Axis Bank Club Vistara Forex Card – Benefits, Fees & Eligibility

Axis Bank Club Vistara Forex Card

Introduction

The Axis Bank Club Vistara Forex Card is a co-branded prepaid card offered by Axis Bank in collaboration with Air Vistara, designed to ensure a smooth travel experience while traveling overseas. This card provides a safe and convenient way to carry foreign currencies, enabling users to access money in their required regional currency. It allows for easy top-ups, balance checks, and convenient shopping globally. While not a credit card, it offers valuable rewards in the form of Club Vistara Points (CV Points) on all expenditures. Key benefits include complimentary Club Vistara Base membership, a welcome bonus of 500 CV Points on the first card load, and accelerated earning of 3 CV Points for every USD 5 (or equivalent) spent.

Welcome Benefits

• Receive 500 Club Vistara (CV) Points as a welcome bonus upon loading the card for the first time.
• Enjoy complimentary enrolment to the prestigious Club Vistara Base membership.

Fees

• Joining Fee: Rs. 500 plus applicable taxes.
• Renewal Fee: Not applicable.
• Spend-Based Waiver: Not applicable.
• Rewards Redemption Fee: Not applicable.
• Foreign Currency Markup:
  • No forex mark-up charge on transactions made in the currency loaded on the card.
  • A cross-currency usage fee of 3.50% of the transaction amount is charged on transactions made in a currency other than the one loaded on the card.
• Interest Rates: Not applicable.
• Fuel Surcharge: Not applicable.
• Cash Advance Charges: 0.5% of the transaction amount, subject to a maximum charge of USD 75.
• Card Loading/Reloading Fee: Rs. 100 every time the card is loaded or reloaded.
• Cash Withdrawal Fee: USD 2.25 (or equivalent) for every ATM cash withdrawal.

Rewards

• Rewards Rate: Earn 3 Club Vistara (CV) Points for every USD 5 (or equivalent) spent with the card.
• Travel Benefits:
  • The card can be loaded with up to 16 most widely used currencies on a single card, ensuring a hassle-free journey globally. Available currencies include USD, EUR, GBP, SGD, AUD, CAD, JPY, CHF, SEK, THB, AED, SAR, HKD, NZD, DKK, and ZAR.
  • No forex mark-up charge on transactions made in the currency loaded on the card.
  • Receive cashback of up to Rs. 1,000 on VI international roaming packs every time the card is loaded/reloaded.
  • Access 24x7 global assistance via TripAssist for emergencies during international travel, such as loss of card, money, or passport.
  • Enjoy exclusive Visa offers on spends across travel, sightseeing, hotels, and shopping categories.
  • The card is accepted at all online portals, international retail outlets, and duty-free stores at international airports in India that accept Visa credit/debit cards.
• Lifestyle Benefits:
  • Suitable for all occasions with highly competitive exchange rates, helping avoid extra fees per transaction compared to other forex options.
  • Can be used for all travel, dining, shopping, hotel accommodation, and entertainment needs.
  • Provides a simple, effective, faster, and safer way of carrying cash while traveling across the globe.
• Complimentary Membership: Free enrolment to the prestigious Club Vistara Base membership.
• Contactless Transactions: Supports contactless transactions, with a maximum limit of USD 100 per transaction, though this may vary based on local country regulations.

Rewards Redemption Guide

• Club Vistara (CV) Points can be redeemed for:
  • Award flights.
  • Class upgrades.
  • Any seat reservation as part of Vistara’s Cash + Points program, where 1 CV Point is equivalent to Rs. 0.2.
  • Award flights on Vistara partner airlines including Air Canada, Japan Airlines, SilkAir, Singapore Airlines, and United Airlines.
• For redeeming Partner Award Flights, Club Vistara members should contact their Customer Service Centre at +91 9289228888.
• Redemption requests for Award Flights on Partner Airlines may take up to 14 working days.
• Validity: The Club Vistara Points (CV Points) earned are valid for a period of 36 months from the date of accrual.
• Tracking CV Points: You can track your Club Vistara Points balance by logging into your Club Vistara account at https://www.airvistara.com/trip/ using a unique login shared via email after program registration.

