18 MAY, 2023
The covid-19 pandemic has swept across the world, leaving everyone facing multiple challenges like loss of jobs, unstable income, salary cuts, and massive layoffs even at the most reputed organizations in India. This has resulted in creating a pressing need for many people to resort to loans and credit cards to help them sail through the financial challenges.
While when you have a job, applying for a credit card is pretty easy, it only gets challenging when you don’t have a job or lose it. This happens because banks and credit card issuers do a detailed check on your income and employment status before issuing you a credit card to be assured of repayment and rule out any possible chances of loan default. Banks prefer to verify the documented source of income like a salary slip or bank statement and income tax returns (ITR) before they go on to approve your credit card application. One crucial point here is to always compare credit cards from leading banks before applying for one.
What happens when you lose your job or don’t have a stable source of income that comes with a job? Will you still be considered by banks to approve a credit card? The answer is yes; you can still manage to get a credit card without a job as long as you’re meeting the credit card eligibility. However, it gets challenging to get credit card approval if you don’t have a job, but it’s not an impossible task either. You’d still get a credit card but with some terms and conditions.
Why Do You Need to Avail a Credit Card?
Credit cards offer a wide range of benefits beyond just convenience. One-time bonuses, cash back, reward points, frequent-flyer miles, safety, keeping vendors honest, and grace periods are all benefits that credit cardholders can take advantage of. Choosing the right credit card for your needs and spending patterns can help you maximize these benefits, but it's essential to use credit responsibly and pay your balance in full each month to avoid interest charges and debt.
Ways to Apply for a Credit Credit without Income or Salary Proof?
1. Student Credit Card
If you’re a student studying in a college, you’re eligible to apply for a credit card from banks. Many banks offer first credit cards to students, and all students need to do is have a trust fund, any financial assets, or an investment to qualify. Some banks prefer to give student credit cards to those who have an account with them with an adequate balance to ensure their repayment capacity. It is advisable to look around and research the student credit card offers available with the banks and choose the one that best suits your needs.
2. Showing Income Proof
Earning is more important than being employed. All banks and credit card lenders are concerned with applicants having a stable inflow of income into their bank accounts than working full-time. If you’ve substantial income from other sources regularly entering your bank account, you don’t need to be concerned about not getting approved for a credit card.
All you need to do is submit the income proofs and disclose the nature of such income with the banks while submitting the credit card application. Such income sources could be rental income, royalty, alimony, child support, small-scale home-grown business, and more so. Additionally, you could also be asked to submit your income tax returns during the credit card approval process.
3. Add-on Credit Card
If you’re a minor, you can easily get a credit card in your parents’ or an adult’s name. Most banks offer the facility of an add-on credit card to the primary credit cardholders to pass on to their kids, spouses, friends, and more. Such add-on credit cardholders don’t need to be working to attain the same. All the benefits applicable to a primary credit card holder are also available to the add-on cardholder. The responsibility of bill payment in such cases lies with the primary cardholder.
4. Secured Credit Card
A secured credit card works wonders for those who don’t have a full-time job and are self-employed or have income coming in from other sources than salary. One needs to have the funds available as collateral or security to pledge against the credit line. The amount acts as a security deposit to get you issued a credit card, and in the event of a repayment failure, the amount is adjusted against the security deposit.
5. Having a Co-Signer
A co-signer is a guarantor that signs on your credit card application. If you have a low credit score and the co-signer on your application has a high credit score, you’re approved for a credit card without any hassles. A co-signer takes a guarantee of card repayments on your behalf, and if there are any delays and missed payments, his credit score is also affected. Most banks accept parents and guardians only as co-signers.
Not having a job shouldn’t pose a barrier to getting credit card approval if your credit score is decent and a stable source of income to pay your credit card repayments. The options mentioned above are readily available for credit card approval without a job.
Important Factors that Affect Credibility of Card User
- Hard Credit Checks on Your Credit Report
Hard inquiries, which result from such rigorous credit checks, can negatively affect your credit score in the short term.
- High Credit Utilisation Ratio
Using too much of your available credit can lower your credit score, even if you pay your credit card bills in full and on time. To avoid being considered a risky prospect, keep your credit utilization ratio below 30%.
- Making Late Repayments
Making on-time monthly payments is critical to protecting and improving your credit score. Even if you can only pay the minimum, timely payments show lenders that you are a reliable borrower.
Also Read: Is Applying For A Credit Card With New Job A Good Idea?
FAQs on How to Get Credit Card Without Salary Slip
Q1. How to Get Credit Card Without Salary?
A. If you are wondering, “Can I get credit card without income” the answer is, Yes. A Credit card without income proof India can be obtained by individuals who do not have a steady income and have a low CIBIL score by opening a fixed deposit account with a bank. Many banks offer credit card without salary slip against fixed deposits, providing the benefits of premium credit cards.
Q2. Can I Get Credit Card Without Income?
A. It's possible to get a credit card apply without income proof, but alternative sources of income or a substantial bank balance are necessary. Alternatively, secured credit cards can be obtained by pledging fixed deposits or mutual funds.
Q3. What are the documents required to apply for a credit card without an income?
A. To apply for a credit card apply online without salary slip, you will need to provide certain documents like:
- Bank statements or bank account details,
- Details of fixed deposits or mutual funds for a secured credit card,
- Address proof such as Aadhaar, Voter card, lease/rent agreement, property papers, ration card, etc.,
- Identity proof like Aadhaar, Voter ID, passport, driving license, PAN Card,
- Age proofs such as birth certificates, school certificates, etc.,
For students, enrollment slips, admission papers, college IDs, and others.
This is all you could know about how to get credit card without salary. These documents are necessary if you don’t have a stable income or job.
