In short: Suits those who need a low-cost Belkart Premium and ATMs without a fee for Mir. The main limitation is EU and US sanctions: GL 14 permits operations with the bank but does not remove the sanctions.
Terms for non-residents
- Non-residents
- Yes
- Remote account opening
- No
- Visa / Mastercard
- Check with the bank
- Russian-language support
- Yes
- Product for non-residents
- Personal Non-Resident: Belkart Premium in BYN, 5-year term
- Card cost
- issue 40 BYN, free maintenance (per the myfin.by review for February 2025)
- Mir at ATMs
- no fee, limit 1,000 BYN per month (per the mail.ru review for January 2026)
- Ownership
- state, about 99.3%
- Sanctions
- US (SDN, February 2022), EU (SWIFT disconnection, 2022); OFAC GL 14 licence in effect since 26 March 2026
Pros
- Low-cost card for a non-resident: issue 40 BYN, free maintenance (per a review)
- ATMs accept Mir cards without a fee
- Belkart Premium for 5 years, suitable for payments in Russia
- State-owned bank: since 26 March 2026 the US has permitted operations with it under licence GL 14
Cons and limits
- EU sanctions and the SWIFT disconnection (2022) remain, as does the US SDN listing
- A visit in person is needed; a non-resident cannot open an account remotely
- Conditions for non-residents are sparsely described on the website, and prices come from a review
- The bank warned of online service outages on 15 August and a contact centre outage on 9 September 2026
## About the bank
Belinvestbank was created in 2001 through the merger of Belbusinessbank (founded in 1992) and the Belarusian Development Bank. It is a state-owned bank: about 99.3% belongs to the State Property Committee and Belgosstrakh. Assets were 4.533 billion BYN as of 31 December 2023. National Bank licence No. 3 of 26 February 2024. For 2026 the bank is classed as systemically important, group II.
The official website is belinvestbank.by. The app works in Russian and has versions for Android and Huawei.
## Account for non-residents
Russians open an account in person with a passport. A first account for a non-resident is not opened remotely. The website describes the terms sparsely, so it helps to confirm the list of documents and the current tariff at a branch.
The main product for non-residents is Personal Non-Resident. It includes a Belkart Premium card in Belarusian rubles with a 5-year term. According to the myfin.by review for February 2025, issue costs 40 BYN and maintenance is free. Check the price against the bank's tariffs before visiting.
## Cards and payments
Belkart Premium is accepted in Belarus and Russia, so for Russians it is a workable option inside the two countries. An international Visa or Mastercard is not listed as part of the non-resident product, and abroad the cards of sanctioned banks often meet refusals.
Holders of Russian Mir cards have an advantage: Belinvestbank ATMs accept them without a fee. The limit in the mail.ru review for January 2026 is 1,000 BYN per month. Confirm SBP (Faster Payments System) support with the bank.
## Sanctions and risks
The US added the bank to the SDN list in February 2022. The EU imposed restrictions and disconnected the bank from SWIFT in 2022. Since 26 March 2026 OFAC General License 14 has been in effect and permits operations with Belinvestbank. This is a licence, not the lifting of sanctions. The other US restrictions remain in force, and the full content and term of the licence should be checked in official OFAC documents.
In practice:
- payments through European banks and services may fail;
- inside Belarus and in settlements with Russia by Belkart and Mir the restrictions are less noticeable;
- outages also happen because of technical work: the bank warned of online service failures on 15 August and of a contact centre outage on 9 September 2026.
## Who it suits
The bank suits Russians who need a cheap Belkart for life in Belarus and trips to Russia, and those who often withdraw cash with a Mir card. If you pay in Europe or through international services, keep a backup option at a bank without sanctions restrictions.
Frequently asked questions
What is Personal Non-Resident at Belinvestbank?
It is a product for non-residents with a Belkart Premium card in Belarusian rubles. According to the myfin.by review for February 2025, issue cost 40 BYN, maintenance was free and the term was 5 years.
What does OFAC General License 14 mean?
Since 26 March 2026 the US Treasury has permitted operations with Belinvestbank. This is a licence, not the lifting of sanctions: the other US restrictions remain. It may make settlements easier for a cardholder but is not a guarantee.
Do Belinvestbank ATMs accept Mir cards?
Yes. The mail.ru review for January 2026 names the bank among those where withdrawals with a Mir card carry no fee. The limit in the review is 1,000 BYN per month, with settlement in BYN at the issuer's rate.
Can I open an account without a visit?
No. A non-resident opens a first account or card in person at a branch.
Is the bank under EU sanctions?
Yes. The bank is on the EU sanctions list and has been disconnected from SWIFT since 2022, and the US added it to the SDN list in February 2022. Payments abroad through foreign banks may fail.