Ratibi Card Guide: Balance, Fees, Lost Card and Payit
The Ratibi card is a prepaid salary card issued by First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) and run by its payments arm, Magnati, for employees earning up to AED 5,000 a month. Your salary lands on the card through the Wage Protection System, and you can spend it in shops and online, or withdraw it free at FAB ATMs. To check the balance online, use the Magnati prepaid card enquiry page with the last four digits of your card number and the Card ID, or link the card to FAB’s Payit app. A lost card should be blocked straight away by calling FAB on 600 52 5500.
- Balance: Magnati enquiry page, the Payit app, or any FAB ATM for free.
- Lost card: call 600 52 5500 to block it, then tell your HR team.
- Forgotten PIN: your employer’s authorised staff request the reset.
What the Ratibi card is
Ratibi, which means “my salary” in Arabic, is a payroll card rather than a bank account. Your employer opens it for you through its own corporate account with FAB, and pays your salary onto it each month. Many people still call it the NBAD salary card, because National Bank of Abu Dhabi launched it before merging into FAB.
| Feature | Ratibi card |
|---|---|
| Issued by | First Abu Dhabi Bank, powered by Magnati |
| Who gets it | Employees earning up to AED 5,000 a month, through their employer |
| Salary payment | Through the Wage Protection System, with an SMS on every credit |
| Where it works | ATMs, shops and online, on the Visa or Mastercard network |
| Card validity | Renewed every 5 years |
| Free extra | Personal accident cover, up to 5 times monthly salary to AED 25,000 |
The free accident cover is easy to overlook. FAB lists a payout of 5 times monthly salary, up to AED 25,000, for accidental death or permanent total disability, a hospital cash benefit of AED 50 a day for up to 30 days after an accident, and repatriation costs up to AED 5,000.
How to check your Ratibi balance
| Method | What you need | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Magnati prepaid card enquiry page | Last 4 digits of the card number, the Card ID and a captcha | Free |
| Payit app | A Ratibi card linked to your Payit account | Free |
| FAB ATM | Your card and PIN | Free |
| Another bank’s ATM in the UAE | Your card and PIN | AED 2 plus VAT |
The online enquiry page is linked from FAB’s Ratibi page, which is the safest way to reach it. Many websites with “balance check” in their names copy the form or send you elsewhere, so avoid typing card details into any page you reached through an advert. The SMS you receive when salary is credited is also a quick way to confirm that your pay has arrived.
Ratibi fees and ATM charges
These are the cardholder fees in FAB’s Ratibi application form. All amounts are in AED and exclude 5% VAT.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Cash withdrawal at a FAB ATM | Free |
| Cash withdrawal at another UAE bank’s ATM | AED 2 |
| Cash withdrawal in another GCC country | AED 6 |
| Cash withdrawal elsewhere abroad | AED 15 |
| Replacing a lost or stolen card | AED 25 |
| Setting or resetting a PIN | Free |
| Declined payment for lack of funds | AED 2 |
| Cash deposit at a deposit machine | AED 5 |
| Statement | AED 25 |
The form also lists a monthly fee of AED 5 per card, a value added service fee of AED 1 and an inactivity fee, and says the monthly and statement fees are charged to either the employer or the cardholder, as agreed with the employer. FAB’s Ratibi page, by contrast, says there are no monthly charges for cardholders. If you see a monthly deduction, ask HR which arrangement your company has. The simplest saving is to withdraw cash only at FAB ATMs, and to check your balance before paying so a card payment is not declined.
Payit, salary advances and sending money
Payit is FAB’s mobile wallet, and Ratibi holders can sign up with their card. Registration uses your Emirates ID, a short video check and your active Ratibi card. Once linked, the app shows your balance and lets you pay du and e& bills, top up Nol, Salik and Mawaqif, pay in shops and send money abroad.
Payit also offers Money on Demand, a salary advance of up to 50% of your average salary. Under the Ratibi terms, the fee is AED 20 for an advance up to AED 500, AED 35 for AED 501 to AED 1,000, and AED 50 for AED 1,001 to AED 2,500. The advance is recovered from your next salary. Under the same terms, employers commit to paying your full salary and any end of service gratuity onto the card, and moving salary to another bank needs 60 days’ written notice to FAB.
Because Ratibi is a prepaid card, FAB’s Ratibi material does not present it as an account with its own IBAN for receiving transfers. That is starting to change. Under the Central Bank’s Universal Accounts framework for people earning AED 5,000 or less a month, FAB launched the Payit Universal Account in May 2026: a digital current account with no minimum balance and an IBAN, into which employers can pay salaries instead of onto a salary card. Ask your HR team whether your employer plans to move from Ratibi to the new account. Our salary card comparison explains the options side by side, and our guide to sending money home compares remittance costs.
Lost, blocked or expired cards
If your card is lost or stolen, call the FAB call centre on 600 52 5500 at once to block it, then tell your employer’s authorised Ratibi contact, who requests the replacement. The replacement fee is AED 25 plus VAT. Requests for new cards, cancellations and PIN resets all go through the employer’s authorised staff rather than through you directly, so a card blocked after too many wrong PIN attempts is also fixed through HR. If an ATM swallows your card, the bank that owns the machine destroys it and your employer has to apply for a new one.
Cards are renewed every 5 years for AED 5. A card with no transactions for 365 days goes dormant and can be closed, but any balance on it is kept by FAB for you to claim.
When you leave your job
When your employment ends, your employer should tell FAB and hand your card to a FAB branch. FAB then cancels the card and pays any remaining balance to you at the branch. Before your last day, withdraw or spend what you can, check that your final salary and gratuity have been credited, and keep a copy of your last balance. If money is missing, our gratuity calculator and WPS salary complaint guide show what you are owed and how to claim it. Every banking guide is listed in our UAE banking guide.
Frequently asked questions
How can I check my Ratibi card balance online?
Use the Magnati prepaid card enquiry page linked from FAB’s Ratibi page, entering the last four digits of your card number and the Card ID. The Payit app and FAB ATMs also show the balance for free.
What is the Ratibi card customer care number?
FAB’s call centre is 600 52 5500 inside the UAE. Call it first to block a lost or stolen card.
Is there a fee to withdraw money from a Ratibi card?
Not at FAB ATMs. Other UAE banks’ ATMs charge AED 2, GCC ATMs AED 6 and other international ATMs AED 15, each plus VAT.
Can I get a salary advance on my Ratibi card?
Yes, through Money on Demand in the Payit app, up to 50% of your average salary. Fees run from AED 20 to AED 50 depending on the amount.
Last verified: October 2026 against FAB’s Ratibi page, the Ratibi application form and terms (December 2022, version 3), Payit and FAB’s Payit Universal Account announcement (May 2026). Fees can change and may be shared with your employer, so confirm with FAB or HR.
Written by Roman Shah · Reviewed by the UAEexplained editorial team
Sources: First Abu Dhabi Bank, Magnati, Payit
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