The eligibility for a credit card, particularly minimum income requirement, varies from issuer to issuer. However, there are a few factors that primarily decide your eligibility for a credit card:
Age: Most card issuers offer credit cards to individuals aged 18 years or more. However, some issuers have also set the minimum age at 21 years.
Income: One of the most important factors that impact your credit card eligibility is your monthly income. Most card issuers have set a minimum income requirement on each of their card offering. If your income is lower than the set threshold, your application may be rejected.
Credit Score: The card issuer checks your credit score at the time of card application. Usually, banks offer credit cards to people with a good credit score, preferably above 750. However, there are few entry-level credit cards available in the market that are designed for new-to-credit (NTC) individuals. FD-backed credit cards are also an ideal option for NTC consumers and those with poor credit score.
Location: Credit card issuers also consider your address when they assess your eligibility while applying for a credit card. Some cards are only available to those residing in particular cities. Therefore, before applying for a credit card, you should check whether that card is offered in your city or not.
Existing Relationship with Bank: If you already have a savings account, fixed deposit or any other product from the bank, you are more likely to get approved for their credit cards. You may also get pre-approved card offers from the bank.
Credit Utilization Ratio: This is another factor that your card issuer considers while evaluating your credit card application. Credit Utilization Ratio (CUR) is the ratio of the credit limit you have used to the overall credit limit. It shows how much of your available credit limit you are using. It is good to keep your CUR as low as possible because a higher CUR reflects that you are credit hungry. Therefore, you should never max out on your credit limit as it can impact the chances of your credit card approval.
Suggested read: Tips for Lowering your Credit Utilization Ratio
Credit Enquiries: Whenever you apply for a loan or credit card, the lender requests the credit bureau for your credit report, such requests are known as ‘hard enquiry’. Submitting multiple hard enquiries in a short period of time can lower your credit score and make you look credit hungry. Hence, always check eligibility before applying for a card; do not make multiple applications.