Get your Free Credit Score Report Online Instantly. Check CIBIL Now

Credit cards not only make your shopping experience more rewarding and allow you to make payments in EMIs but can also be extremely useful in emergencies. Since credit cards essentially provide you an unsecured line of credit, card issuers always evaluate your creditworthiness before approving your credit card application.

Minimum CIBIL Score for a Credit Card

As mentioned above, your CIBIL score can range between 300 and 900, with the higher number being better. A credit score of 750 or above is considered excellent and is usually sufficient to get your credit card application approved. Notably, card issuers also consider other details on your CIBIL credit report such as how many credit cards you already have, payment delays, your debt-to-income ratio, etc. Depending upon these other factors and your relationship with the card issuer, you might also get a credit card even if your credit score is less than 750. However, if your credit score is less than 700, it is extremely difficult to get an unsecured credit card.

Why is CIBIL Score Important for a Credit Card

Your CIBIL score is a three-digit number ranging from 300 and 900 that indicates your creditworthiness. CIBIL score is calculated by TransUnion CIBIL, one of the oldest and most trustworthy credit bureaus in the country. It is based on your credit history, which includes your repayment record, credit utilisation ratio, and the number of active and closed loan accounts, among other things. Whenever you apply for a credit card, the card issuer always checks your CIBIL score to make sure that you would be able to pay your credit card bills in a timely manner. It, therefore, becomes imperative to maintain a good CIBIL score and a clean credit history if you want your credit card applications to be approved easily.

How Your Credit Score Impacts Your Eligibility for a Credit Card

Your CIBIL score directly impacts the odds of approval of your credit card application. The higher your CIBIL score, the more likely it is that your credit card application would be approved. You may refer to the following table to get an idea of how the approval of your credit card application directly depends upon your CIBIL score

CIBIL Score

Likelihood of Approval of Credit Card Application

750 or above

Very likely

700 to 750

Can be approved depending upon other factors.

Less than 700

Very unlikely

How to Improve Your CIBIL Score for a Credit Card

You can easily improve your CIBIL score by incorporating good financial habits. Given below are some of the key financial habits that you must stick to if you wish to improve your CIBIL score:

 

  • Pay Your Dues on Time: This is the single-most important financial habit to incorporate for a healthy CIBIL score. You must be punctual with regard to the repayment of loans and credit card bills.

  • Regularly Review Your Credit Reports: It is advisable to keep tabs on your active and closed loan accounts and have a good understanding of your credit report. In case you notice any error or discrepancy, you must flag the same to CIBIL immediately.

  • Avoid Frequent Loan/Credit Card Applications: Whenever you apply for a credit card or loan, the bank/NBFC requests your credit report and credit score from CIBIL. Such requests are known as hard enquiries and have a negative impact on your CIBIL score. It is, therefore, advisable not to apply for too many credit cards or loans within a short span of time.

(Note: If you check CIBIL score through Bajaj Markets, it counts as a soft enquiry and has no negative impact on your credit report.)

  • Maintain a Low Credit Utilisation: You should avoid exhausting the entire credit limit of your card as it reflects poor financial behaviour. Experts suggest that you should ideally not exceed 30% utilisation of your card’s credit limit.

  • Have a Good Mix of Secured/Unsecured Loans: A healthy mix of both secured and unsecured loans in your credit profile shows that you have the experience of handling both types of loans and are, therefore, more creditworthy. Personal loans and credit cards are unsecured in nature, while home loans and auto loans are secured loans.

Things to Keep in Mind Before Applying for a Credit Card

  1. Credit Score: Before you apply for a new credit card, make sure that you have a healthy credit profile. Ideally, you should apply for a credit card when your CIBIL score is at least 750 or above as applying with a low CIBIL score may result in rejection of your credit card application
  2. Debt to Income Ratio: You must also make sure that you do not borrow more than what you can repay.  A high debt to income ratio also has a negative impact on your CIBIL score. A debt to income ratio between 20% and 35% is usually considered good.
  3. Avoid Frequent Applications: In case your credit card application is declined, it is advisable to wait for at least six months before reapplying. Too many credit enquiries within a short span of time indicate that you are credit hungry and have a negative impact on your CIBIL score.

Credit Score Video

CIBIL Report

Ever considered quantifying your financial health in specific parameters, with the Credit Health Report on Bajaj Markets?

FAQs on CIBIL Score for Credit Card

You can check your CIBIL score on the official website of TransUnion CIBIL. You first need to register on the website and provide a few details including your PAN and date of birth. Checking your CIBIL score once a year is free, you need to opt for one of the subscription plans if you wish to check more frequently.

Unless it is your first credit card, banks generally require a minimum CIBIL score of 750 to approve your credit card application. However, depending upon your credit history and your existing relationship with the bank, you can get a credit card even with a lower credit score.

Credit cards essentially provide you an unsecured line of credit that you can use for your everyday spends. Therefore, banks must make sure that you would be able to repay the amount that you spent with your credit card in a timely manner. Since your credit score is a good indicator of your financial punctuality, banks always check your credit score before issuing you a credit card.

If you have a good existing relationship with the bank, you can sometimes get a credit card even with a low CIBIL score. Otherwise, you can always get a secured credit card against a fixed deposit regardless of your credit score.

Yes, your CIBIL score directly influences your eligibility for a credit card- the higher the CIBIL score, the more the likelihood of approval of your credit card application.

If you do not have any credit history whatsoever, you can get your first unsecured credit card basis your income documents- salary slips or ITR certificate. In case the bank does not approve your application, you should start building your credit history by taking a secured credit card against a fixed deposit.

There can be many reasons for the rejection of your credit card application. Some of the common reasons why credit card applications are rejected are:

  • Low CIBIL score or insufficient credit history

  • Insufficient income

  • High debt to income ratio

  • PIN code not serviceable

  • Unsuccessful physical verification of residence/workplace

Home
active_tab
Offers
active_tab
Download App
active_tab
Credit Score
active_tab