The content is accurate at the time of publication and is subject to change.

We have all heard of these instant approval cards and wondered at one point or another how they work. It is natural to be curious and wonder how you can be eligible for it and also how you can use it. There may be a number of instances wherein you have had some kind of a cash crunch and wished you had an extra credit card handy. No matter what your reasons it is not a bad idea to apply for a credit card. When you look at offers online, you would have come across this word enough and more number of times.

There are some things everyone should know. Instant credit cards do not mean that you apply and the next day or hour you get a credit card to use immediately. Instant here tends to mean something very different. You must understand that instant approval cards offer a sort of respite from the approval process which can sometimes take months. It is just an acceptance wherein certain conditions for eligibility have been fulfilled to get a credit card. This does not mean you get a credit card faster and can use the extra credit immediately.

In addition there is a different kind of instant approval credit card, store credit cards. There are the cards you get in certain stores with which you can just start buying immediately once you fill out a form for the card. These are however of a lower credit limit than usual and applicable only to purchases from a single brand or store and so are not what people look for when they hear instant approval cards. This is for the retailers to promote their products and encourage customers to make bulk or large purchases which can be paid for later.

When you want an instant credit card, make sure that you do not end up enquiring and applying for every single instant card offer that you see. Consider which one is suited for you and also satisfies all the eligibility criteria. That way you can easily apply for the card and your credit score will not be affected by an application that was not accepted. Applying for too many cards is not something that will look good on your credit report. With instant approval cards make sure you do not get hasty and forget to read all the fine print.

Disclaimer: This editorial content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuer(s). Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of the credit card issuer(s), and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer(s). Reasonable efforts are made to present accurate information, however all information is presented without warranty. Consult a card's issuing bank for the terms & conditions.
All rates and fees, and other terms and conditions of the products mentioned in this article/post are actual as of the last update date but are subject to change. See the current products' Terms & Conditions on the issuing banks' websites.