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Find instant approval credit cards with a chance of approval response within 60 seconds after submitting your application. Compare offers and carefully choose an option that suits you.

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Mark Bristow

Updated on

30 Apr, 2025

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Most people get impatient waiting for more than five minutes for their morning coffee, so it’s not surprising that some people are also on the hunt for instant approval credit cards.

When a credit card advertises that it offers “instant” approval, this usually means that when you apply online, you’ll get a response within 60 seconds of submitting your application.

The credit card provider will use its own calculation system to review the personal financial data offered in your completed application. This doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed approval, but you should know if you’re eligible for the card almost instantly.

What is an instant approval credit card?

An instant approval credit card, as the name suggests, is one that will let you know if you are eligible for a credit card generally within 60 seconds of applying. This does not necessarily mean you have guaranteed approval however. It’s typically a general reflection of whether your personal details, such as your income, expenses and assets mean you may meet the credit card eligibility requirements. You will still have to wait the standard 5-10 working days period to find out if you have full approval for the credit card.

How do I choose the best instant approval credit card?

Before you apply for an instant approval credit card, it’s important to compare different credit card options. This is so you can be confident you’re choosing a credit card that will best suit your individual financial needs.

There are many different Australian banks and other lenders that offer instant approval credit cards. It’s important to not only look for the most competitive credit card interest rates, but to also read reviews and learn more about the fees and features of instant approval credit cards. This could include the number of interest free days on purchases, or reward points you can earn on your spending.

How can I get an instant approval credit card?

Before you apply for an instant approval credit card, it may be worth taking some steps to help improve your chance of approval:

Go through your credit history

If you have a bad credit score, your credit card application may have a lower chance of approval. Consider checking your credit score or contacting a credit bureau for a copy of your credit history, and going through it with a fine-toothed comb. Check if there are any mistakes on your credit report, such as a family member’s debt being attached to your name, and contact the parties involved to get these corrected.

Pay your debts

If you owe money on a car, have an outstanding personal loan, or are already paying off another credit card, it may be harder to get a credit card application approved. Even if you can’t afford to immediately pay off a debt in full, showing that you’re keeping up with the repayments can help. Credit card providers may look at your repayment history, so paying off more than the minimum amount may help improve your credit rating, and improve your chance of approval.

Receive regular income

If you don’t earn enough annual income to meet the minimum repayments on a credit card, the lender won’t approve your application. Getting a full-time job or similar source of regular income may help improve your chances. There are also low income credit cards that you could consider.

Start saving

Do your bank statements show that you can set a budget, save a regular amount each month and grow those savings? Having self-control in your personal finances may improve your chances of approval for credit cards and other financial products.

How do I get a credit card with instant approval and no credit check?

Mark Bristow

Personal Finance Editor

Mark Bristow is RateCity's Home & Personal Finances Editor, and an experienced analyst, researcher, and producer. While primarily focused on Australian mortgage and home loan expertise, he has experience across energy, home and travel insurances. Mark has been a journalist and writer in the financial space for over ten years, previously researching and writing commercial real estate at CoreLogic. In the years since, Mark has worked for the Winning Group, Expedia, and has seen articles published at Lifehacker and Business Insider. Mark has also completed RG 146 (Tier 1), making him compliant to provide general advice for general insurance products like car, home, travel and health insurance, as well as giving him knowledge of investment options such as shares, derivatives, futures, managed investments, currencies and commodities.

This article was reviewed by Personal Finance Editor Alex Ritchie before it was published as part of RateCity's Fact Check process.

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^Words such as "top", "best", "cheapest" or "lowest" are not a recommendation or rating of products. This page compares a range of products from selected providers and not all products or providers are included in the comparison. There is no such thing as a 'one- size-fits-all' financial product. The best loan, credit card, superannuation account or bank account for you might not be the best choice for someone else. Before selecting any financial product you should read the fine print carefully, including the product disclosure statement, target market determination fact sheet or terms and conditions document and obtain professional financial advice on whether a product is right for you and your finances.

What is an instant approval credit card?