Unemployment Does Not Affect Epos Card Screening | Indices Published by CIC and 4 Preparations

What weighs most heavily when applying for a credit card while unemployed? It is the anxiety that "it's over the moment I write 'unemployed' in the occupation field."

This article answers that anxiety not from the perspective of personal experience, but from the perspective of the system itself.

I will state the conclusion first. Attributes such as occupation, annual income, place of employment, and age are not included at all in the credit information indices used in credit card screening. This is not a guess. It is information explicitly stated on the website of CIC (Credit Information Center Corp.), a designated credit information agency.

That said, there is certainly a place where income matters. However, that is only in one area.

If you understand that one area separately from the others, the things an unemployed person needs to do can be narrowed down to four. Conversely, if you think "it's hopeless because I'm unemployed" without making this distinction, you will likely overlook all the options available to you.

1. Conclusion | "Unemployment" is not included in screening indices at all

1-1. Screening is divided into two systems

Credit card screening is a mechanism where two investigations of different natures run in parallel.

The first system is the investigation of credit information. Credit card companies inquire with designated credit information agencies such as CIC. What comes back are the facts of past contracts and payments, as well as the index calculated by CIC.

The second system is the investigation of the expected amount capable of being paid. This is a calculation that the Installment Sales Act mandates for credit card companies, and income is included here.

These two have different purposes. The first system looks at "has this person paid as promised?" The second system calculates "up to how much can this person pay in the future?"

The state of being unemployed only affects the second system.

1-2. What is included/not included in the index

I will list the contents published by CIC exactly as they are.

Items used for index calculation (facts of transactions)

Contract details / Payment status / Deposit status / Application information, etc.

Items not used for index calculation (attributes)

Gender/Age / Place of employment, work history, educational background / Annual income, savings / Family structure, etc.

To quote CIC's expression directly, attribute information has "absolutely no relation" to the calculation of the index.

Being unemployed, having no place of employment, or having an annual income of zero will not lower this index by even a single point.

There are three things that lower the index: having failed to pay in the past, carrying a balance, and applying repeatedly over a short period. Even with an annual income of 10 million yen, the index will drop if there are delinquencies, and even if unemployed, the index will be high if there are no delinquencies.

1-3. The only place where being unemployed still has an impact

The second system is the estimated payable amount. I will break this down by formula in a later chapter.

To write the main point first, what enters this calculation is not "annual income" but "annual income, etc.," and savings are included. Even with zero annual income, if you have savings, the calculation result will not be zero.

What really causes you to fail when applying while unemployed is when you have neither income nor savings. It is not the fact of being unemployed itself.

2. Confirming Epos Card application requirements according to the official wording

2-1. 18 years of age or older (excluding high school students), no income requirements written

Epos Card application requirements can be confirmed in the official FAQ. When you read them, they are surprisingly short.

18 years of age or older (excluding high school students), residing in Japan. That is all.

"Having a stable income" or "having a place of employment." Such wording is not placed in the application requirements themselves. Only the point that you are ineligible while enrolled in high school, even if you have reached your 18th birthday, is attached separately from age.

2-2. How to handle the explanation that "screening is easy"

Epos Card is a retail-affiliated card of the Marui Group, so the screening is easy. This is a common explanation, isn't it?

However, since the screening criteria are not public, this explanation can neither be proven nor disproven. "Easy" and "strict" are all speculations from the outside.

Rather than applying based on speculation, it is more reliable to build your case only on publicly available facts. There are three things that are public: application requirements, the contents of credit information, and the formula for the estimated payable amount. This is enough.

2-3. Meeting application requirements and being approved are different things

Naturally, even if you meet the requirements, you may still be rejected during screening.

However, the design of the entrance is not set up to reject the unemployed. This fact is worth keeping in mind as a starting point. You do have the qualifications to apply.

3. The contents looked at during screening | 5 categories published by CIC

CIC began providing "Credit Guidance" to consumers on November 28, 2024, and to credit companies on April 1, 2025. It is a system that analyzes the credit information held by CIC to produce a 3-digit numerical value (index) between 200 and 800 and the reasons that particularly influenced that index (calculation reasons, up to 4 items).

CIC has disclosed the categories of information used for this index. There are five.

3-1. Payment Status

An item that looks at whether payments are being made properly against billing, based on "billed amount" and "payment amount."

