Russians who remotely obtained Kazakhstani bank cards are reportedly being called in for questioning by police in Russia

In September, Russians who have remotely obtained Kazakhstani bank cards began receiving summonses for questioning at Russian police stations, according to the Telegram channel Ostorozhno, Novosti.

It’s unclear how many people are being called in. The channel reported that officers told some recipients there was interest in “more than a thousand people.” In some cases, they were informed that a criminal case had been opened in Kazakhstan, though no official confirmation has appeared.

To remotely apply for a bank card in Kazakhstan, Russians need to obtain an individual identification number (IIN) and submit a passport photo along with a copy of the application form. IINs can now be issued only inside Kazakhstan, but Ostorozhno, Novosti noted that it is still possible to obtain one remotely through intermediaries.

Russians began signing up for Kazakhstani bank cards en masse in 2022, after Visa and Mastercard suspended operations in Russia. In February 2024, Kazakhstan banned the remote issuance of IINs, requiring applicants to be physically present in the country. Beginning in January 2025, banks were also prohibited from issuing cards to nonresidents for longer than one year. Then in April, reports emerged that some Russians were having their IINs revoked amid suspicions they had been obtained illegally. Kazakhstan’s Interior Ministry told the outlet Tengrinews that “an individual investigation is conducted for each revoked IIN.”