Easiest credit cards to get in Chile in 2026: requirements by issuer

Updated November 5, 2026. To get a credit card in Chile you almost always have to pass a credit assessment: the issuer reviews income, debts and payment behavior before approving a limit. What changes from one issuer to another is how much it asks for: some cards require a minimum income of CLP 7,000,000, and others are approved with a security deposit from CLP 50,000, with no prior credit history.

This guide gathers the requirements each issuer publishes on its website or in its official documents, checked on November 5, 2026. When an issuer does not publish the minimum income or age, the table says so. Strictly speaking, no "no-requirements" card exists: even secured cards require a valid ID and legal age.

The table lists the cards with the lowest published entry requirements we found, along with their cost. It can be sorted by column or searched by issuer. The monthly cost column is in pesos at the November 5, 2026 UF; for Tenpo Control it is the administration charge, not maintenance.

The gap in requirements is wide even within the same bank. Scotiabank publishes a net income from CLP 500,000 for its Visa Gold and from CLP 7,000,000 for the Visa Singular Infinite; Banco de Chile reports a minimum opening limit of CLP 500,000 for the Universal and CLP 2,500,000 for the Visa Infinite. For beginners, the widest doors are secured cards, student plans and retailer cards, which ask for age 21 and a valid ID.

The option with the fewest published barriers is the secured card. In Chile, Tenpo has offered one since 2024, first as the "Credit Card with Savings" and since 2026 as the Tarjeta Control. According to its official page, it is for people who have never had a credit card, had problems or want to start building a history, and it requires age 18 and a valid ID. The customer deposits a guarantee from CLP 50,000, which Tenpo invests in a term deposit and which becomes the credit limit.

• The deposit is not drawn down when buying: the statement must be paid every month. If 15 days pass without payment, Tenpo pays the debt with the deposit.
• The deposit is recovered only when closing the card, with zero debt, and the withdrawal is total.
• The limit is reviewed every 6 months based on payment behavior, and it can be raised by increasing the deposit.
• Cost: Tenpo's fee schedule as of October 15, 2026 shows CLP 0 maintenance and an administration charge of CLP 1,990 a month for the Tarjeta Control (CLP 23,880 a year). Installment purchases up to 50 UF carry a 3.41% monthly rate.

Tenpo says good payment behavior becomes visible to institutions supervised by the CMF. People with registered unpaid debts will not find an explicit rule about Dicom on Tenpo's page; before applying for any credit it is worth reviewing the steps in our guide on how to get out of Dicom. And for those who only need to pay by card without borrowing, BancoEstado's CuentaRUT requires no income and can be opened from age 12.

Non-bank issuers' cards are often many people's first credit card. According to the CMF 2025 Annual Report, as of December 2025 there were 9 non-bank issuers accounting for 18% of debtors in the system but only 6% of the amount used on cards, with 2.4 million active cards. Their loans grew 18.1% in real terms in 2025 and delinquency of 90 days or more rose to 6.7%.

At retailers the published requirement is usually short (age and ID), but the assessment still exists and the cost is higher than banks' entry cards: the Banco Ripley Mastercard charges 0.238 UF a month (about CLP 9,823) and abcvisa 0.27 UF (about CLP 11,144). Our comparison of CMR, Ripley, Lider Bci and Cencosud covers their rates and collection charges.

Fintechs have also opened doors. MACHBANK, Bci's digital bank, issues its credit card from the app, subject to assessment, and its checking account opens "with no requirements" and at CLP 0, according to its website. Tenpo says on its page that "everyone has an approved credit card", noting that granting it is subject to credit assessment. Mercado Pago announced a credit card in August 2026 that, according to its Marketplace director Rafael Lira, "gives access to many people who today have no access to credit", per Chócale; at the time of writing we found no published requirements.

Issuers do not publish their scoring models, but their product pages show what they ask for: identity (a valid ID and, for foreigners, permanent residence in Banco Ripley's case), ability to pay (net income at Scotiabank, minimum opening limit at Banco de Chile) and academic status for student plans. Banco Ripley adds that applicants must "meet the financial conditions associated with the commercial assessment", and Tenpo states on its page that granting the Standard card is "subject to credit assessment".

Debt information also matters. In its 2025 Annual Report the CMF reported progress on implementing the Consolidated Debt Registry, which it describes as key infrastructure for credit assessment. For someone starting from scratch, this means the first loan paid on time is what builds the financial track record later used to negotiate cheaper cards.

Common mistakes with a first card

• Treating cash advances like salary: they accrue interest from day one and, on some cards, a per-transaction charge (CMR charges 0.05 UF per advance).
• Paying only the minimum: under Rule 537 the minimum rises, but most of the principal still accrues interest of up to 41.02% a year on small debts.
• Applying for several cards at once: each adds fixed fees and potential debt that the next issuer will see when assessing.
• Forgetting the fee in months without use: many cards charge it anyway; Bci and Banco Ripley do not.

• Gather documents: valid ID; at banks, payslips or invoices; for student plans, an enrollment certificate and transcript. Banco de Chile says validating its Student Plan can take up to 72 hours.
• Ask for the summary sheet with the CAE, fee and approved limit before signing.
• Start with a limit you can pay in full each month: since June 2026 the minimum payment rises gradually under CMF Rule 537.
• Pay on time: payment history is what later gives access to cheaper cards with higher limits.

If you are a student, university plans are the route with the fewest income requirements; we compare them in credit cards for students. And once you have a history, our comparison of the best credit cards by bank shows each option's annual cost.

This information is journalistic and educational, not financial advice. Check the conditions and the total cost (CAE) with the institution before signing up.

Which credit card is easiest to get in Chile?

Among those reviewed, the one with the fewest published requirements is Tenpo's Tarjeta Control: age 18, a valid ID and a security deposit from CLP 50,000, with no prior history. The rest are subject to credit assessment.

Can you get a credit card with no income?

Yes, in some cases: Bci's University Plan states "no income" for students from their third year and aged 28 or under, and on the secured card the deposit sets the limit.

From what age can you have a credit card?

From age 18 for Tenpo's Tarjeta Control and Banco de Chile's Student Plan. Banco Ripley and Abcdin require age 21.

Can I get a credit card if I am in Dicom?

Issuers do not publish a single rule. Cards with assessment review unpaid debts; Tenpo's Tarjeta Control is presented for people who "had problems", but does not detail how it treats delinquency records.

Does a secured card help build a history?

According to Tenpo, yes: payment behavior on the Tarjeta Control becomes visible to institutions supervised by the CMF.