My fiancee and I are working on all of our paperwork and such to bring her over to the USA. I want her to have access to funds if she needs it and was wondering if anyone was familar with international banking and could suggest a bank that is easily accessed from both the US and Russia.

My goal is to find a bank that will issue us both ATM cards so I can deposit monies here and she can withdrawl them their.

Please don't lecture me on scammers and such we are way beyond that, if you are going to post any messages about being careful and such please dont bother.

thanks in advance for any helpful advice.

Paul

Based on my observations I saw citibank in both countries. I have no idea how well the ATM / Checking accounts are recognized between the two branches. I also want to know the answer because it would be amazing to deposit say $100,000 on one side and withdraw on the other.
http://www.citibank.com/us/d.htm
http://www.citibank.ru/russia/main/rus/home.htm
Good luck.

I've done this for some time... Best way to send money...

Doesn't even need to be a branch over there... ATM now works almost everywhere...

Just get 2 ATM (Bankomat) cards... send her one, then give her the pin over the phone. Simple... maybe costs $1.50 for her to withdrawl any amount from any ATM. Beats the hell out of WU!

Then leave the card with Mom so she can get cash after you two are together and she wants to send money home.

Cheers

One can use practically ANY US bank to withdraw money from ATM in Russia. If it's debit VISA it is definetely a garantee. CIRRUS, PLUS, NYCE (all standard for most US ATM cards) are very good bet too. Even obscure little Credit Unions did the job for me. It's often free but the fee of 2-3% is possible depending on the local bank.
Of cause when you make a ATM card you'll have to make it to your own name...
by the way, don't be too apprehensive here in advance. this is not your average american public.

obender

Can deposits be made using a Visa/Debit/ATM? International?
Just wondering if my card (USA) would work in the UK to make a deposit?

I have never tried deposits, but I do not see why it would not work. Try it with a lower sum of money just for kicks.

Also, the debit card is what I use to send funds to my fiancee as well. I use US Bank, but as stated, I think any bank will work.

I found that my ATM card worked just fine in any bankomat (ATM ) machines. The one downfall is that
some banks charge a fee for international Visa transactions in addition to the normal fees. Also most of the machines have a maximum amount you can take out. Still often the fees for a large amount $ 200
would be less than WU.

I never even thought of using the ATM cards. That's an excellent idea. I just Western Unioned the money to Elena for her interview and spending cash, etc., and it cost me $43 to send it. I would gladly pay the $2.00 fee for her to withdraw money.

Good for next time I guess. Hopefully there won't be next time though!

Everyone here is talking about withdrawing. The ATM trick is old news for substituting Western Union. However, I believe the original poster, like myself are more concerned with making a checking account deposit in a bank that has a branch in both Russia and the US. Because as far as I am aware, there is no way I can make a deposit into a Russian bank / ATM machine and expect it to appear on my checking account in the US without doing the full blown money wire, which is expensive on both sides.

The problerm with moswt ATM cards is you can only draw out 250 or 300 dollars a day

Am I the only one that sees a difference between an ATM withdrawal which is limited versus an in person withdrawal from a bank which has no such limits? Assuming of course as originally stated that the bank in question has a branch in both countries.

Yes I see that satellite, and I think trying to use Citibank in order to do both deposits and withdraws, without the limitations of an ATM, is a great idea, as you responded originally.

there is russian law that prevents any foreign bank activity on russian soil. it's as simple as that. Citibank and citibank branch in russia have almost no relation to each other (except the name i guess).
ask any bank here if it's accessible from russia... it's not.
so to transfer money (excluding ATMs and WU) people set up special companies (you have to know those people), as i heard transfer fee is order of several percent.

obender

Thanks for all the great repsonses. I have done this and will be sending her the other ATM card. My bank actually suggested we set up a separate account (with no cost to us) and this way if the card gets lost or stolen our exposure is limited to what is in the account at the time.

Again thanks for the help you have helped us greatly.

Paul/Anna

Thanks, that's what I thought too.

We've used ATM cards, too, for quite a while to transfer funds to her and her family. My bank even let me open joint checking accounts, with her name on them (I brought a signature card over on one of my trips), so she has an ATM card with her own name on it.

Pulling money out of Russia is a bigger puzzle. I'm not sure Citibank will work, since it isn't really Citibank (as we understand it) over there.

When I went to my bank to try and do this they said the only way I could add a person is if that person has a social security number... She doesnt so basically I opened a second account and sent her the ATM card and will give her the PIN when I know she has the card.

Your bank let you put her on the account with no social security number...???

Paul/Anna

Try again They normally don't let you do that with the first try They will want to see at least two forms of id, though.

Yup -- my bank let me add my fiance as a signatory on four of my checking accounts without a SSN. These are non-interest bearing accounts. My banker and I couldn't figure out how to fill out appropriate paperwork to add her to my interest bearing accounts -- so we are defering that until after we get married and she arrives here.

So you've got four accounts that don't bear interest, then a couple that do?

I've only got one... and I can't even get that one to bear interest!!!

My checking account nets me about $0.01 every cycle!

I have a membership checking account (Wells Fargo) because my employer banks there as well!

My life is simple, 1 checking account and 1 savings...2 banks

I guess mine might yield $0.01/cycle as well. I never noticed it before! Gosh, I'll try not to spend it all in one place. At this rate, I'll be able to buy Elena a plane ticket in about 35 years. (Maybe.)