How to open a TBC Bank account/card in Tbilisi and access the mobile app as a foreigner?
Based on 1 discussion with 2 participants · Last activity: 2 days ago
TL;DR
You can open a TBC Bank card at any branch (e.g. near Freedom Square) with just your passport and a local Georgian phone number - it takes under 30 minutes, physical card ready in 2 days. A local SIM is required for app login since SMS codes don't reach foreign numbers.
What the community said
It's easier to open a TBC card directly at a branch rather than through the app - the branch near Freedom Square processed everything in under 30 minutes with just a passport and local phone number. Staff are friendly and speak English.
2 days ago TBC branch near Freedom Square
You'll need a local phone number to open the card - get one for free from Cellfie mobile operator. Bonus: registering an eSIM and the Cellfie app gets you 8GB of free data.
2 days ago Cellfie - free number + 8GB data
After applying, the virtual TBC card activates within 3 days, while the physical card is ready to collect about 2 days later.
2 days ago Virtual card - 3 days, physical card - 2 days
If you already got a TBC card via Cellfie but can't log into the app with a foreign number (even though Telegram/WhatsApp calls and messages work fine) - the issue is that bank verification SMS codes don't reach foreign numbers, so you need a local number to log in.
2 days ago
Travelers report difficulty logging into the TBC mobile app while abroad - login SMS codes simply don't arrive on foreign phone numbers, blocking access to the account.
2 days ago