How would you handle if you are in a new country with family, and you suddenly find out your personal bank cards (debit card, credit card, joint account cards etc...) are being blocked by your bank due to some internal Government policy; hence you can't withdraw money/purchase anything using your cards in abroad. No on-line transfers works either You are yet to open a new bank account in this new country, and it may take a while due to some policies here. Even if you manage to open one tomorrow, you still have to wait till the end of the month to receive your salary, because all your salaries, including the last one was deposited to your home country bank account only. I am currently facing this problem, and any solutions from your side? PS: As of now, we have almost zero liquid cash in hand. But have purchase enough groceries and winter cloths to manage for 2-3 weeks.
Hi OP Sorry to hear that you are in this situation during the festive season. I understand that you are in a new country for work purposes. Is there any work colleagues or friends that can lend you money for the timebeing? Kind regards AM
It may help: 1. Calling home country's credit card issued bank and ask them to unblock and ask to make it international card. 2. Open a bank account ASAP in new country and initiate the process to transfer some money to it from friend/family members account, so that you can use it till salary comes.
This is really a bad situation..Surely you must have asome contact to seek help or you can approach the Embassy of your country . Mention the country you are in at present we can see if there are Ilites ...who can help you. Wish you to get this situation reversed.
Thanks everyone! I have miraculously came out of this situation and I am still unable to believe how God works during such situations. First of all, it is the country's new regulation from the central bank, that no money can go out of the country. Meaning, no fund transfers through banks, no western union etc..etc... And the blocked atm card was an international card, and I have been using the same card for years without any issues. But this time, as per the country's rule, they had to block - not just my card but the cards of every Sri Lankan - Pathetic! So, asking the bank to unblock it doesn't work, though I tried. So, even if I open a new bank account, neither myself nor my friends/family can do the transfers from their Sri Lankan banks anymore. But I was left with 2 options: 1. To lend money from my colleagues - But I didn't want to do that until I feel it is no longer manageable. Because, within the team, it can create conflict of interest. Being their new team lead, I least wanted that. 2. To lend money from my other foreign friends/family - After opening an account here (or through the account of a colleague here), I could have asked my friends/family from abroad to send some emergency funds. But, to be honest with you, I don't have anyone that close to ask such a help. I felt extremely uncomfortable doing that. However, this miracle happened this morning! Today is the first day, I am returning to work after my X mas holidays (I don't have that much of leave) And I wanted to change my hand-bag in order to match with my new outfit. So, I grabbed this one from travelling bag (still unpacked) and that was from home. I removed the old stuff inside that hand-bag in order to clean that, and put my usual stuff inside. And here, I found out that ATM card. An international bank card from Rwanda. I remember I had some funds left in that account while I left Rwanda in 2019. And after swiping that card for a while in SL during 2019 Tamil new year shopping, I kept it aside and never bothered to check upon it. I immediately rushed to the nearby ATM and found out that I had some 5000$ odd dollars left in that card. OMG, I couldn't recall that I had this much money left there. But it felt as if God has shown me a way out of my problems. This money is more than enough to survive here till I receive my next salary through a local bank here. I could sleep peacefully tonight without any worries at last Thanks dears. Felt like updating everyone!
You are indeed a blessed one and a lucky person otherwise God wouldn't have instilled the idea to wear a particular outfit and to search for that bag. Unlucky people would have had the worst time of their life to be in such a situation without money and known people to help with funds.