Death of Field wrote:
Aren't most banks international?
Ask your vendor what bank they use and do a bank transfer.

I'm pretty sure that pre paid visa are also international these days.

Last time I was paid royalties from Netherlands the money went through my agent first, so I was just sent a USA based check.

Good advice. There are lots of ways to send money to both countries, none of them very safe from my experience. The most expensive way but also the safest way is through your bank.

Dan Howell wrote:
While I would never enter into a royalty arrangement with a model, I have paid model fees internationally with Pay-Pal as they do have various currency options. Although there is a percentage taken on the receivers end, it can end up being far less than bank wire transfer fees (which I use for large amounts both to and from Europe) which can be up to $50/transfer depending on your bank.

yeah.. "royalty" isn't a good choice of words.  But neither is anything else.

I have a business partner/make up artist/translator/scout that I have given a debit card to.  She can pull money out of a separate account.  That is the cheapest way.  But that only works with someone you trust.  Even though she can only get at the $200 I keep in the account, it's still a card with my name on it.

Having been talking to the models this afternoon they have a credit card that they get paid on all the time.

It seems in both the Ukraine and Russia you can give someone your CC number (number only, no exp date or CVV info) and they can go to a ATM and put money on your card.

Has anyone heard of this?  Two models, one in Russia and one in the Ukraine asked if I could just put money on their card.   I looked up the card on Private Bank's website.  It's a legit MasterCard.  But I have never heard of transfering money to another card at the ATM.

Rieni Otten wrote:
PayPal is great for US and Europe but not for Ukraine and Russia.

The best advice I can give to OP is to look into bitcoins and set yourself and your models up for that.

PayPal is Satan.

I have looked into bitcoin.  But it's still to volatile and hard to convert to cash/rubles/hryvnia.

bencook2 wrote:
PayPal is Satan.

I have looked into bitcoin.  But it's still to volatile and hard to convert to cash/rubles/hryvnia.

lol yes PayPal is Satan. I went through all the horror. But it's convenient.

I agree Bitcoins are still difficult, but support is growing every day, banks are joining, new sites, etc. It's the digital currency for the people and if the people support it, it will support the people and especially in countries like Russia it will gain popularity very fast.

JGC Photography wrote:
Just wire the funds directly from you bank to her bank account.
I have wired money all over the planet to include Pakistan and Beirut Lebanon...No biggy.

$50 is a biggy to me.

That's about what a wire transfer internationally now costs.

Rieni Otten wrote:
Send it cash, in small increments. You can also send it by registered mail, but in Russia that means customs will open it and take half. So send unregistered. If it's an amount so small that it isn't worth $50 for a bank transfer fee, then it's small enough to send by mail in cash.

This will never work.  It will all be taken.

Right now, I wire money to myself all the time, but it costs $45 from my US bank, and $7 from my bank here.  Probably not cost effective.

I'd put $$$ on the scout's card and have her pay them.

JGC Photography wrote:
Just wire the funds directly from you bank to her bank account.
I have wired money all over the planet to include Pakistan and Beirut Lebanon...No biggy.

bencook2 wrote:
$50 is a biggy to me.

That's about what a wire transfer internationally now costs.

Err... get a better bank - costs me about €2 to send up to €10,000 - which is the daily limit for international transfers in Europe...

RKD Photographic wrote:
Pay by bank transfer - if the model has a bank account just get the IBAN number off her.
I transfer money all the time between countries - takes just a few seconds with online banking.

JGC Photography wrote:
Just wire the funds directly from you bank to her bank account.
I have wired money all over the planet to include Pakistan and Beirut Lebanon...No biggy.

Err... get a better bank - costs me about €2 to send up to €10,000 - which is the daily limit for international transfers in Europe...

All US banks I have checked are around this amount.

Robert Jewett wrote:

All US banks I have checked are around this amount.

Seriously? That's so fucked-up... Here you only pay bank charges on domestic transfers if the account is overdrawn and only a nominal amount on overseas transfers...

RKD Photographic wrote:

Seriously? That's so fucked-up... Here you only pay bank charges on domestic transfers if the account is overdrawn and only a nominal amount on overseas transfers...

Seriously.  I transfer at least once a month.  Trust me, it adds up.

Robert Jewett wrote:

Seriously.  I transfer at least once a month.  Trust me, it adds up.

Move to the UK or Germany quick - actually, don't - the weather's shit up here now...

bencook2 wrote:
One time payments I have on lock.  I don't like Western Union... but for a one time payment it works.

I'm talking about paying "royalties"/earnings/wages whatever you want to call it.

Does anyone know of a good way to transfer money on a monthly basis to the Ukraine and Russia.  (yeah, that won't raise any red flags will it...)

Anyone with any experience with this?  I considered putting this in "general industry" but the photographers forum is always the most helpful and slowest to turn into a free-for-all troll fest.

I have models earning a % off what I sell.  I need to get that money to them. 

I've considered abandoning "every month" for every two, or ever quarter.   But I don't want to hold on to those funds that long quite frankly.    Normal money transfer via WU or Money Gram is too expensive for a even quarterly payments. 

