How to Get a Credit Card Quickly

Apply for a card online to speed up the approval process.

Approximately 640 million credit cards are being used in the U.S., according to CardRatings.com. Some people may experience a need to get a new credit card quickly due to identity or credit card theft, loss of a card or for other important reasons. You may be approved quickly at your local bank branch or over the Internet, as online applications have sped up the approval process.

Instructions

Apply Online

1. Check your credit report for free from one of the three credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion (see the Resources section). When ordering your credit report, request your credit rating, which may incur an extra charge. Save search time by looking only for credit cards that you can get with your credit rating.

2. Compare cards on sites such as CardRatings.com, FastCreditCardApprovals.com and individual company websites, such as Chase or CitiCard (see the Resources section) that allow you to compare credit cards and apply for one online. Search by type of card, rewards, bank issuer or interest rate, for example, to restrict your search results and speed up the comparison process.

3. Apply for a card that offers quick or instant approval online. This can speed up the approval process over filling out an application form for a credit card and then mailing it back to the company.

Apply at a Bank

1. Check with the bank that you already have an account with. Your relationship with your personal banker can help speed up the application process.

2. Tell your banker about your need to get a credit card fast and ask for recommendations for cards that the bank issues. Know what features and interest rate you are looking for in a card to help the banker assist you in selecting one more quickly.

3. Bring all necessary forms of identification and personal financial information with you to expedite the process. Complete the application while you are in the bank, if possible.

Tips & Warnings

• Contact your current credit card company to get a replacement card as soon as possible if yours has been lost or stolen. Put a hold on your account until a new card is issued with a new account number, so that you do not have to pay for unauthorized usage on your old card.

References

• CardRatings: Credit Card Statistics

Resources

• AnnualCreditReport
• CardRatings
• Chase: Credit Cards
• CitiCard
• FastCreditCardApprovals