Tajik Bank Humo Bars Remote Russian Cards Without In-Person Biometric ID

Humo Bank announced that Russian-issued cards opened remotely will be blocked on October 1 unless the holder visits a Tajik branch and completes biometric identification by September 30. The bank told Russian news site Lenta.ru that customers who cannot appear in person will have their cards closed and were advised to transfer remaining balances to ruble-denominated cards before the deadline. A client reported that a €300 transfer had been stalled for a week and that the bank’s support staff cited “certain categories of non-resident individuals” as the reason for the restriction.

Tajikistan’s Humo Bank to Restrict Some Remotely Opened Cards for Non-Residents

Since Visa and Mastercard were cut off from Russia in 2022, many Russians have relied on cards issued by “friendly” jurisdictions. After Kazakhstan limited non-resident cards to 12 months and required in-person issuance in January 2025, intermediaries shifted business to Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Humo and the International Bank of Tajikistan subsequently offered remotely issued five-year cards in U.S. dollars and euros, priced at roughly 15,000–70,000 rubles. Humo, owned by Japanese holding Gojo & Company, received a full banking licence from the National Bank of Tajikistan in July 2025 and is one of the few Tajik institutions with access to Visa Direct, a conduit for Russian funds to Europe.

The Diplomat MagazineTajikistan’s Humo Bank to Restrict Some Remotely Opened Cards for Non-Residents

Remittances from Tajik migrants in Russia amounted to $5.8 billion in 2024, representing 45.3 % of Tajikistan’s GDP, the highest share globally. By the end of 2024, over 90 % of payments in Tajik-Russian trade were settled in rubles, and the National Bank’s head said Tajik banks work only with Russian banks not under sanctions. The three banks that held roughly a fifth of all deposits in Tajikistan, including Humo, have faced Western pressure; the EU removed Dushanbe City Bank, Spitamen and Commercebank from its sanctions list in April 2026 after improved compliance.

The Diplomat MagazineTajikistan’s Humo Bank to Restrict Some Remotely Opened Cards for Non-Residents

The National Bank of Tajikistan credited the removal from sanctions to better anti-money-laundering standards. Other Tajik banks have begun restricting transfers to Russia, and in December Revolut stopped accepting top-ups from cards issued in Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan for EU residents, labeling those jurisdictions high-risk. Humo’s policy reflects a broader move to tighten controls on non-resident cards while preserving the country’s critical remittance channels.

The Diplomat MagazineTajikistan’s Humo Bank to Restrict Some Remotely Opened Cards for Non-Residents

If the biometric rule leads to a loss of Russian card users, Humo could see reduced fee income from a segment that has become a vital source of foreign-currency inflows. Conversely, the stricter identification may bolster the bank’s compliance posture, helping maintain access to international payment networks such as Visa Direct and SWIFT, which remain essential for Tajikistan’s economy.

The Diplomat Magazine