Name: ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card
Brand: ICICI
Price: 12000 INR
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.5 (1 reviews)

Question 1

What is the ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card joining fee?

Accepted Answer

The joining fee is ₹12,000 plus 18% GST. There are no welcome vouchers or joining bonuses included with the Emeralde, unlike lower-tier ICICI cards such as the Rubyx that provide ₹5,000+ in welcome vouchers. The annual fee from the second year onward is also ₹12,000 plus GST.

Question 2

How do I get the ₹12,000 ICICI Emeralde annual fee waived?

Accepted Answer

The annual fee of ₹12,000 plus GST gets waived when your total spending in the year crosses ₹10 lakh. Note that rent, government, and education payments do not count toward this threshold. This works out to roughly ₹83,000 per month in qualifying spend.

Question 3

How do I apply for the ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card online?

Accepted Answer

Apply through the ICICI Bank website or iMobile app. The process is fully digital with no physical documents required. You need a PAN card, Aadhaar, and income proof (salary slips for salaried, ITR for self-employed). Existing ICICI Bank customers with high account balances or spending history may find a pre-approved Emeralde offer in iMobile or internet banking.

Question 4

What salary do I need to be eligible for the ICICI Emeralde Credit Card?

Accepted Answer

Salaried applicants need a minimum monthly income of ₹1,50,000 (₹18 lakh per year). Self-employed applicants require an annual income of ₹18 lakh. You must be an Indian citizen aged 21 to 65 years. A credit score of 750 or higher is typically expected. This is double the income requirement of the Rubyx (₹75,000/month).

Question 5

What card networks is the ICICI Emeralde Credit Card available on?

Accepted Answer

The Emeralde is available on Visa and American Express networks. The American Express variant includes an annual ₹5,000 Tata CLiQ birthday voucher that the Visa variant does not. Lounge access, reward points, golf rounds, and all other core benefits remain the same across both networks.

Question 6

How does the unlimited airport lounge access work on the ICICI Emeralde?

Accepted Answer

The primary cardholder gets unlimited complimentary access to both domestic and international airport lounges with no spend condition. For domestic lounges, swipe the Emeralde card at participating lounges. For international lounges, cards issued after November 15, 2024 come with Priority Pass covering 1,400+ lounges in 145+ countries. Cards issued before that date use DreamFolks with 650+ lounges in 100+ countries. Supplementary cardholders are not eligible for lounge access.

Question 7

Does the ICICI Emeralde Credit Card come with Priority Pass?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if you applied for the card on or after November 15, 2024. You receive a complimentary Priority Pass membership with access to 1,400+ lounges in 145+ countries. Present your Priority Pass card at participating international lounges. If your card was issued before November 15, 2024, you have DreamFolks membership instead, covering 650+ lounges in 100+ countries.

Question 8

How many reward points does the ICICI Emeralde earn per ₹100 spent?

Accepted Answer

Domestic and international purchases both earn 4 points per ₹100, a flat rate unlike lower-tier cards that differentiate by geography. Utilities and insurance earn 1 point per ₹100. Fuel, rent, government, education, and e-wallet reload transactions earn zero points. The iShop portal multiplies earnings to 6x or 12x at select merchants. Points are capped per statement cycle: ₹80,000 on utilities, ₹80,000 on insurance, ₹40,000 on groceries, and ₹20,000 on transportation.

Question 9

Which purchases on the ICICI Emeralde do not earn reward points?

Accepted Answer

Fuel transactions, rent payments, government payments and services, tax payments, e-wallet reloads, and third-party wallet loads earn zero points. Cash advances, EMI conversions, balance transfers, fee payments (joining, annual, GST), and penalty charges (interest, late fees) are also excluded. Utility and insurance payments earn at a reduced rate of 1 point per ₹100 instead of the standard 4 points.

Question 10

Where and how can I redeem ICICI Emeralde reward points?

Accepted Answer

Points can be redeemed through the ICICI Bank Rewards portal for shopping vouchers, electronics, home appliances, fashion, health and beauty, and travel. You can also redeem through the iMobile app or internet banking. Catalogue-based redemptions carry a ₹99 handling fee. Online and in-store redemptions at partner brands carry a ₹25 fee. Redemption values vary by category and product.

Question 11

How do the complimentary golf rounds work on the ICICI Emeralde?

