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If you’re considering getting a credit card or have been denied one, you are probably asking yourself, “How to Get Approved for a Credit Card?”
When using credit cards to earn points for travel or improve your credit score, we first must figure out how to get approved for the one we want. No one wants to be denied a credit card, but the problem is that if you are denied, it can be confusing to figure out why or if there is any other way to reverse it.
Applying for a credit card may look like just filling out a form and submitting it, but getting the card approved can be nerve-racking. You may be unsure where to begin or how to improve your chances of being approved for a card. That is why, before applying for a credit card, you should understand as much as you can about the application procedure and what to expect.
So, in this article, we’ll go through exactly how to get approved for a credit card, as well as some useful tips that I’ve utilized that can dramatically boost your chances of card approval.
Learn About Your Finance
The first step is to list everything you need on a credit card and everything you need to know about yourself. Given how risky credit cards can be if you ignore the details, step one is to identify several factors related to what you’re looking for in a credit card and factors about yourself that will be crucial, especially if you are initially denied.
Time can be saved by knowing your chances of getting approved for a credit card. You can focus your search for a card on those you’re most likely eligible for and disregard those you’re not.
Here are the things you should know about when applying for a credit card:
1. Credit Score
Your credit score heavily influences the credit cards you can obtain. Credit ratings assist lenders in determining your creditworthiness or how likely you are to repay a loan. As a result, a low credit score may result in your application being declined.
So if you want an answer to the question, “How to get approved for a credit card?” It is important to know your credit score and credit score ranges to improve your credit score if it is low.
| Credit Score | Credit Rating |
| 300-579 | Poor |
| 580-669 | Fair |
| 670-739 | Good |
| 740-799 | Very Good |
| 800+ | Exceptional |
How to Improve Your Credit Score
Here are some of the tips to improve your credit score
- Credit Report: Checking your credit report is one of the most critical things you can do to enhance your credit score. Doing this will help you identify errors in your report. If you discover errors in your report, you must correct them right away.
Credit report bureaus like Experian, Equifax, and Transunion give you one free copy of your credit report each year so you can check for any error that could hurt your credit score. You can get a copy of your credit report from Annual credit report.com. - Pay Your Bills on Time: To restore or raise your credit score, you must immediately pay off any unpaid loans or credit card payments. Payment history is one of the factors considered while determining a credit score.
- Consolidate Debt: A debt consolidation loan from your bank or credit union is an option. You may easily pay them back. You will only be required to make one payment. Remember that if you can get a cheaper interest rate on your loan, you can pay it off faster.
- Credit Utilization: The quantity of credit accessible to you vs how much you use demonstrates your reliance on credit money. It is recommended that customers keep their credit utilisation around 30%.
- Check on Hard Inquiries: A hard inquiry is conducted when you apply for a credit card or loan. Hard inquiries that happen occasionally won’t have an impact on your credit score. However, a lot of these occurring quickly will impact your credit score.
2. Your Income
The majority of credit card providers have set income criteria. This is so that you may use the card and pay the fees, which require a specific level of revenue. Additionally, your credit card limit is impacted by your salary.
You can use a credit card to make purchases as long as you have a steady source of income. You must not only have a reliable source of income, but your monthly income must also be sufficient to cover the credit limit requested.
In reality, the credit card firm wants to ensure you have the appropriate credit limit. Since most cards are accessible to people at all income levels, you don’t need to be a high earner to receive one. However, if your declared income on your credit card application is far higher than your real income, it will be considered fraud, and you will face legal consequences.
3. Any Other Credit Recently
Only applicants with a low debt-to-income ratio are considered reputable by lenders. The lender will be skeptical of the borrower’s creditworthiness if the applicant’s income outflow is high due to having other credits.
The implications of having numerous credit cards on your credit report and credit score are heavily influenced by your financial conduct, namely how prudently you use your credit cards. No matter how many credit cards you have, you must keep your credit balances low and pay your credit card bills on time.
All of this can essentially assist you in identifying any red flags that lenders may perceive in an application so that you can either address and correct those issues first or be prepared to explain yourself to the credit card business.