Among the 5 categories, this is the item that is most easily understood and has the most impact. In the comparison between indices 480 and 690, which we will look at later, the difference here is the most significant.

3-2. Balance

An item that looks at the size of the balance held, based on the "outstanding balance."

Even if there are no delinquencies, a large balance works against you here. This is the reason why people who frequently use revolving payments do not see their index improve, even though they pay on time.

3-3. Number of Contracts

An item that looks at the number of contracts held to date, based on the number of credit information records.

It is not a simple matter of more being better or fewer being better. A state with no past contract history is treated as a state with no material for judgment.

3-4. Contract Duration

An item that looks at the length of the contract from the "contract date" to the present.

This can only be built over time. If you cancel unused cards one after another, you are discarding your oldest contract with your own hands. I will touch on this in detail in a later chapter.

3-5. Number of Applications

An item that looks at how many new applications have been made, based on the number of inquiries from credit companies.

The behavior of applying for the next card every time you are rejected will worsen this item yourself. Among the mistakes that unemployed people tend to make, this is the one that takes the longest to recover from.

3-6. Information Not Used (Attributes)

Let's confirm once more. Things not used in the calculation of the index: gender, age, place of employment, work history, educational background, annual income, savings amount, and family structure.

The unemployed are on this "unused" side.

4. Looking at the difference between index 480 and index 690 in numbers

CIC has published the trends of people with an index of 480 and those with an index of 690 as reference values. These are not self-proclaimed surveys from personal blogs. These are figures released by a credit information agency.

Percentage of people who paid on time for billing

Index 480 group: 35.3% / Index 690 group: 100%

Ratio of outstanding balance to credit limit (average)

Index 480 group: 27.1% / Index 690 group: 3.5%

Credit card cash advance outstanding balance (average)

Index 480 group: 115,000 yen / Index 690 group: less than 1,000 yen

Period from the conclusion of the credit contract to the present (average)

Index 480 group: 5 years / Index 690 group: 15 years

4-1. Percentage of on-time payments

The index 690 group pays all bills on time. 100%.

In the 480 group, only 35.3% are able to do this. In other words, about 2 out of 3 people have been late at some point.

4-2. Credit limit utilization rate

The 690 group uses only 3.5% of their card's usage limit on average. The 480 group uses 27.1%.

The habit of using up to the limit pushes down the index even if you are not late.

4-3. Cash advance outstanding balance

The 690 group has an average of less than 1,000 yen, while the 480 group has an average of 115,000 yen.

The outstanding balance of cash advances is an item viewed as significant relative to the amount.

4-4. Contract Period

The 690 tier averages 15 years, while the 480 tier averages 5 years.

A 10-year difference. This is the one thing you cannot shorten through effort starting now. That is precisely why the decision not to terminate the contracts you currently hold becomes meaningful.

4-5. What these four things mean for unemployed individuals

All four are,unrelated to whether or not you are working.

Keep to due dates. Do not overutilize your credit limit. Do not leave cash advances outstanding. Maintain contracts for a long time. Even during a period of unemployment, you should be able to do all four of these.

5. The only place where income matters | Estimated Payment Capacity under the Installment Sales Act

This is the second system.

5-1. Calculation formula

Credit card shopping limits have a maximum calculation based on the Installment Sales Act. Credit card companies are obligated to investigate the applicant's estimated payment capacity.

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Estimated Payment Capacity = Annual Income, etc. (Annual Income/Savings) - Living Expenses - Credit Debt (Annual Scheduled Payment Amount)

Revolving/Installment Limit (Maximum Amount) = Estimated Payment Capacity x within 90%

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In the calculation examples published by various credit card companies, a person with an annual income of 3.3 million yen, living expenses of 2.09 million yen, and annual scheduled payments of 500,000 yen has an estimated payment capacity of 710,000 yen, and the limit set from that is shown as 710,000 yen x 90% = approximately 600,000 yen.

5-2. 'Annual income, etc.' includes savings

This is the point most easily overlooked.

The left end of the formula is not 'annual income' but 'annual income, etc.', andsavings are included.

Even if your annual income is zero, your estimated payment capacity will not be zero if you have savings. If there is a field for savings on the application form, leaving it blank or entering an undervalued amount is an act of reducing your own credentials.

5-3. Living expenses vary depending on the number of household members and home ownership status

The living expenses deducted are not a flat amount. The system is designed to calculate them by taking into account the number of household members and whether or not you own your home.

