How to Apply for the ICICI Emeralde Credit Card in 2026

title: "How to Apply for the ICICI Emeralde Credit Card in 2026" slug: how-to-apply-for-icici-emeralde-credit-card excerpt: "Apply for the ICICI Emeralde Credit Card with 4X reward points on dining and unlimited golf games. Income, eligibility, and the application process." category: how-to-apply tags:

• icici
• emeralde
• premium
• golf
• lounge-access relatedCards:
• icici-emeralde heroImage: /images/guides/icici-emeralde.svg publishedAt: "2026-06-18T16:57:29.026Z"

The ICICI Emeralde Credit Card is a super-premium ICICI card that offers 4 reward points per ₹100 on dining and entertainment, 2 points per ₹100 on retail, unlimited golf games, and 4 international lounge visits per year. The annual fee is ₹12,000, waived on spends of ₹8 lakh in the previous year. The card is targeted at senior professionals and business owners with high disposable income.

Why this matters

Emeralde is the most rewarding ICICI card outside the super-premium segment. The 4X on dining is unique in the Indian credit card market — no other card pays 4% back on dining. The unlimited golf games and 4 international lounge visits recover the annual fee within 2 visits for most cardholders.

Related cards

How to Apply for the ICICI Emeralde Credit Card in 2026

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    <h4 class="mb-1 text-base font-semibold text-ink">Check Emeralde eligibility</h4>
    <p class="text-sm leading-relaxed text-ink-muted">You must be 21–60 years old, a resident Indian, with a minimum monthly income of ₹1.5 lakh for salaried. CIBIL score of 760+ is preferred. Self-employed applicants need a minimum annual income of ₹25 lakh.</p>
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    <h4 class="mb-1 text-base font-semibold text-ink">Apply through iMobile Pay or NetBanking</h4>
    <p class="text-sm leading-relaxed text-ink-muted">Existing ICICI customers get a higher approval rate when applying through iMobile Pay → Cards → Apply. The form is pre-filled with your KYC data.</p>
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    <h4 class="mb-1 text-base font-semibold text-ink">Complete the application</h4>
    <p class="text-sm leading-relaxed text-ink-muted">Provide your personal details, employment information, monthly income, and existing credit relationships. Choose the Emeralde variant and number of supplementary cards (up to 3).</p>
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    <h4 class="mb-1 text-base font-semibold text-ink">Complete Aadhaar eKYC</h4>
    <p class="text-sm leading-relaxed text-ink-muted">Authorize Aadhaar OTP eKYC. The verification completes in 60 seconds.</p>
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    <h4 class="mb-1 text-base font-semibold text-ink">Upload income documents</h4>
    <p class="text-sm leading-relaxed text-ink-muted">Upload the latest 3 months&#39; salary slips, last 6 months&#39; bank statement, Form 16, and a recent Form 26AS. Self-employed applicants must upload 2 years&#39; ITR with computation and a business proof.</p>
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    <h4 class="mb-1 text-base font-semibold text-ink">Wait for credit committee approval</h4>
    <p class="text-sm leading-relaxed text-ink-muted">Emeralde applications are reviewed by the ICICI credit committee. Approval takes 10–15 working days. The decision is communicated via SMS and email.</p>
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    <h4 class="mb-1 text-base font-semibold text-ink">Pay the joining fee and receive the card</h4>
    <p class="text-sm leading-relaxed text-ink-muted">Once approved, ICICI will charge ₹12,000 + GST as the joining fee. The card is delivered within 5 working days via BlueDart. Activate it via IVR, iMobile Pay, or at any ICICI ATM.</p>
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    <h4 class="mb-1 text-base font-semibold text-ink">Register on Dreamfolks and the golf app</h4>
    <p class="text-sm leading-relaxed text-ink-muted">Emeralde requires separate registration on Dreamfolks (lounge access) and the iMobile Pay Golf section. Complete both registrations within 7 days of card activation.</p>
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Common mistakes to avoid

Do not apply for Emeralde if you have 3+ ICICI cards — the per-customer cap is strict. The 4X dining multiplier is capped at 10,000 points per month, so very high dining spenders will hit the cap. The annual fee is non-waivable in the first year.

Pro tips

• Time the application 30 days after a salary credit for a stronger bank statement
• Use the card for dining and entertainment to chase the 4X multiplier
• Use iMobile Pay to track your Dreamfolks lounge visits and golf games
• Plan the year to spend ₹8 lakh and waive the ₹12,000 annual fee

Frequently asked questions

What is the annual fee on Emeralde?

₹12,000 + GST, waived on ₹8 lakh spends in the previous 12 months.

How are golf games redeemed?

Emeralde includes unlimited golf games at partner courses in India and Dubai. Book via the iMobile Pay Golf section.

What is the minimum income for Emeralde?

₹1.5 lakh/month for salaried. Self-employed need a minimum annual income of ₹25 lakh.