Instant Approval Credit Cards

Comparing Credit Cards for Instant Approval

By: Laura Mohammad

Updated: June 20, 2018

Itching for a shiny new credit card? In many cases, you can be approved within minutes. Add to that, there is a card for nearly everyone – it's just a matter of knowing what you want and what you will likely qualify for.

In some cases, you may get preapproved for a card, sometimes by mail. But there are a few things to know about these offers, and they may not be what you think. Here, we look at:

• Best instant approval credit cards
• How long does it take to get approved for a credit card?
• What does it mean to be preapproved for a credit card?
• Can applying for a credit card hurt your credit score?
• What do credit card companies check when they process your application?
• What are the next steps to using a credit card after you get approved?
• Recap and card details

Whatever your reason for applying for a credit card, we’ll answer your most pressing questions.

Recap: Best Instant Approval Credit Cards of 2018

How long does it take to get approved for a credit card?

When you apply for a credit card, you are required to fill out an application that's typically a page long that includes personal information including name, address and Social Security number as well as income, income source and monthly housing payments.

When you hit the apply button, one of several things can happen. You can be approved within minutes, it can go into "pending," or you can be rejected. If you don't want to wait the week to find out the answer when it goes into pending, you can call customer service and have the agent gather more details to make a decision then and there. Otherwise, you'll get an answer in the mail, and possibly your card.

Reasons you might be denied

If you are rejected for a credit card, the card issuer must give you the reason why. Other than a credit score that is too low, the reasons can be:

1. High credit utilization ratio. When you are using most or all of your available credit, that can be a sign that you are living on credit and that the card you are applying for is for furthering that debt.
2. Thin credit file. If this happens, your best bet is getting a secured card or becoming an authorized user.
3. Too many hard inquiries. When you have a bunch of requests for credit in a short amount of time, that can appear to lenders that you are desperate for credit.
4. Bank-specific application requirements. Some issuers, such as Chase, have requirements for how many cards you can get in a certain amount of time.
5. Too much credit with the same bank. If a bank sees that you have too much credit on multiple cards, you can be denied.
6. Identity or other details can't be confirmed. If this occurs, call the bank. Also, if you have a checking or savings account with the bank, you can ask that that information be used to confirm your information.
7. Recent negative items on credit reports. Although issues such as late payments and bankruptcies can influence your application, know that the older these negative events, the less they are important.
8. Income too low. That said, as tempting as it may be, don't lie about this because that's considered fraud.
9. Too young to apply. You must be at least 18 to apply for your own card.
10. Errors on application. If this happens, call the issuer and see if you can rectify the situation.

Although there are a number of reasons why you might be rejected, the biggest factor is your credit score. The better your score, the more likely you will be accepted. Below is looking at FICO scores on a scale of 300-850, with 850 as the best:

How likely you will be approved for a card...

•  85.5%
• If you are superprime, or with a 720+ FICO score
•  58.7%
• If you are prime, or with a FICO score of 660-719
•  17.1%
• If you are subprime, or with a score under 659

CFPB survey

How to get approved

Now that you know what bank issuers are looking for, here's what you need to know about getting approved for a card:

• Know your credit scores and reports. Check your score so you can gauge which card you'll likely qualify for, and check your reports to make sure there are no errors.
• Don't apply unless your score matches the card's requirement. This is the most important element of what decides whether you will be accepted.
• Pay off balances several times a month. Even if you pay in full each month, that may not appear on your reports, because you don't know when the issuer will report your credit habits. So, before applying for a new card, get in the habit of paying in full multiple times a month. By paying in full, you are lowering your balance, which is a factor issuers look at when granting new credit.
• Reduce balance on cards with same issuer. To boost your application, try lowering or eliminating the balance on any cards you have with that issuer.
• Do you know the card issuer's requirements? For example, American Express limits you to 4 accounts per person, while Chase reportedly limits you to one personal and one business account every 90 days.
• Be sure to include all income. Don't see yourself short. For example, if you have access to another person's income, such as your spouse, you can put that toward your income. This is a requirement put in place by the federal government in 2013 to help at-home parents who didn't have their own sources of income.
• Don't give up. If you are rejected, don't take no for an answer. Call the card issuer and see if there is additional information that you can share to change their minds.