Card Eligibility Criteria

• Eligibility Rules:
  • Anyone traveling abroad is eligible to get this forex card from Axis Bank.
  • There is no minimum income criterion required to be eligible for the card, unlike credit cards.
• Documents Required:
  • A copy of your valid passport.
  • The application form for the Club Vistara Axis Bank Forex Card.
  • A copy of your Visa.
  • A copy of your airline ticket.
  • Address proof (only if your current address differs from the one mentioned on your passport).
  • PAN Card.

Card Review

The Axis Bank Club Vistara Forex Card is an excellent choice for individuals traveling to international destinations, especially those served by Air Vistara, such as Thailand, UK, Germany, France, UAE, Qatar, Singapore, and Srilanka. A significant advantage of this card, distinguishing it from many other forex cards, is its robust reward structure, allowing cardholders to earn valuable Club Vistara Points (Vistara Air Miles) on international spends. These points can be redeemed for award flights and class upgrades, adding significant value for frequent flyers. The card offers highly competitive exchange rates and eliminates forex mark-up fees on transactions made in the loaded currency, making it a cost-effective solution for carrying foreign currency. Its ability to hold up to 16 different currencies on a single card, coupled with 24x7 global assistance, further enhances its appeal as a comprehensive travel companion. While there are initial issuance and reloading fees, along with charges for cross-currency usage and cash withdrawals, the overall reward potential and convenience for international travel make it one of the best forex cards available in India.

Important Product Details

• Can be loaded in 16 widely used currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, SGD, AUD, CAD, JPY, CHF, SEK, THB, AED, SAR, HKD, NZD, DKK, ZAR).
• Offers complimentary Club Vistara Base membership.
• Provides 500 Club Vistara (CV) Points as a welcome bonus on the first card load.
• Earns 3 CV Points for every USD 5 (or equivalent) spent.
• Cashback of up to Rs. 1,000 on VI’s international roaming packs on loading/reloading the card.
• Includes 24x7 emergency assistance during international travel by TripAssist (for loss of card/money/passport).
• No forex mark-up fee on transactions made in the currency loaded on the card.
• Exclusive Visa offers on travel, sightseeing, hotels, and shopping categories.
• Accepted at all online portals, international retail outlets, and duty-free stores globally that accept Visa.
• Supports contactless transactions (typically up to USD 100 per transaction, varying by country regulations).
• Fees:
  • Initial card issuance fee: Rs. 500 + GST.
  • Loading/reloading fee: Rs. 100 per load.
  • Cash withdrawal fee: USD 2.25 (or equivalent) per withdrawal.
  • Cash advance fee: 0.5% of the transaction amount (maximum USD 75).
  • Cross-currency usage fee: 3.5% of the transaction amount.

Other Details

• This card is a pre-loaded forex card, not a credit card.
• Reloading Options:
  • Axis Bank savings account holders can reload via Internet Banking and Axis Mobile App.
  • Customers without an Axis Bank account can visit their nearest Axis Bank branch for reloading. Family members can be authorized to load the card by providing a duly signed authorization letter.
• Balance Tracking:
  • Axis Bank savings account holders can track their balance via Internet Banking, Axis Mobile App, or by sending an SMS "MCCBAL <last 4 digits of card>" to 56161600 or +91 8691000002.
  • Customers not having an Axis Bank account can track their balance via Axis Bank's website (Login -> Cards -> Multi Currency), Axis Mobile App, or SMS "MCCBAL <last 4 digits of card>" to 56161600 or +91 8691000002.
• Application Process:
  • Online: Apply through the Forex Cards application page on Axis Bank’s website, uploading scanned copies of your passport (with visa) and PAN Card. The card can be delivered to your correspondence address or collected from an Axis Bank branch.
  • Offline: Obtain the card over the counter from any Axis Bank branch by submitting a copy of your passport (with visa), airline tickets, and PAN Card.