Can you get a bank credit card without having a prior relationship with that bank?

[Peach331]

Hi guys. My friends and I are discussing credit cards and we have a few questions.

Do you have to have a prior relationship with a bank to be approved for one of their cards?
Specifically Chase, NFCU, and Wells Fargo.

Has anyone had any personal success with being approved for one of these cards without first opening another type of bank account with them?

If not, are you able to open the bank account and apply for the card on the same day/same time?

If no prior relationship is needed, what are the best cards to start with even if not from these 3 banks?

We’re looking for cards that give high limits.

I know there are many variables that tie into the approval. But this is just generally asking if this is allowed.

Feel free to direct me to other threads if this has already been discussed.

Thanks in advance!

[longtimelurker]

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@Peach331 wrote:
Hi guys. My friends and I are discussing credit cards and we have a few questions.

Do you have to have a prior relationship with a bank to be approved for one of their cards?
Specifically Chase, NFCU, and Wells Fargo.

Has anyone had any personal success with being approved for one of these cards without first opening another type of bank account with them?

If not, are you able to open the bank account and apply for the card on the same day/same time?

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Generally, no prior relationship is needed to get a card from a bank.   Many, including myself, have several chase cards with no banking (or any other) relationship.   As NFCU is a credit union, you do need to be a member to get a card, which is some sort of relationship.

Wells Fargo has a reputation as a relationship bank, but AFAIK, it's not needed (I don't have any of their cards)

[CreditInspired]

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@Peach331 wrote:
Hi guys. My friends and I are discussing credit cards and we have a few questions.

Do you have to have a prior relationship with a bank to be approved for one of their cards?
Specifically Chase, NFCU, and Wells Fargo.

Has anyone had any personal success with being approved for one of these cards without first opening another type of bank account with them?

If not, are you able to open the bank account and apply for the card on the same day/same time?

If no prior relationship is needed, what are the best cards to start with even if not from these 3 banks?

We’re looking for cards that give high limits.

I know there are many variables that tie into the approval. But this is just generally asking if this is allowed.

Feel free to direct me to other threads if this has already been discussed.

Thanks in advance!

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First and foremost, the only way to get high limits on any card is to have a credit profile that merits high limits. Since we don't know your DPs, that question is extremely hard to answer. Now if you want to provide your 3 FICO scores, AAOAs, AoYA, income, UT, any baddies, we may be able to provide more help.

You definitely need to be a  member of NFCU (military or related affiliation). When I had Chase, I had no banking relatinship. I don't know about WF. 

Hope this helps.

[Peach331]

Thanks guys! Yes that was very helpful. Disregard the high limits part since it’s not really important on this particular thread. We mainly wanted to know about the relationship. Thanks so much!

[wasCB14]

I got a Chase Freedom as my first credit of any sort. Only a $600 CL, but good rewards. It probably helped that I was a Chase checking/savings customer.

Bank accounts aren't needed to get Chase cards, but they can help applicants with little or no history.

[Winesnoblv]

Last year I was approved for the Wells Fargo Propel AMEX card with no banking relationship with Wells.  I applied after receiving a mailer which was basically a marketing ploy, not a preapproval from Wells.  I was also able to get a sp cli after 6 months. 

[staticvoidmain]

Yes. All my credit cards are from banks I never had relationship with: Chase, Capital One, Citi, Barclays, American Express, Synchrony... and I do get multiple preapprovals from other banks as well like Wells Fargo and Bank of America to name a couple.

Credit card is a start of a relationship for many people. In fact I opened a banking account with Capital One and Amex years after I got their cards. I think Banks care about your credit profile a lot more than history. A notable exception in my case was Barclays.

[SouthJamaica]

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@Peach331 wrote:
Hi guys. My friends and I are discussing credit cards and we have a few questions.

Do you have to have a prior relationship with a bank to be approved for one of their cards?
Specifically Chase, NFCU, and Wells Fargo.

Has anyone had any personal success with being approved for one of these cards without first opening another type of bank account with them?

If not, are you able to open the bank account and apply for the card on the same day/same time?

If no prior relationship is needed, what are the best cards to start with even if not from these 3 banks?

We’re looking for cards that give high limits.

I know there are many variables that tie into the approval. But this is just generally asking if this is allowed.

Feel free to direct me to other threads if this has already been discussed.

Thanks in advance!

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No you don't need a relationship with the bank to get its credit cards.

Most credit unions grant credit cards only to members, but some allow you to apply for a credit card before you become a member.

[Shooting-For-800]

I have 2 credit cards with NFCU and $5 in a savings acct.

I have Propel AMEX and no other accounts with Wells Fargo.

I have a credit card and $5 in a savings account with PenFed.

See signature for others where I have no checking or savings except Regions.

[Anonymous]

Bank accounts aren't hugely profitable for banks. I have two US chequing accounts. Both are no fees and both never have more than a couple of hundred dollars in them except on bill paying days when money gets transferred in from Canada. I never pay with my debit card and only use my bank's machines for my rare cash withdrawals.

On a credit card they're getting that sweet swipe fee (and remember I use neither cash nor debit) and at least the possibility of someday getting an interest charge.

If anything, it would make more fiscal sense for banks to refuse bank accounts to customers who don't already have their credit card.