WordsThe reason given for a no
Internal policy
Shorthand for a bank’s own rules on who gets a card and at what limit. RBI’s rules have every card issuer keep a board-approved card policy and judge each applicant’s ability to repay for itself.
When it turns an application down, RBI’s rules say it has to tell the applicant the specific reason or reasons in writing; HDFC Bank’s card policy, for example, says it sends them by letter or electronically. The rejection itself doesn’t go on your credit report, though the enquiry the bank made does.
Where this comes from
- RBI, Credit Cards and Debit Cards: Issuance and Conduct Directions, 2025Paragraphs 8, 11(1) and 12(1), as updated 1 October 2026
- HDFC Bank, Policy for Issuance and Conduct of Credit CardsAs of 27 April 2026, background and issuance clause (d)
- RBI, Credit Information Companies Directions, 2025Paragraphs 21(5) and 37(i), as updated 1 July 2026
Last checked
Posts that use it
Nobody has written about internal policy yet.
Write about it
More words like it
Pre-approved
An offer made before you apply
An offer based on what a bank knows about you. It isn't a promise, and people here write about when it fell through.
More about pre-approvedHard enquiry
A credit check when you apply
A lender checking your credit report because you applied. It shows on the report, and can pull a score down for a while.
More about hard enquiryCIBIL
Your credit score, as people say it
India's first credit bureau, and the name most people use for their credit score, which runs from 300 to 900.
More about CIBILITR
Income tax return
The return you file with the Income Tax Department each year. Banks take it as proof of income when there's no payslip.
More about ITR
What happened to members, not financial advice. Offers change, so check with the bank. Terms of use