How to Convert Rubles to Dollars or Bitcoin for Trip to Dubai

[mitspilot]

My Moscow based girlfriend and I want to meet in Dubai later this month. She is having problems paying for her ticket plus she wants $$ to spend while we're in Dubai. Is there any way, currently, to convert Rubles to Dollars at a reasonable exchange rate? Is it possible to buy bitcoin?

[Gipsy]

My Moscow based girlfriend and I want to meet in Dubai later this month. She is having problems paying for her ticket plus she wants $$ to spend while we're in Dubai. Is there any way, currently, to convert Rubles to Dollars at a reasonable exchange rate? Is it possible to buy bitcoin?

From what I understand, all airlines accept payment for reservations on a Visa/MC/MIR/World pay debit/credit cards, so that part should not be any problem..
If its being booked through a travel agent, the above also applies, other than that, asking for cash is illegal..
She can buy dollars at the CBR daily rate (or near enough) through any bank..
HTH..

[Gipsy]

Have just done some checking for you, and I was not correct, she cannot buy dollars at a bank, only expensive on the black market...
She can use a MIR or World pay credit/debit card in Dubai....

[cufflinks]

She could install the brave browser on her PC then install a metamask wallet on her brave browser being sure to save her 12 MetaMask recovery words - she then sends you her receive address for Bitcoin or better Ethereum and you send her equiv USD amount you want to send her and cryptomagically she has the crypto in her MetaMask wallet - lots of crypto savvy buyers in Russia - she can likely get a small premium for the crypto in rubles and deposit the cash on a MIR or world pay card as Gipsy stated...  I use Brave and MetaMask for all the NFTs I have been minting no problems.  Once I acquire Eth for my NFTs I then transfer to my SecuX cold storage HW wallet.  HTH

[mitspilot]

Thanks Gypsy and Cufflinks. I was able to buy her ticket for her in dollars, but she would still like to convert some rubles to dollars.

She did get a MIR card and was told it would work to buy airline tickets, but she was not able to do so.  She also thinks it won't work in Dubai, but we will certainly try.

Kinda challenging to have a relationship with a Russian lady right now. We have been trying to get her an interview for a tourist Visa, but that is really difficult presently.

We'll be together in Dubai for 2 weeks, unless something new crops up that prevents that from happening.

[mitspilot]

She could install the brave browser on her PC then install a metamask wallet on her brave browser being sure to save her 12 MetaMask recovery words - she then sends you her receive address for Bitcoin or better Ethereum and you send her equiv USD amount you want to send her and cryptomagically she has the crypto in her MetaMask wallet - lots of crypto savvy buyers in Russia - she can likely get a small premium for the crypto in rubles and deposit the cash on a MIR or world pay card as Gipsy stated...  I use Brave and MetaMask for all the NFTs I have been minting no problems.  Once I acquire Eth for my NFTs I then transfer to my SecuX cold storage HW wallet.  HTH

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm afraid this is beyond her technical ability. She does have a 17 yr old son who could prob handle this. This would be a good strategy if the "war" drags on and sanctions remain for the long term.

[Danchik]

Thanks Gypsy and Cufflinks. I was able to buy her ticket for her in dollars, but she would still like to convert some rubles to dollars.

She did get a MIR card and was told it would work to buy airline tickets, but she was not able to do so.  She also thinks it won't work in Dubai, but we will certainly try.

Kinda challenging to have a relationship with a Russian lady right now. We have been trying to get her an interview for a tourist Visa, but that is really difficult presently.

We'll be together in Dubai for 2 weeks, unless something new crops up that prevents that from happening.

An American visa is not possible, period. Even a Schengen tourist visa is impossible, only business visas are available.

New debit/credit cards using the MIR system have been inconsistent so far. Applepay worked, then stopped working for example. Everything is subject to change at a moments notice.

The "rules" seem to change daily. The latest is Americans can't send dollars to their accounts in Russia starting on the 11th. Even getting money out of your dollar accounts is difficult at the moment.

Flights out of Russia are sketchy, with Istanbul and Dubai as the only transit hubs.

Finland recently closed its border for the St. Pitersburg - Helsinki train route leaving only bus travel from the Baltics as an option. It's anyone's guess when those will be shut down.

Having a distant relationship with a Russian lady when things are normal is challenging enough. Now, creativity is your friend.

[Danchik]

Just as a side note, Russians, especially those alive in the 90's, have always preferred to keep at least some of their money in dollars/euros out of habit (distrust? ).

Anyone want to guess what was the best performing currency in the world in March? Just a hint, it's under 80 currently (and was up over 60% at the end of March), sorry Tex.

There are some people I know whom are kicking themselves for panicking and quickly converting their money into dollars.

Never hurts to have a few dollars lying around though and who knows what will happen in the future.

[Gipsy]

Just as a side note, Russians, especially those alive in the 90's, have always preferred to keep at least some of their money in dollars/euros out of habit (distrust? ).

Anyone want to guess what was the best performing currency in the world in March? Just a hint, it's under 80 currently (and was up over 60% at the end of March), sorry Tex.

There are some people I know whom are kicking themselves for panicking and quickly converting their money into dollars.

Never hurts to have a few dollars lying around though and who knows what will happen in the future.

Sorry Dan, didn't see this, have just posted similar in another thread...

[Danchik]

Just as a side note, Russians, especially those alive in the 90's, have always preferred to keep at least some of their money in dollars/euros out of habit (distrust? ).

Anyone want to guess what was the best performing currency in the world in March? Just a hint, it's under 80 currently (and was up over 60% at the end of March), sorry Tex.

There are some people I know whom are kicking themselves for panicking and quickly converting their money into dollars.

Never hurts to have a few dollars lying around though and who knows what will happen in the future.

Sorry Dan, didn't see this, have just posted similar in another thread...

бывает, мой друг, без проблем.