Imagine Visa Fees and Costs

The Imagine Visa mail offer may advertise a $0 application fee and $0 security deposit, but that does not mean the account has no other costs. Here's an overview of the fees, APR, and other charges that may apply, along with an important reminder that the terms on your specific offer and account control.

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Why the $0 Application Fee Does Not Mean $0 Overall Cost

One of the features highlighted in the Imagine Visa mail offer is a $0 application fee. The offer also advertises a $0 security deposit. Those are specific charges that may not apply, but they should not be interpreted as a statement that the credit card has no other fees or interest charges.

A credit card can have an application fee of $0 while still having an annual fee, account maintenance fee, APR, or transaction-related charges.

That's why it is useful to look at the complete pricing information rather than focusing on one fee listed in the mailer.

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Imagine Visa Fee Overview

The following table summarizes the types of charges listed in the Pricing Information Addendum. These figures should be used as a reference, not as a guarantee of the terms that will apply to every account.

Fee or Charge	Example Terms Listed
Annual fee	$99 to $175 during the first year, depending on the initial credit limit; $49 annually after the first year.
Account maintenance fee	$180 annually, billed at $15 per month after the first 12 months.
Additional card fee	$19 one time, if applicable.
Balance transfer	3% of the amount transferred.
Cash advance	$5 or 5% of the amount, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction	3% of each transaction amount in U.S. dollars.
Late payment	Up to $41.
Returned payment	Up to $41.
Paper statement	$2 per month when a paper statement is received.

The specific terms applicable to an account should always be confirmed in the pricing information and account documents provided for that account.

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Annual Fee

The annual fee can vary depending on the initial credit limit associated with the account. The November 2025 Pricing Information Addendum lists different first-year annual fees for different initial credit limits.

Initial Credit Limit	First-Year Annual Fee	Annual Fee After First Year
$1,000	$175	$49
$700	$175	$49
$500	$125	$49
$400	$99	$49

The annual fee is assessed before the card is used and reduces the initial available credit according to the pricing information. For a dedicated explanation, see Imagine Visa Annual Fee.

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Account Maintenance Fee

The Pricing Information Addendum also lists an account maintenance fee of $180 per year, billed at $15 per month. The listed terms state that this fee is not billed during the first 12 months the account is open.

This is separate from the annual fee. A cardholder should therefore look at both charges when estimating the ongoing cost of the account.

See Imagine Visa Account Maintenance Fee for a more detailed breakdown.

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APR and Interest Charges

The November 2025 Pricing Information Addendum lists a 36% APR for purchases, balance transfers, and cash advances. It also lists no penalty APR.

Transaction Type	Example APR Listed
Purchases	36%
Balance transfers	36%
Cash advances	36%
Penalty APR	None listed

The same pricing information states that the payment due date is at least 25 days after the close of each billing cycle. Purchases may avoid interest when the entire balance is paid by the due date each month, subject to the applicable account terms. Cash advances and balance transfers do not receive the same purchase grace period.

See Imagine Visa APR and Interest Charges for more information.

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Balance Transfer and Cash Advance Fees

Additional charges can apply if you use the account for balance transfers or cash advances.

The example pricing information lists a balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount transferred. For cash advances, the listed fee is $5 or 5% of the amount, whichever is greater.

These fees are separate from any interest that may accrue on the transaction.

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Foreign Transaction Fee

The November 2025 pricing information lists a foreign transaction fee of 3% of each transaction amount in U.S. dollars.

If you expect to use the card outside the United States, review the applicable foreign transaction terms before doing so.

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Late and Returned Payment Fees

The listed pricing information provides for a late payment fee of up to $41 and a returned payment fee of up to $41.

These are avoidable account charges when payments are made on time and successfully processed. Check the terms applicable to your account for the actual fee and circumstances under which it may be charged.

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Paper Statement Fee

The listed pricing information includes a $2 monthly paper statement fee when a paper statement is received. The fee can be avoided by electing electronic statements according to the applicable account terms.

If you prefer paper statements, factor this charge into the ongoing cost of the account.

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Additional Card Fee

An additional card fee of $19 is listed as a one-time charge when applicable. This is associated with an additional card or authorized user rather than the primary card itself.

If you do not request an additional card, this particular charge would not apply.

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How the Annual Fee Can Reduce Your Available Credit

One detail that can be easy to overlook is that the annual fee is assessed before the card is used and reduces the initial available credit.

Initial Credit Limit	Example First-Year Annual Fee	Approximate Initial Available Credit
$1,000	$175	$825
$700	$175	$525
$500	$125	$375
$400	$99	$301

These examples are based on the listed pricing information and assume no additional applicable charge. The actual account terms and available credit should be confirmed when the account is opened.

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What Does $0 Security Deposit Mean?

A $0 security deposit means you do not provide a refundable cash deposit as collateral for the account under the offer terms. That is different from saying that the card has no fees.

The Imagine Visa mail offer can therefore advertise both a $0 security deposit and other account charges. These are separate concepts.

See Imagine Visa $0 Security Deposit for more information.

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How to Think About the Total Cost

The cost of a credit card is not necessarily one single fee. For the Imagine Visa, a cardholder should consider the combination of recurring fees, transaction fees, and interest charges that could apply.

A simple way to review the account is to separate the costs into three groups:

Cost Category	Examples
Recurring costs	Annual fee and account maintenance fee.
Usage-related costs	Interest, balance transfers, cash advances, foreign transactions, and certain other transactions.
Avoidable account charges	Late payments, returned payments, and paper statements when applicable.

Looking at the costs this way can make it easier to understand how the card could cost money even when the application fee and security deposit are both $0.

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Terms Can Change

The pricing information discussed on this page is based on the November 2025 Pricing Information Addendum. It is provided as a reference because pricing documents can be updated and different offers can have different terms.

Always review the current pricing information and disclosures associated with your specific Imagine Visa offer and account. Do not assume that terms from an older pricing document or another applicant's offer will automatically apply to you.

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Key Takeaways

• The Imagine Visa mail offer may have a $0 application fee and $0 security deposit.
• Those $0 charges do not mean the card has no other fees or interest charges.
• The November 2025 Pricing Information Addendum lists first-year annual fees ranging from $99 to $175 depending on the initial credit limit.
• The listed account maintenance fee is $180 per year, billed at $15 per month after the first 12 months.
• The listed APR is 36% for purchases, balance transfers, and cash advances, with no penalty APR listed.
• Other listed charges include fees for balance transfers, cash advances, foreign transactions, late payments, returned payments, paper statements, and additional cards when applicable.
• The annual fee can reduce the amount of initial available credit.
• The figures on this page are examples based on the November 2025 pricing information and may not match every offer or account.
• Review the current terms provided with your specific offer and account before accepting or using the card.

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