ICICI Bank Travel Forex Cards Review: Multi-Currency, Coral and Sapphiro
ICICI Bank offers four prepaid forex cards: the fee-free Multi-Currency card, and the Coral, Sapphiro and Expressions Sapphiro cards, which charge an issuance fee in return for vouchers, lounge visits and lower charges.
All four share the same basic schedule: no fee for spending in a currency you have loaded, and charges for cross-currency use, wallet transfers and cash.
- Fee-free Multi-Currency variant
- 15 currencies on one card
- No annual fee on any variant
- Sapphiro waives the cross-currency fee and adds lounge visits
- Lost-card cover up to ₹5 lakh and a free international SIM offer from Visa
- 3.5% cross-currency fee on Multi-Currency and Coral
- 2.5% fee to move money between currency wallets
- ATM fee of USD 2 (or equivalent) per withdrawal
- Issuance fees of ₹499–₹3,499 on the premium variants
- Reload and inactivity fees not shown on ICICI’s main page — check before you buy
Fees and charges
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Issuance fee | Multi-Currency nil · Coral ₹499 · Sapphiro ₹2,999 · Expressions Sapphiro ₹3,499 (all + GST) |
| Annual fee | Nil on all variants |
| Spend in loaded currency | No fee |
| Cross-currency fee | 3.5% (0% on Sapphiro) |
| Wallet-to-wallet transfer | 2.5% |
| Cash at merchant (POS) | 0.5% |
| ATM withdrawal | USD 2 / EUR 1.50 / GBP 1.50 per withdrawal (or equivalent) |
| Lost card replacement abroad | USD 20 |
How the cards charge you
Forex cards save you the 3.5% markup most credit cards add abroad. You load currency at ICICI’s card rate before travel and spend it directly. Supported currencies: USD, GBP, EUR, CAD, AUD, SGD, AED, CHF, JPY, SEK, ZAR, SAR, THB, NZD and HKD.
| Variant | Issuance | Key extras |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-Currency | Nil | Basic card |
| Coral | ₹499 | BookMyShow ₹500 voucher, Uber ₹500 voucher (on USD 1,000 load), Card Protection Plus |
| Sapphiro | ₹2,999 | 0% cross-currency markup, 2 international lounge visits, Uber vouchers ₹1,000, Card Protection Plus |
| Expressions Sapphiro | ₹3,499 | Sapphiro benefits plus 3 free ATM withdrawals a month and a ₹500 Amazon voucher |
Other benefits
| Benefit | Detail |
|---|---|
| Lost-card cover | Up to ₹5 lakh |
| International SIM | Free SIM offer from Visa (₹100 delivery for a physical SIM) |
| Lounges | 2 international visits on Sapphiro variants |
| Network | Visa |
Eligibility
Issuer
ICICI Bank
Who can buy
Indian residents aged 18+ with an Indian passport
Documents
Passport, PAN, Form A2, travel documents
Who this card is for
- Good fit: travellers who want to avoid credit card markups; Multi-Currency for most people, Sapphiro for frequent flyers.
- Skip if: you already hold a zero-markup credit card and do not want to pre-load money.
Alternatives worth comparing
- HDFC Multicurrency ForexPlus
- Axis Multi-Currency Forex Card
- Best forex and prepaid travel cards
- Best zero-forex-markup credit cards
Final verdict
ICICI’s range covers most needs. The fee-free Multi-Currency card is the sensible default; Sapphiro’s 0% cross-currency fee and lounge visits justify its fee only for frequent or multi-country travellers.
Frequently asked questions
How many forex cards does ICICI offer?
Four retail cards: Multi-Currency, Coral, Sapphiro and Expressions Sapphiro.
Is there an annual fee?
No. Only an issuance fee on Coral (₹499), Sapphiro (₹2,999) and Expressions Sapphiro (₹3,499); Multi-Currency has none.
What is the cross-currency fee?
3.5% when you spend in a currency you have not loaded; Sapphiro variants have a 0% cross-currency markup.
How many currencies are supported?
15, including USD, EUR, GBP, AED, SGD, THB and JPY.
What does an ATM withdrawal cost?
USD 2 per withdrawal (EUR 1.50, GBP 1.50 or equivalent), plus any local ATM fee.
Last verified: October 2026, against ICICI Bank’s travel card pages and schedule of charges. Card terms change often; confirm the current fees and reward rules on the issuer’s website before you apply. All fees are plus 18% GST.