URL: https://esimgo.ae/how-to-pay/
Source: eSIM Go (esimgo.ae)
Author: Nadezhda Semenova, entrepreneur, co-founder of the Trippy travel service, https://esimgo.ae/author/
Updated: 15 Oct 2026

# How to pay for an eSIM in AED: card payment, bank fees and refunds

You pay by card, in AED, and the amount is the exact price shown at checkout. Your own bank may still add a foreign-transaction fee: the schedules we read (15 Oct 2026) list **1.99%** at [Emirates NBD (Priority Banking)](https://cdn.emiratesnbd.com/enbd/files/pdf/personal_banking_soc_prb_en.pdf) and **2.99%** at [ADCB](https://www.adcb.com/en/multimedia/sof/cb-sof-current-charges-fees.pdf) (credit cards other than its Traveller card). If you pay and the eSIM never connects, you can ask for a refund within 30 days.

## You pay the exact AED price shown

Our checkout charges in AED and shows the exact price before you pay, not an estimate. The line next to every price reads: "Charged in AED by JET SHARING (USA). Your bank may add a foreign-transaction fee." For example, the Saudi Arabia plan with 10GB for 30 days shows AED 75.99, and that is the amount charged. How our prices stand against e&, du and Virgin Mobile roaming is on [how we compare](/how-we-compare/). No payment surcharge from us: the price you see is the price we ask for, whichever card you use.

The seller is JET SHARING MOBILITY INC (United States), and a UAE bank may treat an AED payment to a seller abroad as a foreign one.

## Bank fee

Two of the three UAE bank schedules we read on 15 Oct 2026 list fees of **1.99%** to **2.99%** on AED payments to merchants abroad: [ADCB](https://www.adcb.com/en/multimedia/sof/cb-sof-current-charges-fees.pdf) and [Emirates NBD](https://cdn.emiratesnbd.com/enbd/files/pdf/personal_banking_soc_prb_en.pdf). The third, [FAB](https://apply.bankfab.com/-/media/fab-uds/personal/credit-cards/fees-and-charges/credit-card.pdf), lists up to **2.61%** and does not say whether AED payments count. Whether your bank charges one depends on your card and on where the bank thinks the merchant processes the payment. This page explains how card payments work; it is not financial advice. Check the details with your bank.

| Bank and card | Line in the bank's tariff | Rate | Fee on an AED 100.00 payment (our arithmetic) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADCB credit cards, except Traveller | "Foreign transaction fee (AED currency)" | **2.99%** | AED 2.99 |
| ADCB Traveller credit card | "Foreign transaction fee (AED currency)" | **0%** | AED 0.00 |
| ADCB debit cards | both foreign-transaction lines | **2.49%** | AED 2.49 |
| Emirates NBD, Priority Banking schedule | "International Transaction Fee For Purchase in Non-AED/AED Currency" | **1.99%** | AED 1.99 |
| FAB credit cards | "International Transaction Fee" (use on AED payments not confirmed) | up to **2.61%** (plus VAT + scheme charges) | up to AED 2.61, before extras |

Sources, all as of 15 Oct 2026: ADCB [schedule of charges](https://www.adcb.com/en/multimedia/sof/cb-sof-current-charges-fees.pdf) (tariff "Effective 1st September 2026"), Emirates NBD [Priority Banking schedule](https://cdn.emiratesnbd.com/enbd/files/pdf/personal_banking_soc_prb_en.pdf), FAB [credit card fees](https://apply.bankfab.com/-/media/fab-uds/personal/credit-cards/fees-and-charges/credit-card.pdf). The table repeats each bank's tariff and recommends no card; the AED 100.00 payment is a hypothetical.

[Emirates NBD's debit-card note](https://cdn.emiratesnbd.com/enbd/files/pdf/personal_banking_soc_prb_en.pdf) adds a Visa processing fee (approx. 1.15%) that "includes and is not limited to any transactions in AED, done on overseas-based websites and mobile applications". We could not confirm whether FAB applies its fee to AED payments to foreign merchants. We found no Emirates NBD retail credit-card tariff and did not read other banks' schedules.