Even with the same amount of savings, the results will differ depending on whether you are single, have dependents, or have housing cost burdens. There is no such thing as a fixed standard of 'how much you must have if you are unemployed'.

5-4. Shopping limits and cash advance limits are based on different laws

Not many articles distinguish between these two.

The basis for the shopping limit is the Installment Sales Act. The calculation of the estimated payable amount mentioned above falls under this.

The basis for the cash advance limit is the Money Lending Business Act. This is subject to the total volume regulation. This is a restriction stating that the total amount of loans must not exceed one-third of your annual income.

5-5. Why does it get stuck when an unemployed person requests a cash advance limit?

The total volume regulation is one-third of annual income. If your annual income is zero, one-third is also zero.

In other words, the moment an unemployed person requests a cash advance limit, that limit is institutionally almost impossible to establish. By requesting a limit that cannot be established, you introduce unnecessary friction into the entire application.

The reason for setting the cash advance limit to 0 yen for unemployed applicants is not because 'that is what is said.' It is because it cannot be established under the law. If you understand this, you will not be confused by this setting.

5-6. How the calculation changes based on the amount of savings (simulation)

Since actual living expenses vary depending on household circumstances, a flat amount cannot be provided. Here, assuming the same living expenses of 2.09 million yen used in the calculation example in 5-1, we will look at how the formula changes when only the savings amount of a person with zero annual income is adjusted.

Credit debt (scheduled annual payment amount) is assumed to be zero.

Savings of 0 yen → The estimated payable amount is negative in the calculation. No limit is established.

Savings of 1 million yen → The estimated payable amount is negative in the calculation. No limit is established.

Savings of 2.5 million yen → The estimated payable amount is 410,000 yen. The limit is approximately 360,000 yen.

Savings of 3 million yen → The estimated payable amount is 910,000 yen. The limit is approximately 810,000 yen.

Savings of 5 million yen → The estimated payable amount is 2.91 million yen. The limit is approximately 2.61 million yen.

*Living expenses vary depending on the number of household members and home ownership status. The 2.09 million yen above is a figure tentatively applied from the calculation example in 5-1 and is not the amount applied to unemployed individuals. The actual determination amount depends on each company's calculations.

What this calculation shows is not the correct amount, but rather the structure of the formula.

Even if your annual income is zero, if your savings exceed your living expenses, the calculation result will be positive. Conversely, as long as your savings are below your living expenses, no credit limit will be generated from this calculation, no matter how clean your credit information is.

Which side are you on? If you figure this out beforehand, you can decide whether you should apply now or wait until your savings accumulate. Estimating before you apply is much faster than waiting six months after being rejected.

6. [By Type] Which Unemployment Status Is Easier to Get Approved?

Even though we use the single word 'unemployed,' the treatment from the perspective of the system is not the same. Let's break this down.

6-1. Full-time Homemakers

The Epos Card application screen provides an option for full-time homemakers (no personal income).

In the calculation of the estimated payable amount, the household situation is taken into account. Even if personal income is zero, the payment ability of the household is considered. Among the unemployed, this is likely the most well-defined status under the system.

6-2. Students (18 years or older, excluding high school students)

Students meet the application requirements. Whether or not they have a part-time job is not included in the requirements themselves.

On the other hand, their credit information is almost blank. This is a typical case where the index comes back as 'could not be calculated.' It is not that there is a bad record, but simply that there is no material for judgment.

6-3. Immediately After Resignation / Between Jobs

If it has been a short time since you resigned, information about your previous job or plans for your next job may be included in the application details.

What is important here is the cards you already hold. The contract period and payment history of cards created while employed do not disappear even if you resign. Maintaining your existing contracts is more advantageous for the index than applying for a new one.

6-4. Pension Recipients

A pension is a continuous income. If there is a corresponding option on the application form, select it; if not, write the actual situation under 'Other'.

In the calculation of the estimated payable amount, the pension is treated as income.

6-5. People Living on Savings

Income is zero, but there are savings. That is the situation.

As written in 5-2, savings are included in the calculation. This group often self-judges that 'it is impossible because I am unemployed' and does not apply. This is likely the most misunderstood group under the system.

6-6. Three common points for those who struggle to pass

Regardless of the type, the following three points are viewed seriously.

