A one-time fee charged when a credit card is issued, separate from the annual fee.
The joining fee is billed on your first statement. Like every card fee it carries 18% GST. Some cards give a welcome benefit, such as vouchers or bonus points, worth about the same as the joining fee.
A card can have a joining fee and an annual fee, only one of them, or neither (a lifetime free card). Read both before applying.
Short reads that explain how it works before you decide.
GuidesNo-Cost EMI: What It Really Costs You, With a Worked ExampleNo-cost EMI is not a trick, but it is rarely free. Here is where the money goes: the discount you give up, the processing fee, and GST on the interest, worked out on a Rs 30,000 phone.Read the guide →Automatically organise your spending, track expenses and understand where your money goes.
