How to Get an Instant Approval Credit Card—and Use it Instantly!

Your lunch break just started. Before it’s over, you want to buy something and pay for it with a credit card. But you don’t have a credit card. Can you pull it off? It’s not a trick question. The Internet and automated algorithms make instant approval credit cards possible.

But instant approval does not mean instant use. To use an instantly approved card, well, instantly, you also need an instant credit card account number. And only a handful of card issuers will give you an account number to use before you get the actual card.

As with most things in modern life, the reality of instant approval credit cards is complicated, and there are no guarantees. But if you truly want it right now, there are steps you can take to improve your odds of obtaining an instant account number for a new instant approval credit card.

If you’re seeking instant approval and use – and you’re not standing at the register in a retail store asking for an instant approval store credit card – an online application is likely your best bet. Most credit card issuers process such applications in real time. Some also offer instant approval (but not instant card numbers) for applications made over the phone.

There are three steps to getting an instant approval credit card:

1. Online (or phone, if applicable) credit card application
2. Instant approval of that application
3. If eligible, you’ll receive an instant card number and be able to begin spending immediately online and on any transactions that don’t require a physical card present.

Credit card applications are typically simple and take just a few minutes to complete. Once you apply, there are typically three possible outcomes – approved, denied, or pending:

• If you’re approved or denied, you’ll likely get a decision within a few minutes.
• If your application is pending, a human being somewhere is going to look at it carefully before making a decision. Depending on the card provider, it may take minutes, days, or weeks to get a decision, and you’ll typically be informed via U.S. mail.

A couple of factors can push your application into pending status:

• If the credit card company is unable to verify your identity.
• There’s something questionable on your credit report.

In general, the better your credit the more likely you are to get instant approval. But that doesn’t mean that only people with excellent credit score should seek instant approval.

It’s worth noting that retail store credit cards exist somewhat outside this typical process. You can apply for most co-branded/store credit cards in-store at the time you make a purchase, and you’ll likely be approved or denied on the spot. In some cases, an instant approval store credit card may only be used in the issuing store. It’s a good idea to confirm whether you’ll be able to use that instant card number elsewhere, as well as whether you’ll be able to use the physical card elsewhere.

Being approved for a credit card is not the same as being able to use it. And instant approval is not instant access. Most cards are still mailed, in which case it will typically take seven to 10 days to get to you. If you want it sooner than that, many credit companies will expedite shipping (even overnight), but they usually charge for that service.

If you truly want to use the card during the same lunch hour in which you apply, you’ll need to choose a card that offers an instant credit card number. Besides the co-branded/store cards, not all card issuers will give you an account number that you can use for online purchases right away, and which you can keep using until you receive your actual card. You can find online resources that identify creditors that offer instant credit access, or you can ask any credit card provider whether it offers that option.

Even if instant approval is literally the only factor that matters to you, it’s still a smart idea to read a card’s fine print before applying. Several factors determine how much a card costs and how you can (or will want to) use it. For example, consider factors like the card’s:

• Credit limit.
• Annual Percentage Rate (APR).
• Interest rates (cash advances might have higher interest rates than standard purchases, for example).
• Late fees and other penalties.
• Annual fees (if any).
• Rewards for using the card.