CIBIL Score & Credit Card Eligibility: What Banks Actually Check
How CIBIL scores affect credit card approval in India, what hurts your score, and how to improve eligibility before applying.
CIBIL (TransUnion CIBIL) scores range from 300 to 900. Most issuers treat 750+ as strong, 700–749 as acceptable for mid-tier cards, and below 650 as high-risk for unsecured products. But the score is only one signal.
What lowers approval odds besides CIBIL
- Credit utilization above 40% on existing cards.
- Multiple hard inquiries in the last 90 days.
- Recent delinquencies or settled write-offs.
- Income below the card's stated minimum (even with a good score).
- Frequent job changes or self-employed income without ITR proof.
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How long does a hard inquiry affect CIBIL?+
Hard inquiries stay on your report for up to two years but impact scores most in the first 3–6 months.
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