Accepted Answer

You can access up to 4 complimentary golf rounds or lessons per month through Golftripz. Each round requires ₹50,000 in retail spend during the prior calendar month. Benefits are credited by the 10th of the following month and must be used within two months. Book through teetimes.golftripz.com using the same email registered with your ICICI Bank card. For assistance, call iAssist at 1800 26 70731 (toll-free) or 022 67872016.

Question 12

Does the ICICI Emeralde provide discounts on movie tickets?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Through BookMyShow, you can buy one ticket and get up to ₹750 off on the second ticket, up to 4 times per month. From January 15, 2026, this benefit requires spending ₹25,000 or more in the preceding quarter. For example, to use the offer in April to June 2026, you need ₹25,000 in spend between late December 2025 and late March 2026.

Question 13

What is the forex markup on the ICICI Emeralde Credit Card?

Accepted Answer

The foreign currency markup is 2% on all international transactions, significantly lower than the 3.5% charged on most other ICICI Bank credit cards. The Dynamic Currency Conversion fee is also 2%. This makes the Emeralde one of the most competitive cards for international spending among Indian credit cards, though dedicated forex cards can go as low as 0.99% to 1.49%.

Question 14

Does the ICICI Emeralde Credit Card include travel insurance?

Accepted Answer

The card includes air accident insurance up to ₹3 crore for international flights, provided the card was used at least once in the 60 days before the incident. This is among the highest covers on any Indian credit card. The benefit applies to the primary cardholder only, and supplementary cardholders are not covered. There is no lost baggage or trip delay cover included.

Question 15

What is the cancellation refund benefit on the ICICI Emeralde?

Accepted Answer

The Emeralde provides a cancellation refund of up to ₹12,000 on domestic flight and hotel bookings, available twice every year. This covers non-refundable bookings that you need to cancel, a benefit rarely found on competing premium cards. Claims are processed through the cancellation claim process outlined on the ICICI Bank website.

Question 16

What does the ICICI Emeralde 24x7 concierge service cover?

Accepted Answer

The concierge (called iAssist) handles restaurant reservations, flower and gift deliveries, hotel and flight bookings, car rentals, movie ticket delivery, emergency auto assistance, and medical concierge support. Call 1800 26 70731 (toll-free for MTNL/BSNL) or 022 67872016 (standard charges). The service runs round the clock and is available to primary cardholders.

Question 17

Is there a birthday benefit on the ICICI Emeralde Credit Card?

Accepted Answer

American Express variant cardholders receive a ₹5,000 Tata CLiQ shopping voucher on their birthday each year. This benefit is exclusive to the Amex variant and is not available on the Visa variant. If the birthday voucher is important to you, request the American Express network when applying.

Question 18

What is the fuel surcharge waiver on the ICICI Emeralde?

Accepted Answer

Cardholders get a 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions up to ₹4,000 at any fuel outlet in India. Both the primary cardholder and supplementary cardholder can use this benefit. The waiver is applied automatically when paying with the Emeralde at fuel stations. Note that fuel transactions do not earn reward points.

Question 19

Can I convert ICICI Emeralde purchases into monthly EMI?

Accepted Answer

Any purchase above ₹2,500 can be converted to EMI through the iMobile app or internet banking. Tenure options and interest rates depend on the transaction amount and your account standing. EMI conversions do not earn reward points.

Question 20

Does the ICICI Emeralde Credit Card charge an over-limit fee?

Accepted Answer

No. The ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card does not charge any over-limit fee, even if your spending exceeds your approved credit limit. This is a specific exemption for the Emeralde; most other ICICI cards charge 2.5% of the over-limit amount (minimum ₹550). The bank may still approve or decline transactions beyond your limit at its discretion.

Question 21

What interest rate does the ICICI Emeralde charge if I carry a balance?

Accepted Answer

The finance charge is 3.75% per month, which works out to 45% per year. This applies to any outstanding balance carried past the payment due date. ATM cash withdrawals also attract 3.75% monthly interest from the date of withdrawal. Paying the full statement balance by the due date each month avoids interest charges entirely.

Question 22

What are the late payment penalties on the ICICI Emeralde?

Accepted Answer

Late fees range from ₹100 to ₹1,300 depending on your total outstanding amount. These apply when you do not pay at least the minimum amount by the statement due date. The minimum payment is 5% of the total outstanding balance or ₹200, whichever is higher.

Question 23

Can I get a supplementary card for the ICICI Emeralde?

