How to pay by card abroad in 2022 - how to pay for purchases if you go abroad

What payment options do Russians who find themselves abroad have?

Experts answer.

We often write about how to actively spend time abroad. But now travelers are faced with new problems. Russian cards are now not recognized abroad, to pay for purchases and withdraw money from ATMs is not possible everywhere. What alternatives are there?

General Director of the CROS agency

Travelers can still take cash with them and pay with it, exchanging it for local currency upon arrival. It should be taken into account that now it is possible to take out of Russia in cash an amount not exceeding the equivalent of $ 10 thousand per person in any currency.

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To issue a card of another country

Cards of payment systems Visa, Mastercard, JCB and American Èxpress, issued by Russian banks, no longer work abroad. But if a Russian citizen has such cards issued by foreign banks, they work everywhere (except Russia). At the same time, a plastic card abroad will be more reliable than a virtual card – again due to sanctions restrictions. Apple and Google do not support contactless payment service for Russian cards either in Russia or abroad.

Irina Andrievskaya

Director of Content and Analytics at the financial marketplace Vyberu.ru

To issue a card of a foreign bank, for example, in our neighbors in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan or Kyrgyzstan, you will need time and money. Moreover, most banks from countries neighboring Russia now require the personal presence of a new client in the office. A power of attorney from a citizen of the country representing the interests of the future client will not be enough for the bank. According to our service, the cost of an Uzbek VISA card of the economy segment and a tour at the most modest rates without additional costs will cost a Muscovite at least 52 thousand rubles. For Ufa residents, the cost will be more than Br67 thousand.

Cash dollars

The most reliable payment instrument for Russians going on a trip abroad is cash dollars. They can be withdrawn from a deposit or account, if you opened it before March 9, 2022. There are no other legal ways for Russians to get cash on hand now. It remains to rely on the help of relatives or friends with cash currency. It is extremely risky to try to buy currency from speculators. The fine for the operation is from 75 to 100% of the confiscated amount.

Use the services of the Zolotaya Korona system

Ekaterina: In 52 countries it is still possible for Russians to receive a transfer via KoronaPay. From any ruble card you can send yourself a transfer and withdraw money in local currency at an exchange point. Besides, in such countries as, for example, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Indonesia, it is possible to issue a foreign card for non-residents. It will be enough to show a certificate of income or movement of funds or bring a guarantor. It is better to specify specific conditions before entering the country.

Open a Union Pay card

It is safer to travel with cash, but you can keep some money on a Union Pay card. Few Russian banks issue it, for example, Gazprombank, Rosselkhozbank, as well as regional banks – Solidarnost, Primsotsbank. In March, Post Bank started issuing Union Pay virtual cards. Chinese cards are similar to Visa and Mastercard in terms of functionality. They are accepted in 180 countries to pay for goods and withdraw cash. The cost of plastic in Russian banks varies from 5 to 10 thousand rubles. A high price is charged for urgency.

Issue a co-branded card

Several Russian banks already offer to issue kobeijing cards, which combine two payment systems at once: “Mir” and Union Pay. True, they do not work in all countries. You need to pay attention to whether there is a corresponding icon at the entrance to the point of sale and on the terminal.

What will happen next?

According to analysts, due to the tightening of sanctions, all banks of the Russian Federation at any moment may be disconnected from SWIFT – an international system that allows banks from different countries to quickly transfer money. Now the payment system is inaccessible for six issuing banks: VTB, Bank Rossiya, Otkritie Bank, Novikombank, Promsvyazbank and Sovcombankv.

Irina: It is extremely difficult to predict the further development of the situation. In a negative scenario, absolutely all domestic credit organizations will not be able to settle accounts with foreign banks for some time. This means that transactions on the cards of Russians abroad will be stopped. Foreign banks will reject settlements on Russian cards in stores or ATMs. I emphasize that this is not only about the cards of banks against which sanctions have been imposed or which have been disconnected from the SWIFT system. All cards issued by Russian banks, including Mir and Union Pay, will fall under the embargo.