Before the sanctions, everything was simpler: you could pay with any bank card in Russia and services such as PayPal, Revolut or Wise also worked.
Despite this, there are still alternatives for foreigners to pay by card in Russia.
There are three options for paying in Russia by foreigners: carrying cash, buying a Chinese UnionPay card before going on a trip, or buying a bank card from a Russian bank when you arrive in Moscow, St. Petersburg or any other Russian city.
In any case, I recommend paying the main expenses before leaving on a trip and not in Russia: accommodation, train tickets, guided tours, etc.
Let’s look at each of these possibilities.
The first option is
to purchase a UnionPay bank card, a Chinese card that is not subject to sanctions in Russia and that currently allows payments to be made at Russian merchants that accept this card and to withdraw money at some ATMs in Russia (such as those of
Gazprombank, for example).
UnionPay cards aren’t as widely deployed in Russia as Visa or MasterCard, but they can get you out of a hurry.
The problem is that UnionPay cards are
harder to get hold of. You have two ways to acquire them:
Go to a bank that issues UnionPay cards
Some
European, American and Australian banks issue UnionPay cards. To find out which entities offer this card, you can check the
UnionPay website, select your country and then select the “Local Card Application” icon. If this icon doesn’t appear, it’s because UnionPay cards are not sold in your country.
Buy the UnionPay card online
If
there are no banks in your country that offer UnionPay cards, there may be a company that sells the card online. I know three, I’m sure there are more:
- YianPay (only for Spain). It is possible to get a UnionPay euro card through the company Yianpay, by downloading a mobile application. In this link you can find the fees that apply. It costs about 10 euros to issue the card and 3 euros per month for maintenance fees.
- Ecard (for USA only). Until recently, they issued UnionPay cards, but their issuance is currently suspended. I don’t know when they will be reissued.
- Advcash (Global). In many other countries it is possible to get a UnionPay dollar card with Advcash, although you should keep in mind that it costs 95 dollars and a maintenance fee of 2.5 dollars per month applies.
If you know of any other options besides the above, let me know in the comment area and I’ll include it in this article.
Keep in mind that
you must purchase a physical card, not a virtual one. Always carry the card with you, because in Russia, Apple Pay and Google Pay have suspended their operations and are not working.
Advantages of the UnionPay card: you don’t have to carry all your cash with you.
Drawbacks of the UnionPay card: in addition to the commission for exchanging rubles, transaction fees may also apply.
Option 3. Get a card from a Russian bank when you arrive at your destination
For longer trips or if you travel to Russia frequently, the best option is to purchase a bank card in Russia attached to the
MIR system (in Russian: МИР).
MIR is a Russian payment system created in 2015 by the Central Bank of Russia following Western sanctions for the annexation of Crimea. After the suspension of operations by Visa and MasterCard in Russia in 2022 due to the conflict in Ukraine, MIR has become the main card payment system in Russia.
There are currently several card options focused on foreigners in Russia. In any of the three options that I explain below, you must provide 3 documents: passport, visa (if you need it) and immigration card.
Tinkoff Card
Tinkoff is a neobank founded by Oleg Tinkov in 2006 and that operates mainly online in Russia, although it has some offices in Moscow.
The
Tinkoff card can be ordered from their
website and they take it to your place of residence in Russia, either a hotel or a private apartment (it takes 1-2 days from the date of the application). This card is associated with a mobile application (like Revolut) and can be recharged for free with your personal cards.
Raiffeisen Bank Card
Raiffeisen Bank is one of the main banks in Russia, although it was founded in Austria.
The Raiffeisen Bank card can be ordered from their
website, although the process is in Russian and a Russian mobile number is required. You can get this card in Russia by presenting the required documentation (passport, visa and immigration card).
However, you can also request it directly at one of their offices. This bank has a multitude of offices in major Russian cities.