Apple no longer accepts credit and debit cards in India

Customers in India can no longer use a debit or credit card with their Apple ID for subscriptions and app purchases. That means they can no longer buy apps from the App Store, subscribe to Apple services, or buy Apple media with a credit or debit card.

Customers now need to add money to their Apple wallet just like they would with a prepaid card. Corresponding The news minute, Money will be deducted from their account each month when their subscription is renewed. All new Apple users must add their banking information while manually creating a new Apple ID during device setup.

Out of Apple support site am 18. April:

Regulatory requirements in India apply to the processing of recurring transactions. If you hold an Indian debit or credit card and have a subscription, these changes will affect your transactions. Some transactions may be declined by banks and card issuers. To continue using your subscriptions, You can pay with your Apple ID balance. You can top up your Apple ID balance with App Store codes, Net Banking and UPI.

Twitter users have complained – some even received error messages saying “This card type is no longer supported”. User @kgvarunkanth shares a screenshot of the remaining three ways to add funds to your account.

This started in October 2021

This news comes after last year’s new auto-debit rules Reserve Bank of If (RBI). As a result of the new regulations, banks now require customer consent through “Additional Factors of Authentication (AFA)” for recurring transactions such as subscriptions. If this is not approved via AFA, the transaction will be declined.

The new rules also stipulate that Apple must set up an e-mandate for loyalty cards. Apple customers in India must use two-factor authentication and set up a new e-mandate when issuing recurring payments. You must also agree to any purchase over Rs 5,000.

After this announcement Apple had warned developers that their best way to advertise payments through their apps is through a customer’s Apple ID balance. Developers can also grant a billing grace period to give customers time to correct their payment information if they’re having trouble completing a transaction.

9to5Macs Take

This feels like an inconvenience for customers in India. Unfortunately, while I’m glad they still have access to Apple media, it’s not as easy as it used to be. Despite these RBI guidelines, I hope Apple can simplify the process for these customers in the future.