Russians living in Europe have begun to complain about restrictions on transactions on their cards and accounts at Revolut Bank.
This was reported by the Russian edition of Forbes.
The Lithuanian-registered Revolut bank is one of the key banks for Russians who leave for Europe because they do not support Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine and want to avoid being drafted.
The reason for the restriction of transactions on cards and accounts of Russians was the tightening of the bank’s requirements for documents confirming the right to live in Europe and difficulties in obtaining a residence permit or long-term visas.
One of the publication’s interlocutors, a Russian living in France, said that a few weeks before his long-term visa expired, Revolut requested documents that would allow him to reside in the EU.
The bank did not accept the temporary residence permit that the Russian had received on humanitarian grounds and requested either a residence permit (residence permit) or a D visa for a period of 180 days. The Russian’s account was restricted by blocking incoming transfers, but the bank left him able to spend money on the card. The restrictions were promised to be lifted as soon as one of the two documents confirming the right to reside in Europe was provided.
Three Russians living in Latvia faced similar difficulties.
According to Paddy Crowley, a Revolut spokesman, the bank has tightened its formal requirements for Russian and Belarusian citizens due to restrictions imposed by the EU on people from these countries.
He explained that clients from the Russian Federation and Belarus have to present an extended residence permit or a work visa, which allow them to stay in the EU for more than 180 days. The restrictions apply specifically to Russians and Belarusians and are in effect throughout the bank’s entire footprint, Crowley said.