There is a delinquency (transfer). Payment delays of 61 days or more or 3 months or more are registered as a "transfer." This information continues to be registered for 5 years after the contract ends. If this applies to you, there is no need to look at anything else.

Applying to multiple companies in a short period. Application information remains for 6 months from the inquiry date. This hits one of the 5 categories directly.

Information such as address and phone number remains outdated. This is also included in the conditions where the index cannot be calculated. However, this is an item you can fix yourself.

7. Four things to do before applying

7-1. Check your own index and calculation reasons in advance via CIC disclosure

Before applying, you can check your own credit information yourself.

Internet disclosure Fee is 500 yen. Reception is daily from 8:00 to 21:45.

Mail disclosure Fee is 1,500 yen. It will arrive in about 1 week to 10 days after application.

If you check "I wish for credit guidance" when applying, the index and calculation reasons will be displayed in addition to your credit information.There is no additional fee.

The calculation reasons shown are the transaction facts that influenced the index. Up to 4 items are displayed in text, in descending order of impact. You can read exactly what is holding you back.

Rather than searching for reasons for rejection by guessing, it is faster to pay 500 yen and see the actual report. It is also more reliable. You can receive the disclosure report as a PDF.

7-2. Apply with a cash advance limit of 0 yen

The reason is as stated in 5-5. With an annual income of zero, the upper limit of the total volume regulation also becomes zero. Apply only for the shopping limit.

7-3. Enter savings accurately

As stated in 5-2, savings are included in the estimated payable amount. If there is an input field, write it accurately.

Writing an excessive amount is a falsehood. Writing too little is to your own disadvantage. Just write the actual amount.

7-4. Apply to one company at a time, and wait 6 months if rejected

Application information is registered for 6 months from the inquiry date. Moreover, the "number of applications" is one of the 5 categories of the index.

Once you apply to one company, do not apply to another until you receive the results. If you are rejected, wait 6 months. Here, patience directly translates into results.

8. CIC Disclosure Procedure (As of August 2026)

In 7-1, I wrote 'Let's disclose.' However, there are sticking points in the actual procedure. I have separated this into a new chapter because some people waste 500 yen just here.

8-1. What to prepare

• My Number Card (with a valid electronic signature certificate)

• Smartphone (Safari for iPhone, Chrome for Android)

• Myna Pocket App (Provided by NTT Data. Download in advance)

• A phone with the number registered at CIC

• Email address

• Payment method (described later)

The initial disclosure can only be processed via smartphone. It cannot be done on a computer. If your electronic certificate has expired, you cannot use online disclosure and must proceed by mail.

8-2. Flow of STEP 1 to 8

STEP 1 Download the Myna Pocket app, return to the CIC website, and confirm the terms of use

STEP 2 Confirm the payment method

STEP 3 Obtain a 6-digit reception number via voice guidance from the phone number registered with CIC

STEP 4 Enter the reception number and the phone number used for retrieval on the consent screen

STEP 5 Verify your identity using your My Number Card via Myna Pocket

STEP 6 Enter the required information

STEP 7 Pay the usage fee

STEP 8 Download the disclosure report (PDF)

The number to obtain a reception number is 0570-021-717, and the required time is about 1 minute and 50 seconds. The obtained reception number is valid for 1 hour, so complete the download within 1 hour of obtaining it.

Once the download button appears, press it within 5 minutes. If you exceed 5 minutes or press it more than 5 times, you will not be able to open it on the spot.

8-3. The Most Common Mistake | The Phone Number for Obtaining a Reception Number

This is the biggest pitfall.

You must obtain the reception number from a phone number that has been registered with the credit company and is also registered with CIC.

Even if you obtain it from a different phone number, the reception number itself will be issued. The procedure will also proceed to the end. However, what you will get back is either a response saying "No information was found" or an error.

Furthermore, even if the result is "No information was found," a usage fee will be charged.

People who have changed their numbers due to moving or changing devices, or those who remember signing a contract using a landline at their parents' home. This is where you lose 500 yen. If you have any suspicions, check the details registered with the card company before you start.

8-4. When Fees Are Charged / When They Are Not

CIC clearly states this.

Charged

• When the disclosure report is displayed

• When "No credit information was registered with CIC" is displayed

Not charged

• When you only obtained a reception number but did not request disclosure

• When you proceeded to the input screen but interrupted the process without pressing the final confirm button

• When an error message is displayed instead of a disclosure report

• In the case of re-disclosure

You will be charged even if the result is "Not registered." This is important for those who have never held a credit card. It costs 500 yen even if the result is empty.