Maybe prepaid visa?  Does Russia have a pre paid Visa program?  Ukraine?

Any experience or suggestions welcome.

Quarterly is pretty standard.

I'd use PayPal, wire transfer or mail a check.

Robert Jewett wrote:

Seriously.  I transfer at least once a month.  Trust me, it adds up.

Split the cost with them.

Most professional contracts split the net which would mean the entire cost is covered before they get their pay.

MC Photo wrote:

Split the cost with them.

Most professional contracts split the net which would mean the entire cost is covered before they get their pay.

you know that there are fees on both ends of some transactions, right?

Natalia_Taffarel wrote:
www.xoom.com

x

Not available for Russia, or Ukraine.  Thanks anyway.

RKD Photographic wrote:
Err... get a better bank - costs me about €2 to send up to €10,000 - which is the daily limit for international transfers in Europe...

You're talking IBAN/BIC transfers within Europe, right? That's a great system and the US is now getting something similar and then hopefully within a year all these systems will get connected. Again, Bitcoins are getting big and the banks will have to compete with that.

bencook2 wrote:
One time payments I have on lock.  I don't like Western Union... but for a one time payment it works.

I'm talking about paying "royalties"/earnings/wages whatever you want to call it.

Does anyone know of a good way to transfer money on a monthly basis to the Ukraine and Russia.  (yeah, that won't raise any red flags will it...)

Anyone with any experience with this?  I considered putting this in "general industry" but the photographers forum is always the most helpful and slowest to turn into a free-for-all troll fest.

I have models earning a % off what I sell.  I need to get that money to them. 

I've considered abandoning "every month" for every two, or ever quarter.   But I don't want to hold on to those funds that long quite frankly.    Normal money transfer via WU or Money Gram is too expensive for a even quarterly payments. 

Maybe prepaid visa?  Does Russia have a pre paid Visa program?  Ukraine?

Any experience or suggestions welcome.

xoom?

edit ok ok sorry no xoom

Rieni Otten wrote:

You're talking IBAN/BIC transfers within Europe, right? That's a great system and the US is now getting something similar and then hopefully within a year all these systems will get connected. Again, Bitcoins are getting big and the banks will have to compete with that.

So US banks don't have this? How utterly mediaeval...

bencook2 wrote:

yeah.. "royalty" isn't a good choice of words.  But neither is anything else.

I have a business partner/make up artist/translator/scout that I have given a debit card to.  She can pull money out of a separate account.  That is the cheapest way.  But that only works with someone you trust.  Even though she can only get at the $200 I keep in the account, it's still a card with my name on it.

Having been talking to the models this afternoon they have a credit card that they get paid on all the time.

It seems in both the Ukraine and Russia you can give someone your CC number (number only, no exp date or CVV info) and they can go to a ATM and put money on your card.

Has anyone heard of this?  Two models, one in Russia and one in the Ukraine asked if I could just put money on their card.   I looked up the card on Private Bank's website.  It's a legit MasterCard.  But I have never heard of transfering money to another card at the ATM.

you probably do this all the time without realizing it. its called 'paying' your CC bill. you transfer money from your account to pay a bill. the bill just happens to be a CC.  and you just happen to be paying past the debt amount. The ATM does not care whose bill it is as long as that bank is authorized for it.  if they send you a monthly CC statement/invoice (or photocopy) for their card you can even register it with your bank so it appears as one of the choices when you select pay bill at the ATM next time.

AVD AlphaDuctions wrote:

you probably do this all the time without realizing it. its called 'paying' your CC bill. you transfer money from your account to pay a bill. the bill just happens to be a CC.  and you just happen to be paying past the debt amount. The ATM does not care whose bill it is as long as that bank is authorized for it.  if they send you a monthly CC statement/invoice (or photocopy) for their card you can even register it with your bank so it appears as one of the choices when you select pay bill at the ATM next time.

Never heard of all this before, interesting. Does anyone know if someone can transfer to a Russian credit card like this from Europe? I'm sure our ATMs don't have this option.

Rieni Otten wrote:
Never heard of all this before, interesting. Does anyone know if someone can transfer to a Russian credit card like this from Europe? I'm sure our ATMs don't have this option.

its not a transfer. its a bill payment.  your bank's ATM (or teller) can pay a bill.
"I want to pay xxx$ on this bill".   The only hitch is if your bank does not have an agreement with VISA (or Mastercard) or whoever that specific issuer is. if it doesnt you have to go to a teller and register the bill.

I did this in 1998 at an internet conference. I was in the middle east and had foolishly overspent on my CC (who could resist the deals in the shopping district next door to the conference hotel?).  Since we had internet access I just emailed and asked someone to pay my bill for me and I would pay them back when I got home.  Back then, they managed to pay with just having the CC number and expiry date. But they paid at a bank to a real live teller.  To use a machine you would need an actual invoice (or photocopy).

I'm not saying this is the only way or even the best way. I actually suggested something different.  But I can guarantee it works in weird places.