The presence of a large number of credit institutions, their customer focus and the use of high technologies allow us to receive the necessary set of banking services almost always and everywhere. But in the usual online mode 24/7, there are changes related to the work of banks on holidays and weekends, especially during the New Year holidays.
Anyone who intends to carry out any financial transactions in the first ten days of January should remember about the restrictions on the work of banking organizations during the general days off associated with the celebration of the New Year and Christmas.
Most credit institutions work according to the production calendar in Russia and are closed to visitors during this period. Legal entities are not serviced until the first business day of January. And for the convenience of individuals, almost all banks operate in a special “standby” mode, which differs from the standard one.
The work schedule proposed by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, which is published a few days before the new year, is not mandatory for credit institutions. It is respected by public sector banks. Bankers of commercial financial institutions work at their own discretion. Therefore, when planning to visit a particular credit institution, it is worth making inquiries about its operating hours by dialing the support service number, looking at the bank's website or reading publications in the media.
You can use full-fledged banking services during the 10-day New Year holidays no more than 2-3 days immediately before the holiday. The rest of the time, the functionality is limited and not all financial transactions are available. You can easily pay with cards in stores, withdraw money from ATMs. In all other respects there are "buts".
The general rules are as follows:
On New Year's holidays, all operations are available except those that require calculations (recalculation of interest, restructuring of the loan repayment schedule, etc.).
You can't:
- top up a bank card from a deposit;
- repay the loan ahead of schedule;
- fill out an application for the issue of a bank card with overdraft;
- work with deposit accounts;
- conclude an agreement on changing the terms of the loan agreement;
- Get a loan that requires long-term approval.
Maybe:
- opening accounts and deposits;
- Intrabank transfers between your accounts;
- "Fast" (not requiring account opening) transfers,
- making current payments on loans;
- Payment for utility services, internet, mobile communications, etc.
It should be borne in mind that their processing is carried out in accordance with the working hours of partner banks on holidays, that is, there will inevitably be a time gap between debiting funds from your account and crediting money to the recipient. It is possible to count on the fact that transactions can be carried out earlier than the first working day of January (some transactions are carried out during the standby period), but this is not worth hoping for.
Operations that will be carried out only on the first working day of January:
- All external transfers (both in rubles and in foreign currency) to accounts opened with other banks;
- Intrabank and interbranch transfers sent by bank clients to the accounts of other persons;
- fulfillment of obligations of legal entities on payment orders, as well as crediting of collected cash.
The necessary financial transactions during the New Year holidays can be carried out in the "duty" offices of credit institutions, through remote banking, using ATMs and payment terminals. But if online purchases, online transfers, acquiring are carried out in a regular mode, then the rules for paying for services and crediting payments, compared to the standard everyday, are somewhat different.
Service in bank offices
The duty mode of the bank's divisions is determined in different ways. This is due to the location and the degree of workload of the branch. The time is set depending on whether the institution is scheduled to work on Saturday or Sunday. Detailed information on the schedule of servicing individual clients during the New Year holidays can be obtained by calling the organization's support service, on the website or in the bank's mobile application.
As a rule, on New Year's days there are few visitors in the banks' offices on duty, and it is possible to make financial transactions in a calm atmosphere. But the list of teller services is limited. You can:
- open an account or deposit;
- deposit or withdraw money from the account (but there may be problems with large amounts);
- issue a fast transfer (Western Union, Unistream, Contact, Zolotaya Korona, etc.);
- Exchange currency.
You should be careful if you need to buy or sell currency on New Year's days. The exchange may turn out to be unprofitable, since the rate is set on the last business day before the new year and applies to the entire holiday period, which means that it does not take into account current quotes.
ATMs and payment terminals
Technical services of ATM networks work around the clock and all year round, carrying out their continuous monitoring. The peak load on ATMs falls on the pre-New Year week, after which there is a decline until mid-January. Taking into account this rhythm, the devices are “reinforced” with banknotes.
On holidays, all normal operations are possible at ATMs with the function of accepting cash. Withdrawing funds from the account and replenishing cards, making monthly payments on loans and paying for various services are carried out around the clock. But if there are no problems with cashing money (whether it be withdrawing salaries, pensions or other funds) on non-working days, then when replenishing an account or making payments on a loan, difficulties may arise. Crediting funds to accounts or cards can take up to several days or even longer. In addition, delays and interruptions with SMS notification services are possible.
Internet banking
During the New Year holidays, most transactions can be made in the mobile application or Internet bank. But some online services may not be available, since it is at this time that banks most often plan to upgrade their remote service systems.
If the January update of the technological platform in your bank is not carried out, then access to all the functions and capabilities of the system remains. However, there will be restrictions, they are related to the timing of transactions. The Bank-Client systems for legal entities operate normally, but payments will be made only on the first working day of the new year, since holidays are not operational. For individuals, the restriction is the same as when carrying out transactions at ATMs or through tellers. Online transfers by bank details to accounts of other banks in the Russian Federation, currency exchange, closing time deposits are not available. Those actions that relate directly to intra-bank transfers (sending funds from one account to another account) can be carried out earlier than the first working day of the new year, but one should not hope for this. All other operations (such as transfers by card number, payment for services, etc.) are carried out as usual, but the transfer of funds to the recipient should be associated with the first working day of the new year.
Practice shows that holidays are associated with bursts of crime on the Internet, including possible attacks by hackers on online banks. The arsenal of fraudsters includes social engineering, DDoS attacks, the use of malware hidden under the guise of some kind of application, etc. But phishing attacks are most often used. Therefore, you can protect yourself without opening letters that came from unfamiliar addresses and contain links that imitate the bank's interface. On weekends, banks do not conduct information work with clients. A support service operates 24/7, with the help of which you can get the necessary information on issues related to the use of cards and the operation of remote banking systems.
