Credit Card activation guidelines | ICICI Bank (2024)

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Credit Card activation guidelines | ICICI Bank? ›

Activating a credit card allows a person to use it. You usually have 45-60 days to activate a new credit card before your credit card issuer sends you a message or cancels your account.

Activating a credit card allows a person to use it. You usually have 45-60 days to activate a new credit card before your credit card issuer sends you a message or cancels your account.

You can either activate your card via online banking, mobile banking, phoning the card provider directly or in person at the nearest branch of your bank.

You are required to activate your new credit card within 30 days of card issuance. In cases, where the card issuer, does not provide any consent to the card issuer, then the credit card will be closed by the issuer within 7 days of seeking the consent.

If you don't activate a credit card and thus don't use the card, your account may be closed. Card issuers typically close accounts that aren't used within a certain time period, usually over a year.

Key takeaways

Not activating a credit card can have negative impacts on your finances, but most downsides only apply if you fail to make payments toward a balance you owe. It's possible your credit card company will cancel the account if you fail to activate your card within 45 or 60 days.

New credit cards must be activated for security reasons. Activation notifies the card issuer the card has been received by the correct person and is designed to help prevent fraud.

You don't need to do anything to activate your debit card. You'll be able to use it to make online payments as soon as it arrives in the post. If you've opened a new current account, we'll also send your PIN in the post. You'll need to wait for your PIN to use your card at cash machines or in shops.

Activate a debit card by phone

You can use your mobile device to activate a debit card. Here's how: Call the bank's card activation number that can likely be found on the activation sticker on the front of your debit card. Listen to the prompts on your call and go through them to activate your card.

Yes, you can use a credit card before it arrives in the mail, but only with certain cards. If you want to use a credit card early, you must either have an American Express or Capital One credit card or one of a handful of other offers, including the Apple Card, and some store credit cards.

How much time does a credit card take to activate? ›

Whether you opt for Customer Care assistance, Internet Banking or iMobile Pay, you can activate your Credit Card easily in just five minutes and unlock its potential for various transactions.

In most cases, once you activate your new credit card you can use it right away. You'll be able to use the card if the account is open and the card hasn't expired. If you activate the card but have a problem using it, call the number on the back of the card.

Call customer service: You can call the phone number on the back of your credit card to reach customer service. You'll be able to check the status of your card and, if it is deactivated, you can ask about reactivation. Make a purchase: Another way to check if a card is active is to try and use it to make a purchase.

If you don't activate your credit card, it remains inactive and cannot be used for any transactions. However, the card may still incur annual or maintenance fees, and it might eventually be closed by the issuer after a certain period of inactivity.

Credit card issuers can decide to shutter an account that's never been activated, and an account closure can harm your credit scores in more than one way. For starters, it can affect the length of your credit history, which is a factor in how credit scores are calculated.

There is no deadline for you to activate your ATM/debit card. What should I do if I suspect my ATM, debit and/or credit card(s) has been tampered with?

You can also visit CreditOneBank.com/activate or call the toll-free activation number on the sticker attached to your card. Note: You should activate your card within 14 days after you receive it in the mail.

Before you run out and charge something just to keep your account active, however, you should know that it usually takes a year or more of inactivity for the issuer to close the card. It's also important to note that you might not get any warning that your issuer is closing your account.