Credit Cards & Insurance · Money

How to apply for a credit card in Pakistan: eligibility, documents and steps

Pakistani banks ask for age 21+, a minimum income (Rs 20,000 to Rs 35,000 a month at the lowest tier), CNIC, salary proof and a clean eCIB record. Steps inside.

By Ahtisham Imtiaz · Updated · 7 min read

Lowest published income
Rs 20,000/month
Minimum age
21
Card delivery (SC)
4–6 weeks
Spending abroad
USD 30,000/year
Summarize it for me

AI Summary

To get a credit card in Pakistan you usually need to be 21 or older, show a minimum income and give a CNIC copy, salary slip and bank statements. Bank AL Habib asks for Rs 20,000 a month and HBL Rs 35,000 for its entry card, as of October 2026. The bank checks your record with SBP's eCIB and must give you a signed Summary Box listing APR and fees. Meezan lists no credit card; Standard Chartered Saadiq offers a Murabaha card.

To apply for a credit card in Pakistan you need to be 21 or older, earn the bank’s minimum income and hand in a CNIC copy, salary proof and bank statements. At the entry tier, Bank AL Habib asks for Rs 20,000 a month and HBL Rs 35,000, as of October 2026. The bank then checks your credit record and must give you a signed Summary Box with the APR and fees before it issues the card.

HBL minimum monthly salary, by card

Rs 35,000 / 1 lakh / 4 lakh

Green, Gold and Platinum, salaried applicants, as of Oct 2026

What are the credit card requirements in Pakistan?

Each bank sets its own rules. Here is what the banks publish, as of 8 Oct 2026:

Bank Who can apply Minimum income Age
HBL Salaried and self-employed Salaried: Rs 35,000 (Green), Rs 1 lakh (Gold), Rs 4 lakh (Platinum) a month. Self-employed: average balance of Rs 1.05 lakh, Rs 3 lakh or Rs 10 lakh 21–60 salaried, 21–65 self-employed
Bank AL Habib Existing Bank AL Habib account holders Rs 20,000 a month salaried, Rs 25,000 self-employed 21–60 salaried, 21–65 self-employed
Askari Bank Salaried and self-employed Government staff: Rs 35,000 (permanent) or Rs 45,000 (contract). Bank-approved companies: Rs 50,000 or Rs 60,000. Other employers: Rs 70,000 or Rs 80,000 a month. Self-employed: average balance of Rs 1.5 lakh 21–60 salaried, 21–70 self-employed
JS Bank Not published Rs 70,000 a month Not published
Standard Chartered Pakistani residents with an email and a Pakistani mobile number Not published 21 salaried, 25 self-employed
Allied Bank Allied Bank account holders who pass its credit assessment Not published Not published
MCB Not published on its card pages Not published Not published

Bank AL Habib and Askari Bank both say your total loan repayments must not exceed 40% of take-home income. Banks call this the debt burden ratio. If you already have a car loan or another card, it counts.

We couldn’t check Bank Alfalah, UBL or Faysal Bank: on 8 Oct 2026 their websites blocked us or showed a bot check.

What documents do I need?

Salaried:

  • copy of your CNIC
  • salary slip or salary certificate
  • bank statements showing your salary: HBL asks for 12 months, Bank AL Habib for 6 months

Self-employed:

  • copy of your CNIC
  • 12 months of company bank statements (HBL) or 6 months (Bank AL Habib)
  • a proprietorship letter, partnership deed, or memorandum and articles with Form 29, depending on your business type

Askari Bank also asks for your latest utility bill, with nothing overdue. Bank AL Habib asks for a CF-1 annexure, a form where you list cards and loans you hold at other banks. HBL says it may ask for more documents case by case.

How does the bank check my credit record?

Banks must report every loan and card to the State Bank’s eCIB (Electronic Credit Information Bureau), whatever the amount. Bank AL Habib and Askari Bank list an eCIB check as a condition for their cards.

MCB’s and Standard Chartered’s terms warn that defaults or late payments can stop you getting further financing. For consumer loans, the default history stays on record for a period even after you pay it off.

You can see your own record before you apply. Tasdeeq, which calls itself Pakistan’s first State Bank-licensed credit bureau, sells credit reports and scores to individuals through its app.

How do I apply for a credit card, step by step?

  1. Pick a card you qualify for. Match your income to the bank’s tier. Compare fees and markup first: see credit cards in Pakistan compared.
  2. Check your credit report. Tasdeeq’s app sells one to individuals. Clear any overdue payment before you apply.
  3. Apply through the bank’s channel. HBL takes applications by phone banking, at a branch, or in HBL Mobile for select customers. MCB has an online Apply Now link and an option in the MCB Live app. Askari takes applications at branches or on 051-111-000-787.
  4. Submit your documents. CNIC, salary proof and bank statements, plus business papers if self-employed.
  5. Read and sign the Summary Box. It lists the APR, fees, minimum payment and card limit. The bank keeps a copy signed by you.
  6. Wait for the limit and card. The bank sets your limit after it assesses your income. Standard Chartered quotes 4 to 6 weeks from application to card delivery. Askari quotes 10 working days to approve a complete application.
  7. Activate the card. Allied Bank lets you do this through its contact centre, the myABL app or internet banking; Standard Chartered through its website, app or 111-002-002.
  8. Set how the bill is paid. Standard Chartered marks a card with no standing instruction for minimum payment by default. Change it to full payment if you want to avoid markup.

