Digital cards: where to open and how much they cost

We tell you how to get a virtual card in Armenia for Russians.

We analyzed banking sites and found out where and how you can open virtual cards. We tell in the article which banks issue cards to non-residents, what is required for this, and how to pay for purchases in Armenia with them.

Virtual cards are cards that are provided only in digital format and are stored in a smartphone. They are convenient for online shopping and contactless payments. With their help, you can also transfer money from card to card, and replenish at ATMs, terminals and bank branches.

Digital-cards do not have to be carried with you, and therefore the risks of card loss or theft are minimal. And if you still suspect that scammers got to it, then it is easy to block it. Each bank has its own conditions for opening, servicing a card and tariffs. More on that below.

• You can order a card 24/7 on the bank's website or in a mobile application;
• card details come to the mobile application and to the phone;
• often cards are issued without a PIN code;
• Not all cards allow cash withdrawals;
• purchases do not require a physical card.

There are six banks in Armenia that issue virtual cards for non-residents. They have different rules, but one condition works for everyone - opening an account in an Armenian bank. RA digital cards are in the Visa payment system.

After opening an account, you can order and activate the card online on the website or in the bank's mobile application. But to get it, you need to come to a bank branch and sign an agreement.

Issue cost

For non-residents - a one-time commission of 15,000 AMD, for residents - free of charge.

Cost per year

2 000 AMD

Available currencies

AMD, USD, EUR.

Opening conditions

1. Select the subtype "New Visa Digital Card" in the "Order a new card" window of the "Cards" section of the "ACBA DIGITAL" Internet banking system.
2. Fill out an application that will be sent to the bank and automatically confirmed.
3. Activate the card.
4. Get card details in the "Cards" section.

Preparation time

30 minutes is one working day.
Orders for cards made after 22:00 will be available the next morning.

Issue cost

For free.

Cost per year

1 000 AMD

Available currencies

AMD, USD, EUR.

Opening conditions

Order a digital card through the MyAmeria app 24/7.

Preparation time

If you order before 17:00 - same day delivery. After 18:00 - the next business day.

Issue cost

Non-residents - 25,000 AMD,
residents - free of charge.

Cost per year

For free.

Available currencies

AMD, USD, EUR.

Opening conditions

For non-residents, if it is:

• an employee of an Armenian organization, and the card is issued as a salary card;
• an employee of the embassy or consulate;
• an employee of a company licensed by the Central Bank of Armenia;
• head of the first 1,000 taxpayer organizations published recently;
• a person who has deposited at least 4 million drams or an equivalent amount in another currency with a bank for one month or more.

Preparation time

One working day.

Issue cost

For non-residents - 25 00 AMD,
residents - AMD 1,000.

Cost per year

For free.

Available currencies

AMD, USD, EUR, RUB.

Opening conditions

1. Completed application.
2. Identification.
3. Public service number or certificate of non-receipt of a public service number (not required if an identification card is presented).

Preparation time

Five working days in the branches of Yerevan.
10 working days in other cities.
Card activation - one day.

Issue cost

For free.

Cost per year

Free for AMD cards.

Available currencies

AMD, USD, EUR, RUB.

Opening conditions

1. Identification.
2. Social card (SSN).

Preparation time

One - two banking days.

Issue cost

For free.

Cost per year

For free.

Available currencies

AMD, USD, EUR, RUB.

Opening conditions

Order a Visa Digital card through the InecoMobile application.

Preparation time

Two min.

These six banks are recommended in relocator communities such as chat Armenia: residence permit, banks, taxes. Other banks that issue digital cards: AEB and Ararat Bank.

Please note that banks often have full conditions for opening cards in .pdf files in Armenian. If you don’t know the language, then try to translate using Yandex.Translate by pointing the camera at the text, but it’s better to ask a friend who speaks Armenian, because the translator often makes mistakes.

1. Payment for online transactions. Enter the card details from the mobile application on the store's website.
2. Cashless payments via Apple Pay. Touch your smartphone to the store terminal at the store checkout.

3. You can also withdraw cash for offline payments. It is not available everywhere, for example, this cannot be done with a Converse Bank card. Often a fee is charged for withdrawals.

Some banks charge cashback on a virtual card, for example, Ameria.

The digital card cannot be lost or broken. And such cards are equipped with 3D Secure technology (two-factor authentication protocol), and purchases are confirmed by phone. And if you have lost your CVV code, you can order and pay for a card reissue. For example, in ArdshinBank it costs AMD 1,000.

You can set up SMS notifications so you don't miss a suspicious transaction. If you see one, block the card. In some banks, blocking and unblocking is free, for example, in Ameria and ArdshinBank, in others it is paid.

The bank blocks the card without the owner's statement if it suspects an illegal operation, or if the card has not been used for a long time (the period is set by the bank). Please note that not all banks notify about blocking. To unblock the card, confirm verbally or in writing that it was you who made the transactions.

The bank may also close or freeze the card if:

• it is not reissued when the card has expired;
• The client himself has issued an application for closure.

The cardholder can appeal the closure within the period established by the bank.

1. Digital cards are used to pay for online purchases and contactless payments in physical stores.
2. They do not need to be carried with you, and therefore they eliminate the risk of losing the card or stealing it.
3. Not all banks allow cash withdrawals from a virtual card.
4. Digital cards are issued only for existing clients of the Armenian bank. They can be obtained in different currencies, mainly in drams, dollars and euros.
5. In Armenia, six banks issue cards to non-residents. Everyone has their own opening conditions: opening and annual maintenance can be both paid and free. The term of receipt is from a few minutes to two business days.
6. Full terms and conditions are often included in separate pdf files in Armenian.
7. If you suspect that the card has been hacked, it can be blocked by both the client and the bank itself. The client can reissue the card or apply for unblocking.
8. The bank closes the card if its validity period has expired, or the client himself has submitted an application for closing. The cardholder can appeal this by submitting an application at a bank branch.