ASTANA, Kazakhstan, February 14. Three Kazakh banks - Halyk Bank, Kaspi Bank, and the Additional Office (branch) of VTB Bank JSC - have resumed issuing payment cards to non-residents,Trend reports via Kazakh media.
The resumption of card issuance was confirmed by call centers of
Halyk Bank and Kaspi Bank, while VTB Bank provided the information
on its website.
“A card can be opened at the bank’s branch if the applicant has a
residence permit,” said a representative of Halyk Bank.
Kaspi Bank offers payment cards to non-residents under the same
conditions.
“Kaspi Gold cards are available to citizens of Eurasian Economic
Union (EAEU) countries and foreigners with a residence permit in
Kazakhstan,” the bank reported.
Meanwhile, VTB (Kazakhstan) resumed issuing Mir cards for
non-residents.
“The bank has fully configured its systems and is ready to operate
in compliance with new regulations of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The validity period of the cards will now be 12 months. For
diplomatic staff and non-resident investors, the card’s validity
may be extended up to 3 years,” stated the website of VTB Bank’s
additional office.
Eurasian Bank, Nurbank, and Home Credit Bank, which previously suspended card issuance for non-residents, have not resumed the service.
It was earlier reported that Kazakhstan’s Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market (ARDFM) had introduced restrictions on the validity period of payment cards for non-residents, as well as limits on the number of cards one individual can hold. Exceptions apply to payment cards issued for businesses, diplomatic staff, and investors.
To note, as of January 1, 2025, Halyk Bank ranks first in Kazakhstan by total assets, Kaspi Bank ranks second, and VTB Bank’s additional office ranks 19th out of 21 banks in the country.