In short: Suits those who can place a 20,000 BYN deposit, get a Belarusian SIM and want a large bank. For other non-residents the entry threshold is high.
Terms for non-residents
- Non-residents
- Limited
- Remote account opening
- No
- Visa / Mastercard
- Check with the bank
- Russian-language support
- Yes
- Non-resident guarantee deposit
- 20,000 BYN
- Extra for foreign-currency cards
- 300 USD/EUR
- Extra for a card in RUB
- 15,000 RUB
- Belarusian phone number
- Required: MTS, A1 or Life
- Current account without a card
- Residents only
- Owner
- Soven 1 Holding Limited (UAE), 87.74% since 29 November 2024
Pros
- A large bank, with assets of 8.67 billion BYN on 31 December 2024
- App and website available in Russian, Belarusian and English
- Mir cards are accepted at ATMs
- No deposit for salary clients, and the deposit is returned when the account is closed
Cons and limits
- The 20,000 BYN deposit is the main barrier for a non-resident
- A Belarusian SIM card is required
- A current account without a card is not opened for non-residents
- An outage on 11 August 2026 and scheduled maintenance on 15 October 2026
## About the bank
Priorbank is the former Raiffeisen bank in Belarus. It opened in 1989 as Minsk Innovation Bank and has used the name Priorbank since 1991. The National Bank classes it as a group I systemically important bank. Assets were 8.67 billion BYN on 31 December 2024.
The main change of recent years is the owner. On 29 November 2024, Raiffeisen Bank International completed the sale of 87.74% of the shares to Soven 1 Holding Limited of the UAE. The website is available in Russian, Belarusian and English, and the mobile bank is called Prior Online.
Sanctions: 2026 reviews do not name Priorbank among the banks on EU lists. Wikipedia notes Canadian sanctions since April 2023.
## Account for non-residents
The bank opens cards for Russians, but the threshold is high. It consists of two conditions: a guarantee deposit and a Belarusian SIM.
- The card is issued at a branch. A virtual card can be ordered in Prior Online, but identification takes place at the branch.
- A Belarusian mobile number from MTS, A1 or Life is required.
- A current account without a card is opened only for residents.
### Guarantee deposit
The deposit is held separately and is returned when the account is closed. Salary clients do not need it.
| Card | Deposit |
|---|---|
| Card in BYN | 20,000 BYN |
| Foreign-currency card | 20,000 BYN plus 300 USD/EUR |
| Card in RUB | 20,000 BYN plus 15,000 RUB |
## Cards and payments
The main product for non-residents is the Belkart Premium. A virtual card is available through the app. Belkart is needed for payments in Russia, since Belarusian Visa and Mastercard do not work there.
Priorbank ATMs accept Russian Mir cards. According to a January 2026 mail.ru review, the fee is about 3% and the limit is 1,000 BYN per month. Support for SBP (Faster Payments System) and UnionPay should be checked on the bank's website.
## Outages and maintenance
The bank had two notable events in 2026. On 11 August, Prior Online and the website were unavailable for about four hours, and the bank cited technical difficulties. Maintenance was scheduled for 15 October 2026 from 01:00 to 06:00: the app, online banking, ATM operations, online shop payments and the retail contact centre were unavailable.
## Who it suits
Priorbank suits those who are ready to lock up 20,000 BYN and obtain a Belarusian number, and in return want a large bank with an app in three languages. If that threshold is too high, consider BSB Bank or Technobank.
Frequently asked questions
What deposit does Priorbank require?
The non-resident guarantee deposit is 20,000 BYN. According to the bank's FAQ, foreign-currency cards add 300 USD/EUR and cards in RUB add 15,000 RUB. The pages of individual cards mention only 20,000 BYN, so confirm the amount for your currency with the bank.
Do I need a Belarusian SIM card?
Yes, the bank requires a Belarusian mobile number from MTS, A1 or Life. Without it a non-resident cannot get a card.
Will the deposit be returned?
The deposit is held separately and is returned when the account is closed. Salary clients do not need a deposit.
Do Priorbank ATMs accept Mir cards?
Yes. According to a January 2026 mail.ru review, the fee is about 3% and the limit is 1,000 BYN per month.
Who owns the bank?
On 29 November 2024, Raiffeisen Bank International completed the sale of 87.74% of the shares to Soven 1 Holding Limited of the UAE.