Accepted Answer

Yes, supplementary (add-on) cards are available at no annual fee, unlike lower-tier ICICI cards that charge ₹199 per year. Supplementary cardholders share the fuel surcharge waiver benefit. All points from supplementary card transactions accumulate in the primary cardholder's account. However, supplementary cardholders do not get lounge access or golf privileges.

Question 24

Is the ICICI Emeralde Credit Card worth it for someone spending ₹1.5 lakh monthly?

Accepted Answer

At ₹1.5 lakh monthly spend (₹18 lakh per year), you comfortably clear the ₹10 lakh threshold for the annual fee waiver. You earn roughly 72,000 base reward points per year from qualifying spend. The spend also unlocks up to 3 golf rounds per month (₹50,000 per round from prior month) and qualifies for BookMyShow benefits. With unlimited lounge access, 2% forex markup, and ₹3 crore insurance, this spend level extracts strong value. If you travel internationally even a few times a year, the lounge access and low forex markup alone can justify the card.

Question 25

How does the ICICI Emeralde compare to the Sapphiro Credit Card?

Accepted Answer

The Emeralde costs ₹12,000 per year versus the Sapphiro at ₹3,500 (waived on ₹6L spend versus ₹10L). Key upgrades: the Emeralde gets unlimited international lounge access (Sapphiro has limited visits), up to 4 golf rounds per month (versus 2 on Sapphiro), 2% forex markup (versus 3.5% on Sapphiro), ₹3 crore air accident insurance (versus ₹1 crore), no over-limit fee, and the cancellation refund benefit. If you travel internationally often, the unlimited Priority Pass lounges and lower forex markup make the Emeralde worth the premium. For primarily domestic spenders, the Sapphiro provides better value per rupee of fee paid.

Joining Fee	₹12,000 + GST
Annual Fee	₹12,000 + GST
Annual Fee Waiver	Waived on ₹10L annual spend (excludes rent, government, education)
Monthly Percentage Rate	3.75%
Annual Percentage Rate	45%
Minimum Monthly Payment	5% of outstanding or ₹200, whichever is higher
Foreign Currency Markup	2%
Late Payment Charges	₹100 to ₹1,300 based on outstanding
Overlimit Charges	No over-limit fee
Cash Advance Fee	2.5% of amount (min ₹500)
Balance Transfer Fee	2% of transferred amount (min ₹250)
Fee For Supplementary Card	Nil
Card Replacement Fee	₹100 to ₹200
Fee For Duplicate Statement	₹50 per statement
Fee For Cheque Bounce	₹500

Age Requirement Salaried	21-65 years
Age Requirement Self Employed	21-65 years
Minimum Annual Income Salaried	₹18.0 lakh (₹1,50,000/month)
Minimum Annual Income Self Employed	₹18.0 lakh/year
Minimum Credit Score	750+

Identity Proof	PAN Card (mandatory) Aadhaar Card Passport Voter ID
Address Proof	Aadhaar Card Passport Utility Bill (recent) Bank Statement
Income Proof Salaried	Latest 3 months salary slips Latest 3 months bank statement Form 16 or ITR
Income Proof Self Employed	Latest 2 years ITR Latest 6 months bank statement Business proof documents

Joining Fee	₹12,000 + GST
Annual Fee	₹12,000 + GST
Annual Fee Waiver	Waived on ₹10L annual spend (excludes rent, government, education)
Monthly Percentage Rate	3.75%
Annual Percentage Rate	45%
Minimum Monthly Payment	5% of outstanding or ₹200, whichever is higher
Foreign Currency Markup	2%
Late Payment Charges	₹100 to ₹1,300 based on outstanding
Overlimit Charges	No over-limit fee
Cash Advance Fee	2.5% of amount (min ₹500)
Balance Transfer Fee	2% of transferred amount (min ₹250)
Fee For Supplementary Card	Nil
Card Replacement Fee	₹100 to ₹200
Fee For Duplicate Statement	₹50 per statement
Fee For Cheque Bounce	₹500

Age Requirement Salaried	21-65 years
Age Requirement Self Employed	21-65 years
Minimum Annual Income Salaried	₹18.0 lakh (₹1,50,000/month)
Minimum Annual Income Self Employed	₹18.0 lakh/year
Minimum Credit Score	750+

ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card

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Pros

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ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card

Overview

Pros

Cons

Key Highlights

Key Benefits

Detailed Information

Frequently Asked Questions

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Pros

Cons