I want to share my disappointing experience with IDFC branch banking in the hope that it serves as a cautionary tale for others.
On 12th Dec 2024, my wife and I visited the IDFC Kannur branch to convert her resident account to an NRO account and open an NRE account. We submitted all the required documents and explained that her BRP was expiring on 31st Dec, as the UK was transitioning to an eVisa system from 1st Jan. We also offered to provide the eVisa details, but the Deputy Branch Manager assured us this was unnecessary and that the process would be completed promptly.
However, a week passed without any updates. We tried calling the DBM twice, but he did not answer. So, we contacted customer care, after which the DBM called us back. He informed us that he was on mandatory leave for 15 days and that the account conversion would be processed upon his return on 30th or 31st December.
Since I hold a Wealth Account with IDFC, and my wife is also part of the family grouping, I escalated the issue through my Relationship Manager (RM). The RM connected me with the Branch Manager (BM), who assured me the accounts would be converted within two days. Yet, nothing happened.
Since we needed an NRO account urgently, we approached Bank of Baroda, where my wife had an existing resident account. To our surprise, her account was converted to NRI status within one hour, highlighting the stark inefficiency at IDFC branch banking.
Because of the service issues, we decided to end the relationship with IDFC and requested customer care for account closure. The DBM called us back again after this and informed us that the request for conversion had been rejected because the physical visa had expired in January 2025. The customer care requested us to try once more and they connected us directly with specialized NRI banking team. They collected all the documents again via email, and assured us that the conversion would be completed within 2-3 days. A service request has been raised for the same after 6 days after another round of follow-up and hopefully it will be done within one or two days.
This entire ordeal has been deeply frustrating and raises serious concerns about the so-called priority customer care IDFC advertises for its Wealth Account holders. While IDFC's digital infrastructure is excellent, their branch-level service is abysmal.
If you require branch support for critical matters, I strongly advise avoiding IDFC Bank. This has been the worst experience ever, and I hope the bank takes steps to improve its customer service and internal processes.
What has been your branch banking experience with IDFC ?
On 12th Dec 2024, my wife and I visited the IDFC Kannur branch to convert her resident account to an NRO account and open an NRE account. We submitted all the required documents and explained that her BRP was expiring on 31st Dec, as the UK was transitioning to an eVisa system from 1st Jan. We also offered to provide the eVisa details, but the Deputy Branch Manager assured us this was unnecessary and that the process would be completed promptly.
However, a week passed without any updates. We tried calling the DBM twice, but he did not answer. So, we contacted customer care, after which the DBM called us back. He informed us that he was on mandatory leave for 15 days and that the account conversion would be processed upon his return on 30th or 31st December.
Since I hold a Wealth Account with IDFC, and my wife is also part of the family grouping, I escalated the issue through my Relationship Manager (RM). The RM connected me with the Branch Manager (BM), who assured me the accounts would be converted within two days. Yet, nothing happened.
Since we needed an NRO account urgently, we approached Bank of Baroda, where my wife had an existing resident account. To our surprise, her account was converted to NRI status within one hour, highlighting the stark inefficiency at IDFC branch banking.
Because of the service issues, we decided to end the relationship with IDFC and requested customer care for account closure. The DBM called us back again after this and informed us that the request for conversion had been rejected because the physical visa had expired in January 2025. The customer care requested us to try once more and they connected us directly with specialized NRI banking team. They collected all the documents again via email, and assured us that the conversion would be completed within 2-3 days. A service request has been raised for the same after 6 days after another round of follow-up and hopefully it will be done within one or two days.
This entire ordeal has been deeply frustrating and raises serious concerns about the so-called priority customer care IDFC advertises for its Wealth Account holders. While IDFC's digital infrastructure is excellent, their branch-level service is abysmal.
If you require branch support for critical matters, I strongly advise avoiding IDFC Bank. This has been the worst experience ever, and I hope the bank takes steps to improve its customer service and internal processes.
What has been your branch banking experience with IDFC ?
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