Can I apply for a credit card online in Pakistan?

Yes, at some banks. MCB has an online application link and an “Apply for New Credit Card” option in MCB Live. HBL lets select existing customers apply in HBL Mobile with no paperwork.

Standard Chartered reverses the first-year annual fee on cards applied for digitally. That offer runs until 31 December 2026.

What is the Summary Box (Key Fact Statement)?

Since 1 September 2014, the State Bank has required banks to hand every credit card applicant a Summary Box before the card is issued (CPD Circular No. 3 of 2014). It must show at least:

  • APR (the yearly markup rate) and the effective interest rate
  • minimum monthly repayment
  • card limit
  • fees and charges
  • insurance cover

The bank keeps a duplicate signed by you and an authorised banker. Read it before you sign. MCB’s box for July to December 2026, for example, shows a markup of 3.67% a month (APR up to 44%) if you don’t pay in full by the due date. It also shows a minimum payment of Rs 500 or 5% of the balance, whichever is higher.

Is there an Islamic credit card in Pakistan?

Meezan Bank: its schedule of charges for July to December 2026 lists debit cards only. It shows no credit card.

Standard Chartered Saadiq offers a Mastercard Platinum built on Commodity Murabaha, as of its July 2026 terms. The bank sells you a commodity and you pay the price over time. Its annual fee is Rs 20,000 and the profit rate is up to 45% a year (3.75% a month). Late payment charges go to charity under the bank’s Shariah board policy.

Faysal Bank’s website showed a bot check when we tried on 8 Oct 2026, so we couldn’t check its Islamic card. Meezan’s website did the same, so we couldn’t check for a card launched after its July schedule.

How much can I spend abroad on a Pakistani credit card?

The State Bank caps card spending abroad at USD 30,000 a year per person (FE Circular 7 of 8 Nov 2022). This covers all your debit, credit and virtual cards together, and the year runs from 1 November. Cards in your own name are for personal payments; business payments abroad need a corporate card.

Each payment abroad also attracts advance income tax under section 236Y: 0.5% if you are on the Active Taxpayer List (ATL, a filer) and 1% if you are not, as of FBR’s rate card for the Finance Act 2026. See how to become a filer.

Standard Chartered’s terms add that you may not use its cards for crypto or forex dealing, which the State Bank restricts.

More guides: Cards & Insurance, filer vs non-filer, Money.

Questions people ask

What is the minimum salary for a credit card in Pakistan?

Of the banks that publish it, Bank AL Habib asks for Rs 20,000 a month for salaried applicants and HBL Rs 35,000 for its Green card, as of October 2026. Askari asks for Rs 35,000 to Rs 80,000 depending on your employer, and JS Bank Rs 70,000.

What documents do I need for a credit card?

A copy of your CNIC, a salary slip or salary certificate, and bank statements (HBL asks for 12 months, Bank AL Habib for 6). Self-employed applicants add business papers such as a proprietorship letter, partnership deed or Form 29.

Can I apply for a credit card online in Pakistan?

At some banks. MCB has an online Apply Now link and lets you apply in MCB Live, and HBL lets select existing customers apply in HBL Mobile. Standard Chartered reverses the first-year fee for digital applications until 31 December 2026.

Does Meezan Bank offer a credit card?

Meezan Bank's schedule of charges for July to December 2026 lists debit cards but no credit card. For a Shariah-based card, Standard Chartered Saadiq offers a Mastercard Platinum on Commodity Murabaha.

Can students get a credit card in Pakistan?

Primary cards start at age 21 at the banks we checked, and need an income. A student aged 18 or over can get a supplementary card on a parent's HBL card; Bank AL Habib's supplementary age range is 18 to 70.

Sources

  1. FE Circular No. 07 of 2022: Cross-border transactions through debit/credit cards, State Bank of Pakistan (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
  2. CPD Circular No. 3 of 2014: Introduction of Credit Card Summary Box, State Bank of Pakistan (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
  3. Withholding Income Tax Rate Card (Finance Act 2026), FBR (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
  4. Credit Cards overview, HBL (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
  5. Credit Cards, Bank AL Habib (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
  6. Mastercard Credit Cards, Askari Bank (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
  7. Askari World Mastercard Credit Card, Askari Bank (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
  8. JS Credit Card, JS Bank (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
  9. Summary Box, Credit Card, 1 July to 31 December 2026, MCB Bank (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
  10. Credit Cards, MCB Bank (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
  11. Most Important Document, credit cards (July 2026 version), Standard Chartered Pakistan (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
  12. Mastercard World Credit Card, Standard Chartered Pakistan (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
  13. Saadiq Credit Cards Most Important Document (July 2026 version), Standard Chartered Pakistan (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
  14. Credit cards in Pakistan: Allied Bank, Allied Bank (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
  15. Schedule of Charges, July to December 2026, Meezan Bank (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
  16. About us, Tasdeeq (accessed 8 Oct 2026)

Photo: Blogtrepreneur / CC BY 2.0

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