Is Epos Card's screening really lenient? Sorting out what is and isn't known from public information [August 2026]

* This article uses affiliate advertising (A8.net).

* The information provided is based on the official website and public information from each company as of August 2026. Approval is at the discretion of the card company and is not guaranteed. Please be sure to check the latest conditions on the official website.

You often see claims that "the screening is lenient" or "anyone can pass," but no card company discloses their actual screening criteria. All that is made public is the application requirements and the procedure flow.

In this article, we will separate speculation from public information.

To give you the conclusion first, all the official site discloses is the requirement of being "18 years or older (excluding high school students)" and the procedure flow. You can check the accurate information directly on the Epos Card official website application page. Below is a summary of that public information.

Furthermore, whether this card is right for you is a separate matter. If you don't use the benefits, there is little reason to choose it, so it is not too late to decide after reading the four cases where it is not suitable (coming soon).

What is written officially

The application requirements for the Epos Card are stated on the official website as follows.

• 18 years or older (excluding high school students)
• Must be a resident of Japan

There is no mention of a minimum annual income or specific occupation as an application requirement. Students, part-time workers, and full-time homemakers are also eligible to apply.

This is the extent of the "facts that can be confirmed officially." No criteria beyond this are disclosed.

The application requirements themselves are listed on the official website application page. You can also confirm here that the annual fee is free for life.

Screening time and receipt method

According to the official website, the screening takes as little as a few dozen minutes. The actual time required varies depending on the application details and the time of year.

There are two ways to receive the card.

• In-store pickup (Marui/Modi) — Same-day pickup is supported. Available on weekends and holidays as well.
• Mail — Approximately a few days to one week

Additionally, as a new member benefit, up to 2,000 yen worth (the content varies depending on the combination of application and receipt methods, such as 2,000 yen worth of Epos points for online application and mail delivery, or a 2,000 yen coupon usable at Marui for store pickup) is available. This is for first-time applicants only and is limited to once per person. Since the benefit details change depending on the time of year, please check the official website before applying.

Your options will change depending on whether there is a Marui/Modi nearby. You can check the store list and pickup procedures in the official website guide.

If you need the card in a hurry, store pickup is an option. However, you must go during the store's business hours, and you will need identification documents to pick it up.

If you are working backward from "when you need it in hand," the application deadline (coming soon) calculated from the start date of the Marui 10% off sale is a good reference.

Cases where screening takes time

Based on the publicly available information, the following are patterns that tend to take more time.

• Incomplete identification documents (e.g., address does not match current address, expired documents)
• Errors in input information (e.g., discrepancies in workplace phone number, annual income, or address formatting)
• When it is determined that employment verification is necessary

None of these mean you will be "rejected"; they are simply factors that cause "verification to take time." It may take 1 to 2 days to receive the results.

Things you can check yourself before applying

While the screening criteria are unknown, the factors you can prepare on your end are clear.

1. Be accurate with your declaration — Do not inflate your annual income or exaggerate your length of employment. Declaring information that differs from the facts will only work against you.

2. Ensure your identification documents match your application information — A typical stumbling block is failing to update the address on your driver's license after moving.

3. Do not apply for multiple cards at the same time in a short period — Application history is recorded in your credit report for a certain period. Applying to many companies at once can look suspicious to the screening side.

4. Check the payment status of mobile device installment plans — Device installments are considered "installment sales" and are recorded in your credit report. If you have any concerns, check to see if there are any accidental late payments remaining.

Points 3 and 4 apply to any card, not just the Epos Card.

Point 3, in particular, is a common stumbling block when getting your first card (4 judgment criteria that actually work for your first card (coming soon)). Even when adding cards, it is more efficient to decide on a combination that does not have overlapping roles (coming soon) before applying.

Regarding the expression "screening is easy"

Retail-affiliated cards are often described as having a wide entry point because one of their issuance purposes is to have customers use them at their own stores. The Epos Card falls into this category.

However, that does not mean you are "guaranteed to be approved."Approval results are determined individually by the card company, and there is no way to know the outcome in advance. Please keep in mind that this is not something that can be guaranteed by external articles, including this one.

What you can determine is not "whether you will be approved," but rather "if you are approved, is it worth it for you?" That part can be calculated (article calculating the annual value of benefits / article comparing 3 cards with 150,000 yen in monthly spending).

What to do if you are not approved

• Wait a certain period before reapplying — Application records in credit information generally disappear after 6 months. It is safer to avoid reapplying immediately.
• Clear up potential causes first — Resolve any overdue payments, ensure address information is consistent, etc.
• Consider a deposit-type card — There are also types of cards that set a usage limit by requiring a security deposit.

Things that matter after you get the card

Getting approved is not the goal, so I will write about what comes after.

• The annual fee is free for life, so there is no cost even if there are months when you don't use it.
• Overseas travel accident insurance is included, but as of October 2023, it is usage-based (application conditions are here).
• Invitations to Gold are offered based on usage history of the standard card, and if you apply via an invitation, the annual fee is free for life (the sequence for that is here).

The third point is surprisingly significant. There are limited routes to holding a Gold card with a 0 yen annual fee, and getting a standard card first is a prerequisite for that.

The standard card has a free annual fee for life, so there is no cost while waiting for an invitation. Start by viewing the details of the standard card with a free annual fee for life on the official website. is how you begin.

Summary

• The only things made public are the application conditions of "18 years or older (excluding high school students)" and the procedure flow.
• Approval criteria are not public. "Easy" or "strict" are merely external speculations.
• The three things you can manage yourself are: accuracy of declarations, consistency of documents, and avoiding simultaneous applications.
• If you are in a hurry, there is an option for in-store pickup.

Conditions and pickup methods may change, so please be sure to check the latest information on the official website before applying. → Check Epos Card application conditions and pickup methods on the official website

The article comparing the 3 cards by actual amounts is here, and the estimate of annual benefits is summarized here.