Instant Decision on Application Credit Cards

Applying for an Instant Decision on Application Credit Card

A lot of people searching for a new credit card will happen to come across cards advertised online which are called “instant decision on application”, “instant approval on application” or some variation of this.  With competition intense in the credit card field these days, many credit card companies are offering this service as a way of grabbing you as a potential new cardholder. Compare some of the leading instant approval credit cards.

Whether you are looking to get your first card, applying for an additional card, or replacing an existing one, and whether you have no credit history, a good credit history, or even a bad one, there are several important considerations for you to take into account before you plunge on in and apply to various card issuers.  

How is it instant?

First of all, despite what you may perceive as “getting a credit card instantly or immediately” from the description of the card, in truth the reality of these cards is that the credit card issuer will do an electronic verification of your credit file, based on the personal information you provide, and generate an “acceptable” or “not-acceptable” status to your application.

The process is “instant” in that it takes into account only the time for the card company or bank to access your credit file with the credit reporting bureau, and apply the data on file concerning your credit history against the requirements of its issuing policy, to arrive at a decision.

“Instant approval” is not as accurate a description as “Instant decision on application”, as the former implies that you will be accepted instantly, that is, your application for credit is all but assured.  This is hardly the case.

Something very important to remember – even if the card is approved, you will not be issued with a card instantly.  You’ll be required to bring in your identification documents to validate your application to a branch office.  Cards then have to be physically delivered to you – typically by mail.

So in truth the only thing “instant” about these cards is that you can apply online, generally much more quickly than if you filled out a credit card application at a bank or merchant issuer and had it submitted for processing.  Still, it saves a good chunk of time that would otherwise be spent sending in an application to a company to be keyed in to their system.

How likely is my application to be approved?

If your credit history is good and your application fits the into the acceptable range as determined by the card issuer, you would probably get an approval within several minutes.

Possible answers other than approved

If any of your personal data doesn’t fall within the range of requirements, you might be sorely disappointed to have three possible outcomes other than “approved!” You might get a “more information is required” answer with either a stipulated amount of days for the company to further investigate, or “more information is required, please contact us” type of reply.  Or, if your application is really outside of the issuer’s minimum range, an outright refusal.

Why you should never apply to several cards in short order

You should never apply to multiple cards at the same time, in the hopes of one issuer will be happy to take you, or to try to secure more credit.  Every time a credit provider makes an inquiry on your credit history at the credit reporting bureau, it goes on record on your file.  If anyone denies you credit, that will affect your credit history and make it harder for you to get more credit in the future. Trying to get too much credit all at once can also negatively affect your credit score as well.

Getting it all together before you jump in

It pays to do your research ahead of time, so you are prepared with the required information before starting the application process.  

Shop around and figure out which card or cards you want to apply for.  Check out all the card details for each one, and ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications.  New legislation aims to ensure that key features be clearly identified on application forms, but you should take care to read all the small print!

Some Gold or Platinum cards have set salary requirements, so if you apply without meeting them, you will probably be rejected even with a good credit history, which is ironically bad for your credit record!

Have all the required documents and information at hand before you start the process, so you complete your application without timing out of the issuing company’s website.  It is a good idea to write down or  print out your application user profile name and password, if the website requires one, for future use, or print out the application you are making, so you have a record of which issuers you have applied for a card from.

With a bit of research into the card you should apply for, and proper gathering of all your pertinent personal data, you should be able to apply and get an answer fairly quickly.

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