Methods of payment for goods and services abroad in 2023
We’ll tell you where and how it’s more выгоднее to open a foreign bank card.
16.05.2025
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In March 2022, after the suspension of MasterCard and Visa payment systems' operations in Russia, holders of bank cards issued in the Russian Federation could no longer pay for goods and services outside the country. In this article, we will tell you how payments abroad can be made today.
So, as of today, there are only three ways:
- opening a card with a foreign bank;
- payment with UnionPay cards from some Russian banks;
- cryptocurrency.
Foreign bank cards.
Let's start with a more universal method – paying with foreign bank cards! This method will allow you to make payments worldwide without restrictions. As of today, banks in countries such as the following open cards for residents of the Russian Federation most easily:
Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan.
Belarus.
So, let’s describe in detail the fastest and cheapest option – getting a Belarusian card.
Compared to other countries – you will buy the cheapest plane or train tickets to Minsk, and if you have a trusted person in the country, you can even arrange everything remotely.
Which Belarusian bank should you open an account with?
At Alfa-Bank, you can remotely open a bank card by power of attorney. To do this, you need to prepare a notarized document granting the right to open bank accounts in the territory of the Republic of Belarus. The cost of such a document is on average 2 000 rubles at any notary office. It must be issued in the name of your intermediary / trusted person (the intermediary can also be a citizen of the Russian Federation) and the document must be sent to the Republic of Belarus.
Another argument in favor of Alfa-Bank is that you are not required to have a local phone number. Russian numbers are accepted during registration.
So, for opening a personalized package, which includes three separate bank cards linked to accounts in separate currencies (BYN - Belarusian rubles, US dollars, or euros), you as a non-resident must pay 250 BYN, which is approximately 7 500 rubles as of today. Maintenance is free under minimum conditions or from 5 BYN (150 rubles) per month.
Card-to-card transfer is carried out without commission at the bank’s internal exchange rate.
There are Classic, Gold, and Platinum packages, which differ in maintenance cost, limits, and other options. Details can be found on the website.
Cost of issuing cards for non-residents:
270 BYN - Visa Classic (8 100 rubles);
290 BYN - Visa Gold (8 700 rubles);
350 BYN - Visa Gold + Belkart - a local payment system, which, by the way, is integrated with the MIR payment system (10 500 rubles).
Here, you will not be able to issue cards by power of attorney. You will also need to purchase a local phone number.
Priorbank (Raiffeisen Bank).
A guarantee deposit must be opened for each account with card issuance, the amount of which is 20 000 BYN (600 000 rubles) + 300 USD/EUR for cards in US dollars or euros. There are no multicurrency accounts, so you will need to open a separate account in each currency.
Here you will also be able to carry out all operations by power of attorney, but only with a Belarusian phone number.
Cost of issuing a Visa Gold card for non-residents:
135 BYN (for cards in Belarusian rubles) – 4 200 rubles;
187 BYN (for cards in US dollars or euros) – 5 700 rubles.
As of today, there is a note on MTBank’s website about the suspension of issuance of these cards for non-residents.
The first product opened for a non-resident at the bank office must be an account in local currency. Opening such an account for non-residents costs 250 BYN (7 800 rubles), and by power of attorney – it is possible for 350 BYN (10 800 rubles). The first account is opened only at the bank office. The second and subsequent current accounts can be opened in the mobile app for free. The cost of the card depends on its type.
You must also have an active Belarusian mobile operator number to open a card.
At the moment, you can issue a MasterCard or Visa card with Gold status. The available currencies for these cards are BYN, USD, EUR, RUB. The issuance cost for all cards is 330 BYN (10 150 rubles) as a one-time payment, for the entire validity period of the card. No additional payments, commissions, or mandatory deposits are предусмотрено.
It is allowed to use a Russian phone number for registration, and the bank will also accept a notarized power of attorney.
The card issuance timeframes at all banks are approximately the same – 3-10 days. In some banks, you can pay extra for urgent issuance and receive the card the same or the next day.
