A credit card lets you make purchases and pay later for it. It can be considered a small loan that you take from the bank, which must be returned within a fixed period.
When you apply for a credit card, the bank provides you with a credit limit to make purchases. Once you use your credit card to make a payment, your card details are sent to the bank. At the end of the month, you will receive a statement from the bank consisting of all transactions. You are required to pay off the amount before a fixed grace period. If you fail to do so, then the bank will charge you interest on your balance.

You can apply for a credit card in the UAE both online and offline. However, you need to make sure you meet the eligibility criteria to apply for a credit card that you want to apply for. In the UAE, your salary has to be AED 5000 and above to apply for a credit card and you should be above the age of 21.

With the ongoing scams and theft of credit cards, you must keep yourself aware of the ways to prevent it. Although your bank takes special care to never fall into fraud, the consumer’s knowledge is also essential.

Things you need to be aware of are phishing and skimming. Phishing is when a scammer tries to collect personal information about your card by tricking you. You can avoid it by never revealing your card information to anyone even if they claim to be from the bank.

Skimming happens when someone steals your card or relevant numbers. It can be done during a transaction or while using a shady website.  It is always recommended to keep your credit card safe and always watch out for suspicious places and websites.

Having a Credit card comes with a lot of benefits and advantages. A credit card lets you make purchases first and pay for them later. It lets you buy certain items such as a TV or a Laptop that you might not have the money for right now and pay for them later in installments.

Other benefits of credit cards include cashback, reward points, and frequent travel miles. Certain credit cards offer you cashback or reward points for every purchase you make. Reward points can be accumulated and redeemed to buy certain items. Travel miles lets you enjoy benefits related to air travel.

With a credit card, you can easily make purchases internationally. Some of the cards offer you discounts and deals on various restaurants and entertainment. A credit card comes with purchase protection and insurance; this way, you feel secure.

Not every credit card has an annual fee, and you can get some cards free for life. Certain cards that provide more benefits and deals, such as cashback, rewards, and travel miles may feature a membership fee. However, it is up to you to decide which one you want to apply for.

If your credit card gets lost or stolen, the first thing you should do is report it to your bank. You can get the reporting number on your transaction statement or the website, and you can call on that number or visit your nearest branch to report your case. You need to be fast in reporting; otherwise, you may be accountable for the transactions made using your card. If you report before any purchases are made, you are not liable to pay for it.

You can apply for a credit card either online or offline. The application process does not take up time if all your documents meet the eligibility criteria. To receive your card, you need to get the bank’s approved. After that, your credit card may get delivered to your address within a week.

Both of the ways have their virtues but online application is more convenient. Almost all bank offers online application of credit cards so that you can apply at the comfort of your home. With an online application, you can compare various credit cards of different banks and choose the best one. An offline application is best suited if you know which card you want. Otherwise, you would have to go from bank to bank to get information which can be time-consuming.

Some of the more common fee linked to your card are:

1. annual fee and renewal fee that depends upon the type of card and benefits it provides
2. credit shield
3. card advance fee
4. over-limit fee
5. balance-transfer fee

You will be required to submit various documents when applying for a credit card in the UAE. These documents include the application form, copy of passport and visa if you are an ex-pat, Emirates ID for nationals, salary proof or salary slip, 3 months bank statement of salary transfer, and address proof.

You need to consider various factors before applying for a credit card. You can compare these factors of various cards and then choose the one that suits you. You need to check the things: the annual interest rate, minimum repayment tenure, annual fee, other charges, introductory interest rate, points and rewards, and cash backs.

The minimum amount due is your credit amount that you need to pay every month to avoid getting a late payment fee. Keep in mind that you still need to pay the full amount due to you to avoid interest being charged on your account. The minimum amount due only saves you from the penalty of not paying on time.

The joining bonus sometimes referred to as a welcome bonus, is a certain amount of reward that the bank grants you when you sign up for the credit card. This may include cashback, travel miles, and redeemable reward points. They are granted as a way to attract customers to apply for their cards. Joining Bonus depends upon the type of card and the more benefits your card provides the more the bonus but also the fee.

Every credit card requires a certain minimum income to be eligible for it. The minimum monthly income can vary depending upon the card, but the minimum salary required to apply for a credit card in the UAE is AED 5000. The eligible age for all credit cards is 21 years and above. Some of the credit cards are only for UAE nationals, so you are not eligible for them if you are an expatriate.

Yes, you can withdraw cash from your credit card using an ATM anywhere in the UAE. The amount of cash that you can withdraw depends upon your credit card. Generally, you are allowed to withdraw 50-80% of your total credit limit. However, there may be a cash advance fee applicable on your transaction which you need to keep in mind.

Interest is charged on your account only if you fail to pay off your credit card dues in full before the due date. If you are paying your entire credit balance on time each month then you need not worry about the interest charges. A statement of your transactions for the month is sent to you by the bank with the due date before which you have to pay it off.

At the end of your billing cycle, the bank will send you a statement consisting of all your transactions of the month. You will get information regarding the amount due and the due date on it. Other ways in which you can find out your due date is by online banking or by subscribing to the bank’s SMS facility. You can even call the bank and they will provide you with your balance amount.

You can pay your credit card bill either online or offline. For offline payment, you can either send a cheque to the bank or visit the bank and pay in cash. For online payment, you can pay through the bank’s app, online banking, wallet apps like Google Pay, or direct debit. You can also pay your credit dues by the United Arab Emirates Funds Transfer System or UAEFTS.