Why regular cards ask for income proof
A regular credit card is unsecured: the bank lends you its money with nothing held against it. So it wants evidence that you can repay, usually salary slips, income tax returns or a credit history. Students, homemakers, freelancers and many people who are self-employed don't have these in the form banks expect.
How a fixed deposit changes that
With an FD-backed card, the bank holds your fixed deposit as security for the card. Because the deposit secures the credit line, some of these cards do not ask for income documents or an existing credit history at all.
Requirements differ from card to card, so check the specific card's page before you apply.
What the bank still checks
- Your age and identity, through the bank's KYC process.
- The deposit: the minimum amount, the tenure and the rules for the card you choose.
- Its own eligibility rules. The bank decides whether to approve the card and sets the limit.
No website or card can promise approval. What helps is having the deposit amount the card needs and valid KYC documents ready.
Choosing a card
Compare the minimum deposit, the credit limit you get for it, the joining and annual fees, and whether the card works with UPI. RuPay credit cards can be linked to UPI apps, which helps if most of your spending already happens over UPI.
After you get the card
Spend what you can repay and clear the full statement by the due date. Over time, on-time repayments reported by the bank can help you build the credit history that unsecured cards look for later.
Cards you can apply for now
These FD-backed cards are open for applications on YourFirstCard today. Each bank sets its own terms and decides on approval.
- IOB RuPay Classic Credit Card from Indian Overseas Bank: minimum FD ₹2,500, annual fee ₹0.
- IOB RuPay Platinum Credit Card from Indian Overseas Bank: minimum FD ₹12,500, annual fee ₹250 + GST.
- IOB RuPay Select Credit Card from Indian Overseas Bank: minimum FD ₹2,25,000, annual fee ₹500 + GST.
- IOB ZET Credit Card from Indian Overseas Bank with ZET: minimum FD ₹2,500, annual fee ₹0.
- DCB ZET Credit Card from DCB Bank with ZET: minimum FD ₹2,000, annual fee ₹0.
- SBM ZET Credit Card from SBM Bank India with ZET: minimum FD ₹2,000, annual fee ₹0.
Common questions
- Can I get a credit card without a salary slip?
- Yes, some FD-backed credit cards don't require income documents because the fixed deposit secures the card. The bank still completes KYC and its eligibility checks, and it decides on approval.
- Can students or homemakers get a credit card?
- FD-backed cards are a common route for people without income documents, including students and homemakers, provided they meet the bank's age, KYC and deposit requirements.
- Is approval guaranteed with an FD?
- No. The issuing bank checks eligibility and decides. Having the required deposit and valid KYC documents ready helps.