You can also easily get a local SIM card at any mobile service office. On the trip, carry your Russian passport and international passport with you.
Important note: some banks of the Republic of Belarus are also under sanctions, just like Russian banks, so if you have difficulties with payment, the reason may be either sanctions or the API, if it does not match the country where the card was issued. If an error occurs, first try making the payment with the API of the country where the card was issued; if the problem persists, then it is most likely due to sanctions.
How to top up a Belarusian card?
We found an excellent article for you on how to profitably top up Republic of Belarus cards from Russia using brokerage accounts almost at the exchange rate.
Uzbekistan.
In Uzbekistan, cards are also issued to non-residents, but the process of opening accounts in this country’s banks is somewhat more complicated. In addition, given the impossibility of using a trusted representative, a trip to Tashkent (most banks open accounts for non-residents only at offices in Tashkent) will cost you more, as will accommodation due to the influx of tourists over the past six months.
A necessary requirement for opening accounts in Uzbekistan is a local mobile number. To get a SIM card at mobile carrier branches, you will need a foreign passport, as well as temporary registration or residence registration (confirmation of registration can be obtained at the hotel reception). When applying, specify what you need the SIM card for, since tourist ones stop working after some time. Also, at the carrier branch you will need to register your IMAI (international mobile equipment identity), which may also be requested by the bank.
Among the documents, you will additionally need PINFL (personal identification number of an individual), which can be obtained by contacting public service centers or the migration and citizenship registration departments of the internal affairs office at the place where your temporary registration in Tashkent was issued. For this, you need to have your passport and proof of registration. Processing takes up to 12 hours.
Which banks in Uzbekistan are ready to open an account for non-residents of the country?
One of the banks that serves non-residents only at its head office in Tashkent.
In addition to cards in the main currencies — US dollars and euros, you can also apply for a card in the local currency of the local payment system - Uzcard; money can be transferred to this card from Russian cards.
The opening cost is from 5 to 7 BRV. BRV in Uzbekistan is the basic settlement unit, and as of today it amounts to 300 000 UZS (Uzbek soums). In total, converted into rubles, 5 BRV = 10 000 rubles, and 7 BRV = 14 000 rubles.
At the same time, among the special conditions for non-residents there is a security deposit. It depends on the type of card you choose and amounts, for example, to:
for a regular VISA Start — 10 USD;
for VISA Infinite — 500 USD;
for a contactless UnionPay GOLD card — 50 USD.
From the documents, you will need a Russian passport and a foreign passport, confirmation of temporary residence registration or registration, a local SIM card, and PINFL.
Required documents for opening plastic cards for individual non-residents: passport, temporary registration certificate, and PINFL.
Terms for opening Visa Platinum Pay Wave (contactless):
Cost — 500 000 UZS (3 350 rubles);
Security deposit amount — 100 USD;
Annual maintenance fee — 50 USD;
Initial deposit amount — 100 USD.
Kapitalbank and Hamkorbank.
In September of last year, the banks introduced additional restrictions for non-residents. Now service will be available only to persons who arrived in the country at least 15 calendar days before applying to the bank and have all the relevant documents: registration, PINFL, and a local SIM card. Not the cheapest or fastest way.
Kazakhstan.
To open an account with a bank in Kazakhstan, a non-resident will need a local IIN (individual identification number) and a SIM card from a Kazakh mobile operator. It is better to prepare a notarized translation of your Russian passport in advance. Today, you can obtain an IIN at the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Russia by submitting an application in person, or apply for it on site at a CSC (Public Service Center) in Kazakhstan.
Banks in Kazakhstan available to non-residents.
A distinctive advantage of this bank is that obtaining a local SIM card is not required. You will only need a foreign passport and the above-mentioned IIN.
Non-residents can get a multi-currency card. The card is linked to accounts in Kazakh tenge, US dollars, euros, and rubles. Maintenance is free.
You will pay 30 000 KZT (Kazakh tenge) for card issuance — approximately 5 000 rubles.
Today, the bank opens accounts for non-residents only in local currency.
