Opening a bank account in Bahrain

Hi Julien,

I don't know if I can answer all of your questions but I'll give it a go....I must admit this is knowledge I've gleaned from my fiance's experiences.

is it difficult for expats to open a bank account in Bahrain ?

Without a CPR card/number....almost impossible, I think.

Which documents are required to open a bank account in Bahrain ?

CPR card/number, employer details, passport, residents visa...I think.

How long does it take to open it ?

A while...vague I know, for my fiance it took three weeks before she had an account number.

Is there any restriction for expats regarding the services (loans for instance)  ? 

Don't know about that, I think you can get a loan once all the other requirements for residence are met, however it's wise to note this regarding loans, if you lose your job and subsequently your resident & work visa and you still have outstanding debts, you can't leave the country until those debts are paid.  This can leave you in a really nasty situation in that it's very difficult, if not impossible to get another job, you can't leave the country till your debt is paid, which also means if you want to leave the country to start work somewhere else in order to pay back the debt, you can't...so it's important to be sure you have everything in order.  Also, for most it's a two year contract (sometimes rolling) so you'd need to have loans paid off before the contract expires.  Worth bearing in mind.

Which bank would you recommend ?

My fiance has gone with HSBC, I think it's one of the most popular banks with expats.

I hope this helps, but I'm open to correction on any of the above points:)