MOHRE adds Tabby instalments for fees and fines

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has introduced Tabby as a payment option, allowing customers to divide service fees and administrative fines into monthly instalments.

The facility covers eligible transactions of up to Dh20,000. Approved customers can spread their payments over periods ranging from four to 12 months, depending on the plan offered and Tabby’s assessment of their application.

The ministry said the service was designed to give individuals and businesses greater flexibility when settling financial obligations. It also supports the federal government’s wider effort to expand digital payment choices and simplify access to public services.

Customers can select Tabby while completing eligible transactions through the ministry’s authorised payment channels. Tabby settles the transaction amount with the government entity, while the customer repays the financial technology company under the agreed schedule.

Approval is not automatic. Tabby evaluates each request using factors that may include the applicant’s payment history, existing unpaid balances, the transaction value and other credit-related information. The spending limit available to one customer may therefore differ from that offered to another.

Users generally need to be at least 18 years old, hold valid identification and link an accepted debit or credit card. The platform uses automated approval systems, meaning a previous acceptance does not guarantee approval for another transaction.

The terms also vary by plan. Tabby offers four-payment arrangements without interest or fees for many transactions, while a service charge may apply when customers choose longer repayment periods. Any applicable cost is displayed before the customer confirms the payment.

The ministry’s move extends the use of buy now, pay later services beyond retail purchases and into federal administration. Government bodies have been broadening their payment systems to reduce the pressure created when licence charges, permit costs or accumulated penalties must be paid as a single amount.

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security also added Tabby to its payment options this month. Its arrangement permits customers to divide eligible service charges of up to Dh20,000 over three to 12 months, subject to approval.

The expansion follows a Ministry of Finance agreement with Tabby in November 2025 that created a framework for instalment payments across participating federal entities. That initiative was intended to modernise revenue collection while offering customers more convenient ways to manage government-related expenses.

For employers, the MOHRE arrangement could ease short-term cash-flow pressure when multiple employment transactions fall due together. Businesses routinely use ministry services for work permits, contract processing, establishment records and other labour-market requirements. Administrative penalties can also create substantial immediate liabilities, particularly for smaller companies.

However, instalments do not reduce the underlying fee or fine. They shift repayment over a longer period and may carry additional charges where a customer selects a plan extending beyond four payments. Businesses and individuals must still assess whether the repayment schedule is affordable before accepting it.

Tabby joins eight banks already approved to provide credit-card instalment facilities for ministry fees and fines. The participating institutions are Emirates NBD, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Mashreq Bank, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Commercial International Bank and RAKBANK.

The wider choice allows customers without an eligible credit-card instalment plan to seek an alternative through Tabby. It also introduces competition between conventional banks and financial technology providers in the processing of public-sector payments.

Buy now, pay later services have expanded rapidly across the Gulf, moving from online shopping and consumer electronics into travel, education, healthcare and government transactions. Their appeal rests on immediate access to goods or services while payments are divided into smaller amounts.

The model has also drawn regulatory attention because repeated use can leave customers managing several overlapping commitments. Clear disclosure of charges, affordability checks and accessible repayment information are considered important safeguards as instalment services enter areas involving essential expenses and statutory obligations.