BNB-Bank (Belarusian People's Bank): account and card for non-residents

## About the bank

BNB-Bank, or the Belarusian People's Bank, has been on the market since the early 1990s: its licence was issued on 16 April 1992. The National Bank classed it as a systemically important group II bank for 2026. As of 2017 the main shareholder was Bank of Georgia, which held about 95% through structures; check the current shareholders on the bank's website. Assets were 1.28 billion BYN as of 31 December 2022.

For customers the bank develops the Iskra app in Russian, which covers almost all operations after the first branch visit. Note the outage of 1 June 2026, when the website, app, cash desks and call centre were all down at once. For an important payment, keep a backup way to pay.

## Account for non-residents

Accounts and cards are opened for Russians and other non-residents. The procedure is simple but strict:

• the first account or card is opened in person at a branch with a passport (national or foreign);
• later cards and accounts can be opened remotely in Iskra.

Since 26 September 2023 the bank has closed non-resident accounts and cards opened by power of attorney, citing the requirements of the anti-money-laundering law. The balance on such accounts is held for three years and paid out in person.

The account opening price for non-residents has changed in the bank's notices: amounts of 700 BYN, 200 EUR and 500 EUR have appeared. Check the current price in the tariffs before visiting.
## Cards and payments

The main product for non-residents is the Orange Card. It can be chosen as Belkart, Mastercard or Visa, in BYN, USD and EUR.

| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Digital card | 180 BYN |
| Plastic | 250-300 BYN; a promotion applies on the bank's page |
| Plastic delivery abroad | 249 BYN per a review |

Card networks differ by geography. Belkart is needed for payments in Russia and several other countries, while Belarusian Visa and Mastercard do not work in Russia. BNB-Bank ATMs accept Russian Mir cards: per the mail.ru review of 30 January 2026, the fee is about 4% and the limit is 1,000 BYN per month. The bank publishes non-resident terms on its page for non-residents.

## Who it suits

The bank suits those who can come to Belarus once and then want to manage cards from the app. It is convenient for people living abroad who want plastic delivered by post. For payments in Russia take a Belkart, and for trips to other countries a Visa or Mastercard. If you need a remote start without a visit, or opening through an authorised person, this bank does not fit.