Citi India Customer Care: Complete, Up‑to‑date Guide for Former Retail Customers and Institutional Clients

What changed after the Axis Bank acquisition (and what didn’t)

On 1 March 2023, Axis Bank completed the acquisition of Citibank India’s consumer businesses (credit cards, retail banking, wealth management) and Citicorp Finance (India) Limited. The final consideration disclosed at completion was approximately INR 11,603 crore, following the original announcement of a INR 12,325 crore deal in March 2022. Since then, retail customer servicing has been progressively migrated to Axis Bank platforms, while many Citi-branded cards and statements continued during the transition.

What this means for you: retail customers who previously held Citi credit cards, bank accounts, or loans are now serviced by Axis Bank. Institutional and corporate clients (Treasury & Trade Solutions, Markets, Investment Banking, etc.) continue to be serviced by Citibank N.A., India. If you are unsure which bucket you fall into, a quick rule of thumb is: consumer products (cards, personal banking) → Axis Bank; institutional banking → Citibank N.A., India.

How to reach customer care quickly (phone and web)

For former Citi retail (consumer) products now serviced by Axis Bank, you can continue to use the long-standing CitiPhone lines as well as Axis Bank phone banking. Keep your card/account number, date of birth, and registered mobile handy for IVR/OTP verification. Emergency card hotlisting is available 24×7.

• CitiPhone (India): 1860 210 2484 (local call charges apply; accessible across major Indian networks)
• CitiPhone (from overseas): +91 22 4955 2484 or +91 22 6798 2484 (ISD rates apply)
• Axis Bank Phone Banking (all customers, including ex‑Citi): 1860 419 5555 or 1860 500 5555 (available 24×7 for cards; standard charges)
• Official websites: Citi India (consumer transition page and FAQs): https://www.citibank.co.in; Axis portal for Citi customers: https://www.axisbank.com/citi; Axis branch locator: https://www.axisbank.com/branch-locator

If you are an institutional/corporate client of Citibank N.A., India, contact your Relationship Manager or local Citi Service team via your designated channels. The global institutional portal is https://icg.citi.com; many India corporates are also enabled on CitiDirect/BE Trade. For urgent payment or cash management support, use the service numbers and emails provided in your Citi onboarding kit to ensure case tracking under your corporate ID.

Lost or stolen card, fraud, and dispute handling

If your Citi‑branded credit card (now serviced by Axis) is lost, stolen, or compromised, block it immediately. The fastest method is to call 1860 210 2484 (India) or +91 22 4955 2484 (overseas) and use the IVR option for hotlisting; this is available 24×7. Once blocked, request a replacement card and confirm whether your card-on-file tokens (for UPI/Credit, e‑commerce) will be auto-updated or need re-registration.

For unauthorized transactions, report within 3 working days of discovery to qualify for zero liability as per RBI guidelines; liability may be limited if reported within 4–7 days, and higher if delayed beyond 7 days. For chargebacks (transaction disputes), file a dispute within 60 days of the statement date to maximize chargeback rights under network rules. Keep screenshots/receipts and the merchant correspondence; note the date/time, channel (POS/online), and any OTP or failed authentication messages.

International help: if you cannot reach the India helplines while abroad, you can also contact the card network’s global emergency numbers (Visa: +1‑303‑967‑1096; Mastercard: +1‑636‑722‑7111) to block the card and arrange issuer contact. Follow up with the India helpline to ensure case creation and replacement delivery to your current location.

Digital self‑service and branch support

Most day‑to‑day service requests for ex‑Citi retail customers—statement copies, limit changes, EMI conversions, address updates, and dispute logging—are now handled on Axis Bank’s digital channels (website/mobile). During the transition, some requests may still route via Citi IVR; if the IVR indicates a handoff to Axis, complete the verification and proceed. Always verify you are on the official domains (axisbank.com or citibank.co.in) before entering credentials.

Walk‑in support for retail products is available at Axis Bank branches nationwide. Use the branch locator at https://www.axisbank.com/branch-locator to find the nearest branch and check timings. Carry a government ID, PAN, and the mobile phone registered with your account for KYC/OTP. For institutional banking, Citi serves clients through dedicated corporate service desks; retail walk-ins are not supported at Citi’s corporate office locations.

Escalations, grievance redressal, and regulatory recourse

Both Axis Bank (for ex‑Citi retail) and Citibank N.A., India (for institutional) follow RBI’s Integrated Ombudsman Scheme (RB-IOS, 2021) timelines. Typical TATs are: immediate acknowledgement, resolution target within 7–10 working days for most card and account queries, and up to 30 days for complex disputes. If you do not receive a satisfactory response within 30 days, you can escalate to the RBI Ombudsman.

• Level 1: Log a case via phone (1860 210 2484), Axis web/app, or at an Axis branch; record the Service Request (SR) number and date.
• Level 2: If unresolved, escalate to Axis Bank’s Customer Service/Nodal Officer with your SR details (see the “Grievance Redressal” section on https://www.axisbank.com for current contacts and webforms).
• Level 3: RBI Integrated Ombudsman Scheme via the CMS portal: https://cms.rbi.org.in. You will need the bank name (Axis Bank Ltd. for retail/ex‑Citi, or Citibank N.A., India for institutional), your SR number, and supporting documents.

Tip: keep a simple file with the transaction reference, SR number, dates, and evidence. For card disputes, attach the charge slip (if any), screenshots, emails with the merchant, and police complaint/acknowledgement for theft cases. This materially improves turnaround time and outcome quality.

Addresses, identifiers, and hours that matter

Citi corporate office (India): Citibank N.A., First International Financial Centre (FIFC), Plot C‑54 & 55, G‑Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra (East), Mumbai 400051. This is a corporate location; it is not a retail service branch and does not accept walk‑in consumer queries.

Axis Bank head office (for reference in escalations): Axis House, Wadia International Centre, Pandurang Budhkar Marg, Worli, Mumbai 400025. Retail walk‑ins should go to regular Axis Bank branches rather than the head office; use the locator linked above to confirm address, hours, and queue timings.

Service hours: card hotlisting and most phone banking functions are 24×7. Live agent availability for non‑emergency queries is typically extended business hours on weekdays and limited hours on weekends/public holidays; IVR will announce current coverage. 1860 numbers are accessible within India and are chargeable by your telecom provider; when calling from abroad, always use the +91 22 numbers.

Practical checklist before you call

Have your last 4 digits of the card/account, registered mobile, and a recent transaction amount ready for verification. For address/mobile updates, keep PAN/Aadhaar details handy. For disputes, note the merchant name, exact amount, transaction date/time, and channel (POS/online/contactless). Never share your OTP, CVV, or full card number over unsolicited calls—Citi/Axis will not ask for these. Using the official numbers and URLs above reduces fraud risk and speeds up resolution.