A credit card allows you to transact without cash and is one of the most convenient ways of shopping or travelling. But not everyone can apply for a credit card. You have to meet a number of eligibility criteria to get a card.
Five essential eligibility factors are:
Residential status
The applicant should be a resident of India. Some lenders offer cards to Non-Resident Indians too.
Age
This factor differs from lender to lender. The average age requirement for an applicant for all types of cards should be minimum 18 years old and maximum 70.
Income
Applicant should either be self-employed or salaried person. He should have a regular source of income. Salary is a crucial deciding factor for credit cards. Someone earning say Rs 50,000 per month is eligible for a different type of card than a person earning Rs 25,000 per month.
On an average, income requirement is between Rs 1,44,000 and Rs 25,00,000 per annum for both salaried persons and self-employed. You may be asked to submit your latest Income Tax Returns copy as income proof.
There are some lenders who give credit cards to low income earners but then the credit limit for such applicants is low and spending is also limited to less than three times the monthly salary.
Bank account
Applicant should have a salary or savings bank account. Bank account history, like maintenance of minimum salary balance and no overdrafts, is important.
Credit history
The applicant’s CIBIL (Credit Information Bureau [India] Limited) score should be good. Your past history of paying back debts on time and closure of debts is important because if your record is poor, your application may get rejected because this reflects on your ability to pay back credit card bills.
Other factors will include purpose of the card and the city you are living in.
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