Tourist map

Main article: Tourism in Russia

Main article: World (national payment system)

Chronicle

2024: Payment cards for foreign tourists began to be issued in Russia

In early February 2024, the Ministry of Economic Development announced a pilot issue in Russia of bank cards for foreign tourists so that they could conduct non-cash payments on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Now we are actively working with interested banks. Banks are starting to form a financial product for foreigners and are already making the first test, pilot launches of a tourist card, "said Nikita Kondratyev, director of the department for multilateral economic cooperation and special projects of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation. at the strategic session of the Russian Union of Travel Industry (PCT) for inbound tourism on February 2, 2023.

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After passing the identification procedure in his country, a tourist will be able to remotely open an account with a Russian bank, and already in Russia get a foreign tourist card, including at the airport. Foreigners will be able to replenish this card at ATMs working to accept cash, or in bank branches.

According to the head of the National Payment Card System (NSPK) Vladimir Komlev, Tourist Card is a popular service that needs to be "rolled out." But the most important thing is that this card can be replenished online from accounts in the country where the person came from, he said.

With the help of opening an account in a Russian bank, you can bypass some restrictions on cross-border transfers and directly receive funds, RBC quotes Ekaterina Semerikova, head of research at the blockchain and fintech laboratory of the Skolkovo School of Management. In her opinion, the "Tourist Card" may be in demand among those foreigners who receive money from Russians or, conversely, transfer funds to them. These can be foreign companies or entrepreneurs who have Russian clients, she added in a conversation with the publication.^[1]

2023: The Government of the Russian Federation approved 25 countries, tourists from which will be able to get Mir cards in their homeland

In October 2023, the Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a decree approving a list of countries whose banks can remotely identify foreign customers to open cards and accounts with Russian credit institutions. We are talking about a tourist card of the payment system, "Mir" which will be available in the following states:

• Azerbaijan;
• Algiers;
• Armenia;
• Bahrain;
• Belarus;
• Brazil;
• Egypt;
• of India;
• Indonesia;
• Kazakhstan;
• Qatar;
• Kyrgyzstan;
• China;
• Kuwait;
• Malaysia;
• Mongolia;
• UAE;
• Oman;
• Pakistan;
• Saudi Arabia;
• Tajikistan;
• Thailand;
• Turkmenistan;
• Turkey;
• Uzbekistan.

The list of countries where you can get a tourist map of the "Mir" system has been approved

As explained in the Ministry of Economic Development, first a tourist from the above countries will be able to remotely issue a virtual card in order to pay for the service of a tour operator, hotel accommodation and transfer from home. And already in Russia you can get a regular plastic in a bank branch and use it for any purchases.

In 2022, Visa and Mastercard suspended work in Russia, as a result of which cards issued by foreign banks stopped working domestically. Therefore, foreigners who plan tourist, business or medical trips cannot pay with their cards, the explanatory note to the bill on the simplified opening of accounts for foreign citizens said.

The service of opening accounts can be in demand by foreign tourists, as well as citizens coming to Russia for business and medical purposes, says Kira Vinokurova, co-head of Pen & Paper's sanctions law and compliance practice. At the same time, any foreign client, not only a citizen, will be able to use banks from these countries, she explained in a conversation with RBC.^[2]

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