IDFC FIRST EARN Credit Card – Benefits, Fees & Eligibility

First Ea₹n Virtual RuPay Credit Card

The First Ea₹N Virtual RuPay Credit Card is a secured, fixed deposit-backed digital credit card offered by IDFC FIRST Bank. Designed specifically for individuals looking to build or improve their credit history without requiring income proof, it offers a guaranteed approval process based on a minimum fixed deposit of ₹5,000. The card is primarily virtual, allowing for instant use, though a physical card can be requested for a fee. It excels in rewarding UPI transactions and everyday spending with a structured cashback system, making it an ideal choice for youngsters, students, and homemakers who frequently use mobile payment applications.

Welcome Benefits

• Limited Period Offer: Joining fee of ₹0 (waived from ₹499 + GST) for new cards issued on or after 16 December 2025.
• First Transaction Cashback: 10% cashback up to ₹250 on the first transaction made within 15 days of card generation.
• UPI Welcome Offer: 100% cashback up to ₹500 on the first UPI transaction performed through the IDFC FIRST Bank mobile banking app within 15 days of card issuance (Limited Time Offer).

Fees

• Joining Fee: ₹0 (Limited period offer for cards issued on or after 16 December 2025; otherwise ₹499 + GST).
• Annual Fee (2nd year onwards): ₹499 + GST.
• Spend-Based Waiver: Annual fee waived on annual spends of ₹1,00,000 or more in the previous anniversary year. (Spends milestone includes all purchases net of reversals/refunds, but excludes ATM cash withdrawals, monthly EMIs, and fees/charges).
• Interest Rates (APR): Variable rates starting from 8.5% up to 47.88% per annum (monthly rates range from 0.75% to 3.99%).
• Foreign Currency Markup: 3.5% for all international transactions.
• Rent and Property Management Surcharge: 1% of the transaction value, subject to a minimum of ₹249 + GST per transaction.
• Utility Surcharge: 1% surcharge (+ GST) on aggregate utility spends (Electricity, Gas, Telecom, etc.) exceeding ₹20,000 in a single statement cycle.
• Physical Card Issuance Fee: ₹199 (as the card is primarily virtual).
• Cash Advance Charges: Monthly rates ranging from 0.75% to 3.65%.

Rewards

Cashback Rewards

• UPI Spends (IDFC App): 1% cashback on all UPI transactions made via the IDFC FIRST Bank mobile app.
• Other UPI Spends: 0.5% cashback on UPI transactions made via third-party apps such as Google Pay, PhonePe, or Paytm.
• Online Spends: 0.5% cashback on all online transactions.
• Special Categories: 0.5% cashback on utility bill payments, insurance premiums, and wallet loads.
• Capping: General cashback is capped at ₹500 per statement cycle.
• Exclusions: No cashback is awarded on EMI transactions and cash withdrawals.

Travel Benefits

• Bonus Cashback: Earn extra cashback on flight and hotel bookings via the 'FIRST Rewards Gallery' on the IDFC FIRST Bank mobile app or the IDFC Travel and Shop portal.
• Hotel Bookings: Bonus 8% cashback (Total 8.5% including base reward rate).
• Flight Bookings: Bonus 4% cashback (Total 4.5% including base reward rate).
• Travel Capping: Bonus cashback on travel bookings is capped at ₹2,000 per calendar month.

Movie & Entertainment

• District by Zomato Offer: 25% discount up to ₹100 on movie ticket bookings via the District app.
• Frequency: Benefit is valid once per month, offering total annual savings of up to ₹1,200.

Lifestyle & Protection

• Roadside Assistance (RSA): Complimentary RSA services worth ₹1,399.
• FD Interest: Earn interest on the linked Fixed Deposit while enjoying up to 45 days of interest-free credit.
• Personal Accident Cover: ₹2,00,000.
• Lost Card Liability Cover: ₹25,000.

Rewards Redemption Guide

• Cashback Visibility: Eligible cashback is visible in the monthly credit card statement.
• Credit Timeline: Cashback is automatically credited to the account 1 day after the Payment Due Date (PDD).
• Condition for Credit: Crediting is subject to the payment of at least the Minimum Amount Due (MAD) on or before the PDD.
• Forfeiture: If the MAD is not paid by the due date, the cashback earned for that statement cycle will be forfeited.
• Expiry: Earned cashback does not expire.
• Reversals: In case of returns, reversals, or cancellations, the corresponding cashback will be adjusted or deducted from the subsequent statement.

Card Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Rules

• Age Limit: 18 to 80 years.
• Citizenship: Must be an Indian citizen with a current and permanent residential address in India.
• Fixed Deposit Requirement: Must create and maintain a singly-held fixed deposit with IDFC FIRST Bank with a minimum amount of ₹5,000.
• FD Exclusions: Deposits by HUFs, partnership firms, societies, trusts, or minors are not eligible. Jointly held accounts, Tax Saver FDs, and Flexi-Deposits (Auto-sweep) are also excluded.
• Credit History: No prior credit history or income proof is required to apply.

Documents Required

• Aadhaar Card.
• PAN Card.

Card Review

• Overall Verdict: This is a highly recommended entry-level secured card for those excluded from traditional credit products. It serves as an effective tool for students, homemakers, and first-time earners to build a credit score from scratch.
• Pros:
  • Guaranteed approval against a low minimum fixed deposit (₹5,000).
  • Strong rewards for UPI users (1% cashback via the bank app).
  • Zero joining fee (limited offer) and easy annual fee waiver milestone.
  • Offers interest on the FD while providing credit benefits.
  • Includes complimentary roadside assistance and insurance covers.
• Cons:
  • No fuel surcharge waiver, making it less ideal for heavy fuel spending.
  • General cashback is limited by a monthly cap of ₹500.
  • Reward rate drops to 0.5% when using third-party UPI apps.

Important Product Details

• Positive Highlights:
  • Guaranteed approval without income proof or credit history.
  • 1% cashback on UPI transactions via the IDFC bank app.
  • Credit limit starts at 100% of the FD value (can go up to 2X of FD value).
  • Complimentary Roadside Assistance worth ₹1,399.
  • Interest continues to be earned on the linked fixed deposit.
• Negative Highlights:
  • Monthly general cashback capped at ₹500.
  • No fuel surcharge waiver provided.
  • Requires a physical card issuance fee of ₹199 if a non-virtual card is needed.

Other Details

• UPI Linking: As a RuPay card, it can be linked to all major UPI apps including BHIM, PhonePe, Paytm, Google Pay, Freecharge, Slice, CRED, and Mobikwik.
• Application Process: Register and verify details, choose and fund the Fixed Deposit, complete the Video KYC process, and access the virtual card instantly.
• Credit Limit Increase: Users can instantly increase their credit limit by linking additional existing FDs or booking new FDs through the mobile app, starting from ₹5,000.
• Add-on Cards: The facility for add-on cards is not available for this FD-backed variant.
• UPI Transaction Limits: After generating the UPI PIN, transactions are limited to a total of ₹5,000 for the first 24 hours.
• Merchant Restrictions: UPI on credit cards cannot be used for digital account openings, lending platforms, cash withdrawals (at merchants or ATMs), e-RUPI, IPOs, foreign inward remittances, or mutual funds.
• Support: Customers can report UPI merchant-related issues directly to NPCI via their official dispute redressal mechanism.