Are you planning a trip abroad? We tell you how to pay in another country and which cards are accepted abroad in 2022.
Problems with Russian cards abroad
Since March 2022, Russian cards of the Visa, MasterCard, American Express and JCB payment systems are not serviced abroad. The restrictions apply specifically to Russian bank cards - those issued by domestic banks. If a Russian is a client of a foreign bank and issued plastic in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Belarus or any other country, then he will not have problems using it.
In the Russian Federation, Visa and Mastercard operate as usual: you can use them to pay at cash desks, deposit money into an account and withdraw cash from ATMs, and make payments online. This is possible because all transactions are processed through the national payment system NSPK.
However, online payments are only available on Russian qatar mobile database resources; you cannot pay for an order on a foreign website. There is also no access to foreign services: Apple Pay, Google Pay, and others. It is impossible to pay for a subscription to Netflix, YouTube Premium, or Spotify from a Russian bank account.
Problems arise not only with online shopping, but also with travel. For example, it has become more difficult to book a hotel, order a transfer, or buy airline tickets from Russia. You need to use the services of intermediaries: travel agencies or Russian aggregator sites. But the most pressing question is how to pay abroad if Russian cards are no longer accepted?
How to pay abroad
Cash
The safest option is to use cash. If you are going abroad for a short time, then calculate an approximate budget and take currency with you for cash payments.
The main disadvantage of this method is the high risk of losing funds due to loss, damage or theft.
Here are some tips on how to protect yourself from potential problems associated with losing money in a foreign country:
Get travel insurance that covers the risk of loss of property;
pay for the maximum number of services in advance through a tour operator: hotel, meals, car rental, transfer, tickets, excursions;
Choose a fast transfer system that works in the destination country (Golden Crown, Western Union, etc.) so that your relatives in Russia can send you money if necessary.