My card was taken by an ATM near my hotel in Kazakhstan. Has this happened to anyone else? Solution?
I had the opposite outcome in Astana. My Revolut Mastercard was taken by a Kaspi ATM late at night. By the time I visited the branch the next morning, they said they don’t return foreign cards and had already flagged mine for destruction. I had no choice but to cancel and switch to my backup Monzo. It left me short on cash since Kazakhstan is still quite cash-based outside big cities. Lesson: always carry a spare card and withdraw during business hours.
My Wise Visa was swallowed at a Halyk Bank ATM in Almaty. I visited the branch right away and the staff were helpful - they verified my passport details and returned the card within an hour. I was impressed at how efficient they were. Kaspi Bank has a similar process, but make sure you’re at a branch ATM, not a standalone one. The staff told me that foreign cards sometimes trigger errors. It was a hassle, but I walked away with my card the same day.
In Kazakhstan, the most common ATMs are run by Halyk Bank, Kaspi Bank, and Sberbank Kazakhstan. If your card gets stuck, go directly to the branch operating the ATM with your ID or passport. They can sometimes return it if you ask quickly, especially in larger cities like Almaty or Astana. Call the number displayed on the ATM to report it. Many banks here destroy unclaimed cards within a day or two, so it’s important to also freeze or cancel it via your banking app.
Yes, I had this happen in Almaty near Dostyk Plaza at a Halyk Bank ATM. The machine froze halfway through and didn’t return my Visa card. In Kazakhstan, most banks won’t hand foreign cards back - they usually destroy them. The best thing to do is cancel it immediately and use a backup. If you’re in Almaty or Astana (Nur-Sultan), the larger branches of Kaspi Bank or Sberbank Kazakhstan are generally more reliable. Always carry a second card and some tenge cash because smaller cafés and taxis often don’t take card payments outside major malls.