Credit cards are a valuable tool for many people. They have different uses, from paying for everyday items to making purchases and covering overdue bills. To use credit cards, you must apply for them with the proper information, including your address and social security number. Cards have different terms, and you need to know what they are before applying.
Full name: You can have up to 12 characters in your full name. You can have a middle name; however, it cannot be longer than three characters and should be followed by a hyphen or a space. Your first and last names must not match any other person’s on file with Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. This means no double initials, hyphens, or spaces.
Date of birth: If you are applying for a credit card under the age of 21, you will need to provide your birth date. The body of the application will ask you to select a month and year of birth and confirm that it is correct.
Social Security number (SSN): You must provide your SSN in the application form. You can only have three digits in your SSN. Please don’t put a hyphen or space between your last two numbers unless you want to be charged a fee for incorrectly entering it on the form.
Address: You can list up to three addresses on your application. They can be different locations in the same city or different cities altogether. You can also use zip codes for your addresses.
State of residence: If you are applying for an account under the age of 21 at a credit card issuer, you will have to provide your state of residence. Suppose you notify the issuer that you are from another state. In that case, this information may be provided by an agent who researches the applicant’s Social Security number and finds that it is listed in the other state’s database. Some issuers utilize a non-credit check method of verifying identity and address, such as over-the-phone verification or AAA (American Automobile Association) membership. For example, suppose an issuer has AAA offices in several states. In that case, the issuer may check with a local AAA office in the state of residence listed on the application to verify this information instead of conducting field verification on the SSN.
Employment status: If you are unemployed, you will need to provide your state and the name and address of the company for which you are a part-time employee. If employed full-time, you will need to provide your name and employer, your occupation, and the number of hours worked per week. If employed part-time, you must provide your employer’s name, address, and occupation. If you are self-employed or a business owner, you will need to fill out an identity questionnaire.
In conclusion, the five critical items of information needed to apply for a credit card are name, address, date of birth, SSN, and employment status. Some issuers also ask for your employer’s name, address, and job title. These are all things that you need to have on hand before applying for a credit card account.