clear a debt for less than the full balance, or on restructured terms. In the UAE it is usually arranged through the bank's remediation department, ideally in writing.