In short: Suits Russian citizens who need a Mir card to withdraw tenge and receive transfers from Russian cards. The main limits are EU sanctions and the narrow network of Mir acceptance in shops.
Terms for non-residents
- Non-residents
- Limited
- Remote account opening
- Partly
- Visa / Mastercard
- Check with the bank
- Russian-language support
- Yes
- Owner
- The Russian VTB group (subsidiary bank)
- Founded
- 2008 (according to the finratings.kz catalogue)
- Size
- About 227 billion KZT (finratings.kz catalogue, 16 October 2026)
- License
- Banking licence of the ARDFM
- App
- Internet bank and VTB KZ Online app, in Russian
- MIR Virtual
- Issue and service 0 KZT, validity 1-3 years
- MIR Classic
- Issue 2,000 KZT, service 0 KZT, validity 3 years
- Transfers in KZT and RUB
- 1-3 days, with no limit on the amount according to the bank
- Contacts
- 5050 (free from a mobile), +7 727 330 50 50
Pros
- The only bank in the country with working Mir infrastructure: card issue and cash withdrawal
- Russian-language service and transfers to Mir cards
- A virtual Mir card can be opened in internet banking without visiting an office
- Fees for Mir cards are published on the website
Cons and limits
- The bank is on the EU sanctions list (19th package, 23 October 2025)
- Paying with Mir in shops is practically possible only at VTB terminals, which finance.mail.ru estimates at about 10% of outlets
- A small bank: 21st of 23 by assets on 1 September 2025
- Mir cards are issued to non-residents for 12 months (up to 3 years for diplomats and investors)
## About the bank
VTB Bank (Kazakhstan) is a subsidiary of the Russian VTB group. According to the finratings.kz catalogue it was founded in 2008. Its assets are small: about 227 billion KZT in the catalogue, and on 1 September 2025 the bank was 21st of 23 by assets according to the ARDFM.
For a Russian client the bank matters not for its size but because it remains the only one in Kazakhstan that issues Mir cards and accepts them at ATMs. After Halyk (from 21 September 2022) and Bereke (from 17 March 2024) stopped accepting Mir, VTB remained the main channel for holders of such cards.
## Account for non-residents
Since February 2025 the bank has resumed issuing Mir cards to non-residents: the card is valid for 12 months, or up to 3 years for diplomats and investors. A passport and a Kazakh IIN are needed; the bank does not publish the exact list of documents about lawful stay on its website, so check it at a branch.
A virtual card is available remotely: a bank client opens it in internet banking through Finance, Open a new product, Open a card. Plastic and a first acquaintance with the bank usually require a visit. Russian citizens can use virtual and plastic Mir cards and transfers between Mir cards. Cross-border transfers in tenge and roubles take one to three days, with no limit on the amount according to the bank.
## Cards and payments
The bank has three Mir card products:
- MIR Virtual: virtual, issued instantly in internet banking;
- MIR Classic: a plastic debit card;
- MIR Supreme: a more premium option with free withdrawals at the bank's ATMs.
VTB (Kazakhstan) ATMs dispense tenge against Mir cards of Russian banks. According to the finance.mail.ru review of 30 January 2026, the limit is up to 400,000 KZT per operation, and the fee is set by the issuing bank. In shops Mir is accepted only by VTB terminals, which the same publication estimates at about 10% of outlets. Mir should therefore be treated as a backup rather than the main card for a trip. Russian Visa and Mastercard cards do not work in the country, and there is no confirmation of the Faster Payments System (SBP) working in Kazakhstan.
## Who it suits
VTB (Kazakhstan) is chosen by those who already have a Russian Mir card and need to withdraw tenge, who need a Mir card issued in Kazakhstan for transfers between countries, and who prefer to be served in Russian and online. If you need a card that can be used everywhere, look at Freedom Bank Kazakhstan or Kaspi Bank.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Mir card work in Kazakhstan in 2026?
Practically only through VTB (Kazakhstan): tenge can be withdrawn at its ATMs, and payment in shops is possible only at this bank's terminals. Other banks, including Halyk, Bereke and Bank CenterCredit, no longer serve Mir.
Can a non-resident get a Mir card at VTB Kazakhstan?
Yes. Since February 2025 the bank has resumed issuing Mir cards to non-residents, valid for 12 months, or up to 3 years for diplomats and investors. The client opens a virtual card in internet banking.
How much do Mir cards cost at VTB Kazakhstan?
MIR Virtual: issue and service 0 KZT. MIR Classic: issue 2,000 KZT, service 0 KZT. For Supreme the bank's pages differ: per the bank's December 2025 statement, issue is 0 KZT and service is 1 KZT. Check the current figures in the tariffs.
What do the EU sanctions against VTB Kazakhstan mean?
The European Union included the bank in its 19th sanctions package on 23 October 2025, and according to media reports the restrictions apply from 2 December 2025. The ARDFM said this does not threaten the stability of Kazakhstan's financial system, and the bank confirmed that it continues to serve Mir cards.
How much tenge can be withdrawn with a Mir card of a Russian bank?
According to a finance.mail.ru review of 30 January 2026, VTB (Kazakhstan) ATMs dispense up to 400,000 KZT per operation, and the fee is set by the card-issuing bank. Limits and terms may change, so check with your own bank.