<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0206</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-10-15</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000883980</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FIRST DATA CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FDC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001654739</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>McCarthy Barry C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O FIRST DATA CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>225 LIBERTY STREET, 29TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10281</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>See Remarks</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>224513</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>9.49</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-01-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>53386</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>9.49</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-03-11</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>28472</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>9.49</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-09-23</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>26693</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>9.49</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2020-05-12</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>26693</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>9.49</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2021-03-18</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>27615</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>9.49</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2022-03-08</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>29527</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>11.07</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2023-07-20</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>40675</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>12.65</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2024-02-10</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>21750</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>14.23</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2025-01-14</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>36469</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares of Class B common stock (&quot;Class B Common Stock&quot;) of First Data Corporation (the &quot;Issuer&quot;) are convertible into shares of Class A common stock of the Issuer (&quot;Class A Common Stock&quot;) on a one-for-one basis at any time at the option of the holder with the prior written consent of the Issuer, automatically upon transfer, with certain exceptions, and upon certain other events.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 159,963 shares of restricted Class B Common Stock, including 20,337 of which will vest upon the expiration of the 180-day lock-up period in connection with the Issuer's initial public offering,  52,297 of which will vest on March 15, 2016, 32,625 of which will vest on January 1, 2017 and 54,704 of which (i) 20% will vest upon the expiration of the 180-day lock-up period in connection with the Issuer's initial public offering, (ii) 40% will vest on January 1, 2017 and (iii) 40% will vest on January 1, 2018, subject to continued employment through the applicable vesting dates.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">These stock options are fully vested and exercisable.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">These stock options vest in equal annual installments on each of the first three anniversaries of March 1, 2013, subject to continued employment through each applicable vesting date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">These stock options vest in equal annual installments on each of the first three anniversaries of January 1, 2014, subject to continued employment through each applicable vesting date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">These stock options vest in equal annual installments on each of the first three anniversaries of January 1, 2015, subject to continued employment through each applicable vesting date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Title - Executive Vice President, Head of Network &amp; Security Solutions

Exhibit 24 - Power of Attorney</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: /s/ Gretchen A. Herron, attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-10-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
