Caroline Lupini has been traveling the world with the help of credit card rewards since 2011. She has visited over 110 countries and is able to utilize her knowledge of credit cards and to make travel both less expensive and more luxurious. Caroline.
Caroline Lupini Managing Editor, Credit Cards & Travel RewardsCaroline Lupini has been traveling the world with the help of credit card rewards since 2011. She has visited over 110 countries and is able to utilize her knowledge of credit cards and to make travel both less expensive and more luxurious. Caroline.
Caroline Lupini Managing Editor, Credit Cards & Travel RewardsCaroline Lupini has been traveling the world with the help of credit card rewards since 2011. She has visited over 110 countries and is able to utilize her knowledge of credit cards and to make travel both less expensive and more luxurious. Caroline.
Caroline Lupini Managing Editor, Credit Cards & Travel RewardsCaroline Lupini has been traveling the world with the help of credit card rewards since 2011. She has visited over 110 countries and is able to utilize her knowledge of credit cards and to make travel both less expensive and more luxurious. Caroline.
| Managing Editor, Credit Cards & Travel Rewards
Updated: Apr 25, 2023, 8:09am
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.
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JPMorgan Chase is one of the most prolific credit card issuers in the United States. This bank offers over 30 cards, each with different features and qualification standards. Ranging from a basic card meant to help college students build credit to premium travel cards designed for people with exceptional credit ratings, there is likely a card that matches your needs.
After you have applied for the Chase credit card you want, you’ll wait for a response. Will your application be accepted or rejected? In most cases, you’ll find out quickly, especially if you applied online. But if you applied and haven’t received an immediate decision, you might be wondering how to check the status of your application.
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Chase Sapphire Reserve® On Chase Bank USA, NA's Website Welcome Bonus 60,000 bonus points Annual Fee Credit Score Regular APR 22.49%-29.49% VariableCredit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
There are a couple ways to apply for a Chase credit card:
You may receive an invitation to apply for a specific credit card in the mail. Such pre-approval letters are based on soft credit pulls, so will have no impact on your credit scores.
However, getting such a letter is not a guarantee that you will get the card. It simply means that Chase reviewed your credit rating and payment history and determined that you might qualify. To know if you really do, you’ll have to submit the application so the bank can conduct a more thorough credit and financial analysis. As with any credit card application, there will be a hard inquiry, which is likely to ding your credit score by a few points.
To apply, fill out the form, place it in the included envelope and then send it back. Be sure to mail it from a safe place, such as the U.S. post office, since your personal and financial information will be on the application. You may also pick up an application at a Chase branch, complete it, and then give it to a teller or bank manager.
On the Chase website you will find the bank’s complete array of credit cards. These include both Chase-branded cards like the popular Chase Sapphire Reserve® and co-branded cards such as the airline cards Chase issues in partnership with United and Southwest.
You can narrow your choices down by considering our picks for the best Chase credit cards. After deciding on the account you want, you can start the application process by pressing the “apply now” button. You will then fill out an online form and hit the “submit” button.
Whether on paper or online, you will need to supply the following information for a personal Chase credit card:
All credit card issuers are required to respond to credit applications with an approval or denial within 30 days.
According to Chase, if you submit an application for an average Visa or Mastercard online, it’s possible to receive approval in minutes. Nearly instantaneous approvals are possible because the bank automatically cross checks your credit scores and financial data you provide against what the account requires.
However, if you are applying for specialty credit cards—such as business or student cards, or credit cards that require especially high credit scores—you may experience a delay, even when applying online. Chase may review your application manually to be absolutely certain that you meet all the criteria. They may even request additional information, such as proof of income, before granting final approval.
If you mailed in your application, you should receive a decision from Chase within a few weeks. It will arrive in both a mailed letter and an email.
If you do not receive a quick online message from Chase indicating whether or not your application has been approved, take action.
You can check the status of your Chase credit card application by calling the bank’s application status line at 888-338-2586.
If you are a current Chase customer, you can also check your application status online. Log in to your account and look for “application status.” Click the button to find out if there has been an update.
When you are approved for a Chase credit card, you should typically receive your card in the mail within 7 to 10 business days. If you haven’t received the card after a couple weeks, call or visit a local branch office to find out what might have gone wrong and rectify the problem.
When you receive your card, you’ll also get instructions for how to activate your account. You can complete this process over the phone or on the website. As soon as you do, you will be able to make transactions.
For some cards, though, you don’t have to wait for the card to arrive in the mail. For example, if you are approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, the bank will also provide you with the account information that you can upload to your digital wallet. Once you do, you can use it immediately.
The most common reason for a credit card rejection is that you did not meet the card’s eligibility standards. Your credit scores may be too low, or perhaps your income isn’t sufficient for the account you wanted. Or you may not have an established credit history yet, like if you’re applying for your first credit card.
Another reason for a credit card rejection can be payment patterns. If you have been delinquent on other accounts that appear on your credit report, especially in the last year or two, it may prompt an automatic denial.
Also, be careful to not apply for many other credit cards in a short period of time. These hard inquiries will be recorded on your credit file and can be viewed as a red flag that you are in a risky financial position. Chase even has something called the 5/24 rule, meaning if you’ve opened five or more credit cards from any issuer in the past 24 months, your application for a Chase card will be automatically denied.
There can be circumstances, though, when you made a mistake on your credit card application. You may have typed in the wrong Social Security number, meaning your real credit scores couldn’t be accessed— or you wrote in the wrong income information, or didn’t complete every section of the form. All will either delay the approval process or result in an erroneous rejection.
If your application is turned down, you will receive a letter in the mail outlining the reasons. This can also be your opportunity to ask Chase to reconsider you for the card when you believe that you do, in fact, qualify.
You may be enticed to apply for a Chase credit card when the pre-approval offer looks rewarding. Although it may feel perfect for you, this bank offers plenty of other credit cards, so it makes sense to review the options before submitting an application.
Your decision should be based on not only what you qualify for but which is best for your lifestyle. You may want a card that offers cash-back rewards or one that is co-branded with an airline so you can earn miles for travel.
Finally, when you pursue a credit card that fits your overall situation, you can avoid suffering a hard inquiry on your credit report for a card you end up leaving in the sock drawer. In short, apply wisely.
Chase provides a phone number you can call to check your credit card application status: 888-338-2586. And, if you’re a Chase customer already, you can log in online and use the “application status” button in your account menu.