Learn About Your Needs
Decide what you want from some credit cards you can apply for. For example, are you trying to start building credit, or are you hoping to optimize your rewards from various spending categories and vacation perks from travel credit cards? You want to determine which credit cards are available that match what you’re looking for and have a good chance of being approved.
For example, if you frequently fly, consider a co-branded airline travel credit card, such as Delta SkyMiles® American Express Cards. A card like this will make your trip easier and more enjoyable, with privileges like free lounge access, priority boarding, and so on. You can also earn miles that can be converted into free flights.
If you frequently entertain, go out, or mingle, choose a card that provides a better dining experience and larger restaurant rewards and savings. Choose a credit card that fits your lifestyle and provides the most rewards and incentives for the activities you enjoy.
Know About Specific Credit Card Terms and Rules Before Applying
Imagine you applied for a credit card and were denied because you had recently opened too many credit cards. One of the most common examples is the Chase 5/24 Rule, which states that if you have opened five credit cards in the last 24 months, you cannot add a new Chase credit card.
You will hear terms like APR (annual percentage rate), Annual fee, Penalty fees, etc. When getting a credit card. All of these things are very important to know before getting a credit card.
The easiest way to avoid an instant denial is to identify and be aware of these rules during the application process. Depending on the reason for the denial, there might be ways to get that reversed, but certain rules for each credit card issuer are going to be really tough or sometimes impossible to get around.
So it is very important for you to know whether there are any specific rules or terms and conditions of the credit card issuer you are applying to.
Read More: How Often Should You Apply For A Credit Card?
Apply Strategically
You must strategize your approach to credit card approval; if you are a newbie, you can begin with a secured credit card. If you apply for a lucrative travel credit card with a weak credit score, you will likely be rejected immediately, so start building your credit first and then apply for such a card. Doing your homework and researching card alternatives will help you narrow the market to the cards that are best suited to your credit profile.
If you can’t get a credit card on your own because you’re not old enough, don’t have enough income, or have low credit, you can ask a friend or family member to co-sign your application.
Remember that a hard inquiry can have a negative impact on your credit score, so it’s ideal to ask for pre-approval, which most credit card companies offer.
Submit Your Application
After you’ve looked over everything, you can send in our credit card application to see if we’re instantly approved or instantly denied or if we get a message that says our application needs more review, which will take a few days. Instant approval is great, but if your application says it needs to be further reviewed and they’ll let you know in a few days, it’s best to wait.
However, if you think the time has been extended and that this will result in a denial, you should contact the reconsideration line, explain your side, and try to convince them to approve your application.
What to Do if You Get Denied
If you’re denied a credit card, let’s first discuss some of the most typical reasons why. The first type involves a credit card approval process fault or hiccup that requires verification. Maybe your address didn’t match the credit rating bureau’s file, or you mistyped part of the information before submitting. if so, either you call the credit card company, or they call you to verify the information and make sure you filed the application. Then it enters into the assessment process.
If any other reason, you’ll get a report from the issuer explaining why you were rejected. The first thing you should do is read it carefully to find out why you were rejected. If you find a problem, you can check your credit report to see if there was a mistake and fix it.
Reconsideration is your chance to explicitly address any factors on your credit file that may have harmed the application and convince the credit issuer that they aren’t a major deal. For example, if the reason came out as having a lot of recent inquiries on your credit file, you can say, “i was trying to find the best credit card for me, and so that’s why I’ve applied for many credit cards recently,” or if you find the reason to be a low credit score, you can go with the secured credit card or work towards building your credit.
Final Thoughts: How to Get Approved for a Credit Card?
A credit card is a great way to manage your money if you know how to use it right. However, it can be hard to get approved if your finances aren’t in order before you apply for one. You can do things if you are rejected, such as the reconsideration process. But if you get rejected during the reconsideration process, you might need to work on your finances. We’ve listed ways to do that above.
You can sign up for our free consultation, and we will help you with any kind of travel credit card questions, and if you qualify, you can get a free 30-minute consultation!
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