How to withdraw cash in RUB from a foreign bank without a commission

A lot of foreigners visit Russia. E.g., some of my friends from abroad had visited me and had lived in Russia for several months to study at university.

Most cities in Russia are quite comfortable to live only using with plastic card of a foreign bank without withdrawing of cash. However, cash is sometimes necessary for a guided tour. So, the need to withdraw cash is still actual.

When you withdraw cash from an ATM, the bank receives a significant commission. How to minimize the money loss?

The quite simple way to avoid commission exists. The bank Tinkoff (not only it but the fastest way) has the option to pop up the plastic card account from the plastic card of any other bank, even foreign. It doesn’t matter either plastic card in roubles or in any other currency, but it must support multicurrency.

What should you do to withdraw cash from the foreign bank?

• Enter bank Tinkoff web site using link: http://www.tinkoff.ru/sl/7r8ZhTPa2gn.
• You should fill the form to order Tinkoff plastic ROUBLE card. The form, unfortunately, only in Russian, but Google translate will help.
• The plastic card is free during 3 months period or when regularly used or if the account contains at less 50 000 roubles. The condition of free use is for the moment.
• Foreigners can order ONLY DEBIT plastic card.
• Bank employees assured me that they have English-speaking employees who can help an English-speaking person with a plastic card.
• The bank courier will deliver the card within a couple of days. He takes a photo of a customer with the contract and will give a new Russian ruble plastic card.
• Then you need to go to the web interface of the bank Tinkoff link: https://www.tinkoff.ru/login/.
• Add a foreign bank card. To do this, in the interface click on the item “All products” (“Все продукты”) -> “Link a card of another bank.” (“Привязать карту другого банка”).

• After the card details have been added to Tinkoff, it will appear in the bank’s web interface on the left in the list of cards.
• It is necessary to click on the Tinkoff ruble plastic card in the bank interface.

• Next, select the card (which newly added) from which you want to withdraw money and specify the amount.
• If a foreign bank, while transfer the money to Tinkoff, requires entering a two-factor authorization code, enter it to confirm the transfer.
• From the Tinkoff rouble plastic card, you can withdraw money without any commission if the sum more than 3000 RUB.
• At the end of the trip, when leaving Russia, do not forget to block the rouble plastic card if you do not plan to return in the nearest future. 🙂

Welcome to Russia! 🙂