Dear Customer,
Subject: International Bank Account Number (IBAN)
We are pleased to inform you that our Bank is migrating to ISO International Bank Account Number
(IBAN) Standard for numbering of bank customer accounts, from 31st January, 2012, as per the
Directive issued by Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB). The adoption of IBAN is also in keeping with the
Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 and is a step to increase the efficiency of electronic payments in the
Kingdom of Bahrain, while further strengthening Bahrain’s status as the regional financial service
centre. IBAN is not a new account number. We have simply created an IBAN for your existing
account number using the ISO standard format.
We are arranging to send you separately, a communication indicating your IBAN(s) that correspond
to your account (s) with us. We will also indicate the IBAN and our Bank’s SWIFT Code (BIC) in our
regular statements.
You are hereby informed that, from 31st January, 2012, it is compulsory to use IBAN in the following
local and international electronic payments:
1. Receiving an electronic payment from a bank within or outside Bahrain;
2. Sending an electronic payment to a bank within Bahrain; and
3. Sending an electronic payment to a bank in a country that has adopted IBAN and has made its
usage compulsory. Please note that you can also use IBAN in an electronic payment to a person
in a country that has adopted IBAN and has not made its usage compulsory).
Kindly communicate your IBAN and SWIFT Code (BIC) to parties from whom you receive and
expect to receive electronic payments, both, in the Kingdom of Bahrain and abroad. There is a
requirement to advise those parties well in advance to quote your IBAN in electronic payments from
31st January, 2012.
We would therefore urge you to kindly start providing your counterparties your IBAN from
now on so as to avoid any extra charges and possible delays in the processing of your
transactions when the usage of IBAN becomes compulsory from 31st January 2012.
We assure you of our utmost co-operation at all times. Should you require any clarification, please do
contact us and we shall be glad to assist you.
Contact Details of our Customer Service Department:
Ms. Fatima Mohamed: 17 866 639
Mr. Zuhair Isa 17 866 633
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