How to Apply for a Credit Card

Learn what documents you need to get your application underway.

How do you apply for a Credit Card?

STEP 1

To make the Application process as smooth as possible, you’ll need your driver’s licence and some financial information.

STEP 2

Once you have chosen a Card, read the Terms and Conditions, then click on the ‘Apply now’ button to start your application.

STEP 3

As long as you have all the required information, your Credit Card Application should take you less than 10 minutes to complete.

How do you know if you’re eligible?

There are some basic criteria you’ll need to meet before you apply for a Credit Card from American Express.

Eligibility criteria

When you apply for a Credit Card, you are required to:

Be over 18 years of age.
Have a good credit history.
Be a permanent resident or citizen of New Zealand.
Meet the minimum income criteria for your chosen Card.
If self-employed, you will need to have been trading for at least 18 months, or 12 months if you have an existing American Express issued Card.

What do you need to have ready before you apply for a Credit Card?

Before you apply for an American Express Credit Card, you will need to have your driver’s licence (if you hold one), as well as some important personal and financial information.

Everything you’ll need

To help verify your identity, here’s the information we’ll need from you before you start your Credit Card Application:

A copy of your New Zealand driver’s licence (if you hold one), which will be verified with the NZTA.
Personal information, including your current address details.
A current email address and a mobile or landline number.
Financial Information including your annual income, household income (if married/de facto), monthly living expenses, employment details, superannuation (if retired), or other sources of income.
Details about any other credit cards and loans you have and their balances.

What is a credit assessment?

As part of your application we’ll need to carry out a quick evaluation of your credit history.

What we’ll look for

A credit file is a record of information held by a credit bureau and accessed by banks, financial institutions or other businesses from which you may seek credit.

Your credit file is usually accessed when you apply for credit and includes the following information:

Your identity details
Including your name, current address, previous addresses, date of birth and driver’s licence number.
Credit enquiries
Showing where you have applied for credit from banks, finance companies, telecommunications and utilities providers in the past five years.
Overdue Accounts
Showing default listings of Accounts that have become 60 days or more past terms, owing $100 or more and for which collections action has commenced.
Public record information
Including bankruptcies, writs and summonses, court judgements, directorships and proprietorships.

Establishing a good credit history

Some things that credit providers may consider when reviewing your credit file are:

The type of credit you have sought
How often you apply for credit and how much
Any overdue accounts listed against your name

To maintain a good credit history, you should always pay your bills on time. If you are moving, ensure you provide your lenders with your new address and other contact information to avoid late or missed payments.

What happens after you apply?

Once you have completed your online Credit Card Application, we aim to give you a response in between 5 and 10 working days.

On completion of your Application you will receive your Application Reference Number (PCN Number) on the Thank You page. Should you have any questions about the progress of your Application, please call us on 0800 372 693 (Monday to Friday from 9am to 8pm) and quote your reference number.

Need to know more about how Credit Cards work?

There are a few things that are useful to know when choosing a Credit Card – from rewards, fees, interest charges and credit limits, to understanding the different Cards available to you.

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