Eligibility · Self-employed, no ITR · updated 2026-09-19
Credit cards for the self-employed without an ITR
FD-secured cards that skip income documents, and entry cards where banks often accept bank statements or an existing relationship instead of an ITR. “Likely eligible” – approval is the issuer's decision.
Credit cards for the self-employed without an ITR (Sept 2026): 5 options – FD-secured cards that skip income documents, and entry cards where banks often accept bank statements or an existing relationship instead of an ITR. Start with IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST WOW, issued against a ₹5,000 fixed deposit.
Banks can ask for 6–12 months of bank statements or GST returns in place of an ITR; approval remains the issuer's decision. If you have a savings account with the bank, apply there first.
Standard profile
Scored for Entry-level profile · ₹16k/monthBills paid in full · first-year offers shown separately · set up your profile to score cards for your own spend
Your options, ranked
Kotak Mahindra BankVisa
811 #DreamDifferent
Net savings₹917/yr
Savings rate0.6%
Annual feeFree for life
Lounge✈ none
✓ 2 points/₹100 on online spends earns you about ₹498 a year on ₹99,600 of spend.
SBI CardVisa
SimplyCLICK SBI Card
Net savings₹3,197/yr
Savings rate2.0%
Annual feeWaived ₹589
Lounge✈ none
✓ 5X on all other online spends earns you about ₹788 a year on ₹63,000 of spend.
| # | Card | Score | Net savings / yr | Stated eligibility | Annual fee | Lounge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FIRST WOWIDFC FIRST Bank | 41/100 | ₹1,154 0.7% rate | Fixed deposit of ₹5,000+; no income proof | Free for life | No lounge access |
| 2 | 811 #DreamDifferentKotak Mahindra Bank | 36/100 | ₹917 0.6% rate | Fixed deposit of ₹5,000+; no income proof | Free for life | No lounge access |
| 3 | SimplyCLICK SBI CardSBI Card | 76/100 | ₹3,197 2.0% rate | Income ₹2L+/yr; easy approval | Waived | No lounge access |
| 4 |  Amazon Pay ICICI BankICICI Bank | 69/100 | ₹2,371 1.5% rate | Income ₹3L+/yr; instant issuance for many Amazon users | Free for life | No lounge access |
| 5 |  Scapia Federal BankFederal Bank | 67/100 | ₹2,786 1.7% rate | Income ₹3L+/yr; digital onboarding | Free for life | unlimited domestic/yr |
Ranked by the open CardLens engine: rewards at realistic redemption value + milestones + waivers − fee incl. 18% GST − forex, for the spend profile stated above. Figures are estimates from public issuer terms – verify on the issuer page before applying. How the score works →
By salary instead
Frequently asked questions
Which credit cards work for the self-employed without an ITR?
IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST WOW, Kotak Mahindra Bank 811 #DreamDifferent, SimplyCLICK SBI Card, Amazon Pay ICICI Bank, Scapia Federal Bank. Banks can ask for 6–12 months of bank statements or GST returns in place of an ITR; approval remains the issuer's decision. If you have a savings account with the bank, apply there first.
Does a secured credit card build my credit score?
Yes. It reports to the bureaus like any card. Keep utilisation under 30% of the limit and pay the full statement before the due date; most people see a usable score within 6–12 months.