Applying for a new credit card can be stressful, especially if you don’t get an immediate approval. The good news is that there are ways to check your application status while waiting for approval.
This post will cover everything you need to know about your American Express credit card application status and what to do if you aren’t approved immediately.
Reasons You May Not Get an Immediate Approval
There are many reasons you might not get immediate approval on your American Express credit card application. Here are a few reasons why your approval could be delayed:
- You have applied for too many credit cards. This is a common problem for those of us who love travel rewards credit cards. American Express doesn’t have a 5/24 rule like Chase, but there are restrictions on how many credit cards you can have (more on that below).
- You already have a lot of credit with American Express. If you already have a couple of American Express credit cards open, you might be nearing the maximum credit they are willing to extend to you. If this is the case, it might help to lower the credit limits on your existing cards.
- You applied for a small business credit card. Business credit card applications can be a little more complicated than applications for personal credit cards, so you might need to provide some additional details to American Express to confirm the details of your business.
- You made a mistake on the application. An application’s pending status can sometimes be due to a typo or other unintentional error.
- Your history with American Express isn’t great. Amex takes into consideration your history with them as well as with other banks. If your credit history isn’t great, try to improve your credit score before applying again.
Hot Tip: If you are under 21 years old (without your parent’s permission), don’t have a Social Security number, or are unemployed, you most likely won’t be approved for an American Express credit card.
You can check the status online or by phone if you’re not immediately approved for a credit card. Image Credit: rawpixel.com via ShutterstockAmerican Express Credit Card “Rules”
Each bank has different rules when it comes to applying for credit cards, and American Express is no exception. Here are a few “rules” you’ll want to keep in mind before applying for an American Express card.
2/90 Rule
You’ll only be approved for a maximum of 2 credit cards every rolling 90-day period.
1/5 Rule
You’ll only be approved for a maximum of 1 credit card every 5 rolling days.
5 Credit Card Maximum
American Express limits customers to having 5 or fewer credit cards at 1 time. This includes business cards but excludes charge cards (now just called “cards” by American Express). According to crowdsourced data, this limit can be as low as 4 cards, while some report it’s as high as 6.
Welcome Offer Rule
Unlike other banks, American Express limits your eligibility to earn a welcome bonus to once per lifetime. This applies to each card individually, not necessarily families of cards. For example, if you’ve earned a welcome bonus on the American Express® Gold Card, you could still earn a bonus on the American Express® Business Gold Card.
In addition, Amex will sometime target cardholders for a product they’ve already had. These targeted offers will often exclude the “lifetime language” in the terms, meaning you’d be eligible for the welcome offer even though you’ve already earned it before. You’ll find these offers in the
Bottom Line: American Express has “rules” about how often you can apply for credit cards and how many credit cards you can hold at 1 time. Keep in mind these guidelines don’t apply to all cards (i.e. cards formerly called “charge card”). While there may be an occasional exception to these rules, most of the time, they will apply.
American Express Application Status and Reconsideration Line
If you don’t get the instant credit card approval you were looking for, the easiest way to check your Amex application status is by using Amex’s online application status page.
If you prefer to speak to someone, call 877-239-3491 for personal cards and 800-567-1085 for business card applications. Amex’s general Customer Service line is 800-528-4800.
If your credit card application is pending or was declined, you can call 800-567-1083 to speak to a customer service representative about the decision. You may be able to provide more information to have your application decision reversed.
Check this full list of American Express credit card customer service numbers for other inquiries.
Final Thoughts
Applying for a credit card can be fun, but it can also be stressful if you don’t get immediate approval. The good news is that you can check your application status easily online or by phone.
Remember that not getting an instant approval doesn’t mean you’re automatically declined. Many factors go into a credit card application, so be patient during the process.
Featured Image Credit:
American Express
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