One r/dubai poster (20 Mar 2024) wrote: "I wrote about being charged by my bank a foreign transaction fee for paying in AED on booking.com It seems that this is common practice". That is one person's experience, and it matches the bank lines above: a charge in AED does not guarantee a statement without a bank fee. To find your own rate, look in your card's tariff for the lines named "foreign transaction" or "international transaction".

## Approving the payment in your bank app

If your bank asks you to approve the payment in its app, open the app and confirm. Whether the bank asks is its decision, not ours, and we cannot promise how or when a bank sends an approval request or a code.

Pay at home in the UAE, before you fly: an in-app approval needs your phone online, and you install the eSIM before departure anyway.

## What you see on your card statement

The merchant line on your statement reads **JET SHARING**, not "eSIM Go". It is the short name of our seller, JET SHARING MOBILITY INC, shown with the AED amount from checkout.

A bank fee, if there is one, can appear as separate lines in the bank's own words. One HSBC cardholder (r/dubai, 21 Jan 2025) described "ISSUER DCC DEBIT TRANSACTION and STND PROC FEE FOR DCC TRNX" added to two online payments made in AED. That is one person's experience. Other banks label fees differently, so ask your bank what a line means; we see only the AED amount we charged.

## Card declined: what to check

Card declined? Check that online and international payments are enabled in your bank app.

Then check the card number, expiry date and security code you typed, and the card's limit. If everything is right and the payment still fails, ask your bank, then [contact us](/contact/) at support@esimgo.ae with the time of the attempt. Setup questions go to the [help centre](/help/).

## Refunds before the eSIM connects

You can get a refund within 30 days of purchase if the eSIM has not connected to any network. The full rules and exceptions are in the [refund policy](/refund-policy/).

On a refund your bank may keep its fee. How long the money takes to reach your card depends on the bank, and we have no figure for it.

## FAQ

### Will I be charged in AED or US dollars?

In AED. The checkout shows an exact AED price and charges that amount. Your bank may add a foreign-transaction fee on top.

### Why did my bank charge a fee when I paid in AED?

The seller is a United States company, and some UAE banks list a fee for payments to merchants abroad even in AED. [ADCB](https://www.adcb.com/en/multimedia/sof/cb-sof-current-charges-fees.pdf) lists 2.99% on most credit cards and 2.49% on debit cards; [Emirates NBD Priority Banking](https://cdn.emiratesnbd.com/enbd/files/pdf/personal_banking_soc_prb_en.pdf) lists 1.99% (15 Oct 2026). Ask your bank which line applies to your card.

### Why was my card declined?

First check that online and international payments are enabled in your bank app. Then check the card details and your limit. If it still fails, contact your bank and then us at support@esimgo.ae.

### What will I see on my card statement?

The merchant name is JET SHARING, with the AED amount shown at checkout. A bank fee, if your bank adds one, can show as separate lines labelled in the bank's own words.

### Can I get a refund if I don't use the eSIM?

Yes, within 30 days of purchase if the eSIM has not connected to any network. On a refund your bank may keep its fee.

### Is there a free eSIM?

No, we have no free plan. Our travel eSIMs are paid, and the exact AED price is shown before you pay. A discount code is published on the [coupon page](/coupon/).

## Sources

- ADCB, [schedule of charges](https://www.adcb.com/en/multimedia/sof/cb-sof-current-charges-fees.pdf) (tariff "Effective 1st September 2026"): adcb.com (15 Oct 2026)
- Emirates NBD, [Priority Banking schedule of charges](https://cdn.emiratesnbd.com/enbd/files/pdf/personal_banking_soc_prb_en.pdf): emiratesnbd.com (15 Oct 2026)
- FAB, [credit card fees and charges](https://apply.bankfab.com/-/media/fab-uds/personal/credit-cards/fees-and-charges/credit-card.pdf): bankfab.com (15 Oct 2026)
- r/dubai, thread "Suggestions for booking.com without paying card fees": reddit.com/r/dubai (20 Mar 2024)
- r/dubai, thread "HSBC MasterCard DCC Fees Even Though Transactions Were in AED!": reddit.com/r/dubai (21 Jan 2025)