What does it mean to be preapproved for a credit card?

When you are preapproved for a credit card, it is not a guarantee that you will get the card. It is simply an invitation to apply because the bank likely checked your credit and has decided you might be a good customer.

Once you apply, you could be offered another offer, or you could even be rejected. If you don't want the card, be sure to shred the preapproval because there can be personal information printed on it, such as your name and address.

Want to apply, but not sure if you should? The New York Federal Reserve found that younger people with lower credit scores are more likely to apply. While 32% of consumers with a score of less than 680 applied in February 2018, only 24.6% who had a score of at least 760 applied. The difference is more striking by age:

Who has applied for a credit card, by age...

•  32.5%
• 40 years old and younger
•  28.2%
• 41-59 years old
•  18.5%
• 60 years old and older

New York Federal Reserve Bank survey

Can applying for a credit card hurt your credit score?

Credit checks are not created equal. Learn the difference between "hard" and "soft" pulls and how to make sure your score isn't impacted any more than it has to be.

Can applying for a card hurt your credit score?

Every time you apply for credit, whether for an installment loan, such as a car loan, or a credit card, your credit is checked or "pulled." Called a "hard pull," this will show up on your credit reports, whether you are accepted for the financial product or not.

When you apply for a card, count on that temporarily impacting your score by about 5 points, which is typically not considered a big hit. However, if you apply for multiple cards at once, that can hit your credit pretty hard.

That's why we recommend that you only apply for one card at a time and that you ensure that you have a high likelihood of getting the card by checking your score first.

Do preapproved cards affect your credit score?

When a lender or card issuer does a "soft pull," they are checking your credit without impacting your score. This is often done without your knowledge and is conducted to see if you might qualify for a product they want you to get.

A preapproval for a credit card is basically an invitation to apply for a card and does not hurt your credit score. The bank has likely pulled your credit with a soft pull. When you apply for the card, the bank will conduct a hard pull or inquiry, which will remain on your credit files for 24 months.

Sometimes an issuer will offer to "preapprove" you before conducting a hard pull. There is no guarantee that you will be approved for the card, and the issuer isn't required to approve you. Be mindful that you may be offered terms that differ from the original offer.

If you want to opt out of preapproved offers, visit OptOutPreScreen.com and dmachoice.org. Opting out will not impact your ability to obtain credit, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

What do credit card companies check when they process your application?

Card issuers vary in what they check when you apply for a credit card. In addition to what you provide, they will check your credit. Here is some of the information they might ask for:

• Name
• Phone
• Address
• Years at address
• Whether you own or rent
• Monthly housing payment
• Income
• Income source
• Liquid assets
• Whether you have a bank account
• Type of bank account
• Date of birth
• Social Security number
• Mother's maiden name
• U.S. citizenship
• Dual citizenship

What are the next steps to using a credit card after you get approved?

Once you are approved by the card issuer, they will mail you your new card – it can take up to 10 days to receive the card. In some cases, though, you can use the card immediately online – check with your card issuer.

While Discover says that you typically can't use your new card immediately, the network says issuers will sometimes provide expedited shipping for some cards, but you need to ask. In some cases, a card issuer will expedite free of charge.

There are also "instant approval" offers, which are basically conditional offers that an issuer provides while a more thorough check is conducted. Because of this, an instant approval offer is not a guarantee.

If you have to wait for the card to arrive in the mail, you'll see a sticker on it that tells you to activate it. While you may think that the card is useless until it's activated, the truth is that it varies by issuer. Some issuers allow a few "courtesy" purchases before declining, while others don't.

As tempting as it may be, don't fail to read your agreement with the issuer. Rates, fees and fines will be included as well as terms of benefits. Make sure you are clear about your due date and your credit limit.

When you get your first bill, read it carefully to make sure you recognize all the charges. Be sure and pay on time.

Laura is an editor and writer at CreditCards.com. She has written extensively on all things credit cards and works to bring you the most up-to-date analysis and advice. Laura's work has been cited in such publications as the New York Times and Associated Press. You can reach her by e-mail at laura.mohammad@creditcards.com and on Twitter @creditcards_lm.