The list of documents for registration is standard: passport, IIN, SIM card, as well as an additional document confirming the right to stay in Kazakhstan, for example, an RK border crossing stamp, a temporary registration certificate, and so on.
Issuance and maintenance of the Kaspi Gold bank card are free for the first year, and for the second and subsequent years — 1 995 KZT per year (350 rubles).
Halyk Bank and ForteBank.
These banks also open accounts for non-residents, but in addition to the basic package, you need to provide one of the documents confirming your activity in the country, for example, a document from an educational institution or an employment contract with a legal entity in Kazakhstan.
Armenia.
In Armenia, opening a bank account and card for a non-resident is even more difficult than in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. This can only be done with a personal visit to the office; moreover, in most banks you will be asked to provide a rental agreement (for at least three months), a residence permit, an employment contract with a local company, and other documents. A phone number from a local carrier is also mandatory.
Let’s not dismiss Armenia’s banks so quickly.
So which banks serve non-residents in the Republic of Armenia?
An exception to the rules regarding the required mandatory documents is rightfully considered to be Unibank Armenia. To open a multi-currency VISA card, you will only need a foreign passport.
No fee is charged for issuing the card, but for its annual maintenance from the moment of use you must pay 100 000 AMD (Armenian drams), which is approximately equal to 20 000 rubles. You can open the card on the day of application by paying an additional approximately 25 000 AMD (5 000 rubles) for urgency. You can also apply for a GOLD package for 200 000 AMD (40 000 rubles) with increased account limits).
In this case, you have to pay double, if not triple, for simplicity and speed.
To open an account at this bank, in addition to a foreign passport, you will have to provide a rental agreement or registration at your place of stay, and a SIM card of the Republic of Armenia.
The cost of opening an Ardshinbank card in one currency will be 15 000 AMD + 400 AMD for its annual maintenance. Total approximately 3 000 rubles.
An identical set of documents as for Ardshinbank.
Here you only pay for the card’s annual maintenance: 20 000 AMD (4 000 rubles).
In all other banks in Armenia, you won’t be able to do without an employment contract and additional documents.
Kyrgyzstan.
The standard set of requirements includes a Russian passport, an international passport with an entry stamp into the country, and temporary registration. A local SIM card is also required by some banks.
Which banks in Kyrgyzstan open accounts for non-residents of the country?
KICB.
Opening a multicurrency KGS/USD or KGS/EUR card will cost you 600 KGS (Kyrgyz som) for Visa Classic. That is 500 rubles. And for Visa Gold d 1 500 KGS (1 300 rubles).
Issuance of the main card is free, each additional card in a separate currency costs 250 KGS (230 rubles), for urgent issuance you need to pay 1 000 KGS (900 rubles).
Issuance of cards by these banks is free.
Annual maintenance for Visa Classic cards is 300 KGS (250 rubles), Visa Gold – 1 000 KGS (900 rubles). Urgent card issuance is also 300 and 1 000 KGS respectively for Visa Classic and Gold.
For issuing a Visa card at this bank, non-residents of the country will have to pay 2 000 KGS (1 800 rubles), and also maintain a minimum balance in the account of 500 KGS (450 rubles).
When opening cards in foreign banks of the MasterCard and Visa payment systems, keep in mind that you will not be able to use them in the territory of the Russian Federation. Also, when visiting the office, try to clarify the possibility of online payments, sometimes this option is not enabled by default. We advise you to обязательно insert all physical plastic cards into an ATM in the country of receipt. Sometimes cards will not work without this operation.
Russian bank cards of the UnionPay payment system.
Today in Russia there are still banks that are not under sanctions and issue UnionPay payment system cards as a replacement for Visa and MasterCard. But in practice, everything turned out not to be so simple. Cardholders experience difficulties when paying for online purchases abroad. As it became clear later, the whole issue is that UnionPay is represented rather weakly outside its own country. The share of the payment system’s transactions outside China is only 2%. So whether or not to open such a card, by the way now at exorbitant prices, is up to you.
We will talk about how to pay for goods and services abroad using cryptocurrency in the next article.
