IBAN -

We have all heard in the recent past about IBAN-International Bank Account Number. In simple words IBAN numbers are a way to convey, with a single number, all the information required to identify a specific bank account. IBAN was initially developed for European Union countries to facilitate payments. But now it is adopted in many countries including the Middle Eastern countries. UAE is one of the few early adopters of IBAN. Being a trade driven economy, it makes sense to adopt IBAN as it facilitates easy remittance of funds without any delays or errors. Where can I get my IBAN number? IBAN is an addition to your existing account number but it does not replace or eliminate it. It is mandatory for your respective banks to provide you with the IBAN number. If you have online access to your bank account, it is likely that the IBAN number is listed there by default. For any international remittances, it is now mandatory to have IBAN. In the UAE, April 12th 2012 is the final date(deadline) to obtain IBAN for any clearance. Format of IBAN - Example In UAE, IBAN is made up of 23 numbers and letters as follows: AE420510000104035564815 The format is as follows: AEkk BBBC CCCC CCCC CCCC CCC where B is your bank code and C is your account number. AE is the country code and kk is the check digit. To check whether your IBAN is valid visit the following website: www.ibancalculator.com Below image published by Gulf News explains it in a picture: