On March 6, Visa and Mastercard announced the suspension of all operations in Russia. Now Russian tour operators are offering special tours so that Russians can open these cards in Uzbekistan. How legal this is and how it will affect the country’s foreign exchange market is still unknown.
According to the publication 66.ru, in the Russian Federation, tour operators began to offer flights to Tashkent for issuing Visa and Mastercard cards. Flights on planes of Uzbekistan Airways and Uzbekistan Express are planned from Yekaterinburg, Moscow, Kazan, Ufa and Mineralnye Vody.
According to Vedi Group, this will allow Russian citizens to “freely use non-cash payments abroad to pay for goods and services”. To apply for a card, you only need a passport. Bonus – opening a ruble account with a tie to the card for conversion.
The cost of the tour to Tashkent is 23,000 rubles or $220 per person based on double occupancy for two nights. Arrivals daily from April 4 to October 23.
The price includes: transport service (transfer airport-hotel-airport, hotel-bank-hotel), accommodation at choice in four-star hotels, representative from the company when visiting the bank, preliminary preparation of documents to the bank, courier services, medical insurance with coverage up to 2 million rubles.
At the same time, medical insurance of 700 rubles (about $7), excursions and air travel are paid separately. Flight from Yekaterinburg – from 47,000 rubles ($450), Moscow – from 28,000 rubles ($270), Mineralnye Vody – from 42,100 rubles ($400), Ufa – from 43,100 rubles ($415), Kazan – from 42,800 rubles ($405).
Thus, if a Russian citizen goes on such a tour from Yekaterinburg, one bank card will cost at least 70,000 rubles ($670 or 7.7 million soums).