8-5. Payment Methods: What You Can and Cannot Use

You can use PayPay, Rakuten Pay, credit cards, and carrier billing (d-Barai, au PAY, SoftBankまとめて支払い, Y!mobileまとめて支払い) for payment.

There are three points to note.

Only cards in your own name can be used; family cards are not accepted.

Cards that do not support 3D Secure 2.0 cannot be used.

When paying via PayPay, Rakuten Pay, or carrier billing, the reception number can only be obtained from a mobile phone. It cannot be obtained from a landline.

For those who are unemployed and do not have a credit card, the available paths are PayPay, carrier billing, or a JCB debit card.

8-6. Re-disclosure When You Fail to Download the Disclosure Report

If it is within 96 hours of the initial disclosure, re-disclosure is free.

If you closed the screen or could not open the PDF, please follow the re-disclosure procedure within 96 hours. However, you will need the re-disclosure reception number (select transaction type '2' in the voice guidance). The reception number used for the initial disclosure will not work.

After 96 hours, it will cost 500 yen again.

8-7. Investigation Request System for Incorrect Information

The information disclosed is registered by CIC member companies.

If the disclosed content is factually incorrect, there is an investigation request system to verify the facts. You can receive guidance on usage and procedures by calling the CIC national common dial (0570-666-414, Mon-Fri 10:00-16:00).

This system is used when there is a record of a late payment you do not recognize, or if a record remains even after you have paid in full. Some people give up, assuming that 'what is recorded cannot be changed,' but there is a proper path provided to correct it.

9. Flow from Application to Receipt

9-1. Three Application Paths

There are three application paths for the Epos Card: online application, in-store application, and mail.

If you are unemployed and not in a hurry, the path itself will not change the screening result. Only if you are in a hurry can you use the in-store pickup method described below.

9-2. Flow for In-Store Pickup (As Soon As Same Day)

Epos Card officially provides information on "same-day issuance."

When applying online, if you select "Pick up at a store/facility" as the receipt method, you can pick up your Epos Card at an Epos Card Center as early as the same day. If you have business at a Marui store, you can also go directly to an Epos Card Center to complete the procedure.

The process is: apply online → screening → notification that it is ready for pickup → pick up at an Epos Card Center. Some articles state that the time required at the store is about 30 minutes, but this is not a figure guaranteed by the official source. It varies depending on congestion and screening status.

9-3. Items to bring

• Identity verification documents

• A cash card or bankbook and the registered seal for the financial institution to set up the withdrawal account

If you do not have an identity verification document with a photo, you will need to combine your health insurance card with supplementary documents such as a certificate of residence or a utility bill receipt. Since the required combinations may change, check the official guide before you go.

9-4. If the pickup deadline has passed

If you choose in-store pickup, it will automatically switch to mail delivery if the pickup period (generally one week) passes. This does not mean the card becomes invalid.

9-5. The significance of in-store pickup for unemployed individuals

If you are not in a hurry, mail delivery should be fine.

However, in-store pickup has a secondary benefit. Since staff verify your identity documents and account information on the spot, it is less likely that your application will be returned due to incomplete documentation. For those who are anxious about their application details, face-to-face processing should result in fewer setbacks.

10. Filling out the application form | How to avoid lying in the occupation field

10-1. Available options

The Epos Card application screen provides options such as full-time housewife/househusband (no personal income) and homemaker. If you are receiving a pension or unemployment benefits, or if there is a category that fits your actual situation, select the corresponding item.

If there is no applicable item, select "Other" and write your actual situation if there is a details field.

10-2. Classification of states that fall under "unemployed"

Decide in advance which category you fall into.

• Engaged in housework → Full-time housewife/househusband, homemaker

• Currently enrolled in school → Student

• Retired and job hunting → Select the applicable item, or describe the situation in "Other"

• Living on a pension → Select the applicable item, or describe the situation in "Other"

• Living on savings → Describe the situation in "Other"

The purpose of classification is not to choose items that are easy to pass. Choose items that match your actual situation.

10-3. How false information comes back to haunt you later

The handling of false information in an application is stipulated in the card company's membership agreement.

If discovered, it can lead to contract termination or a demand for full payment. Furthermore, the timing of discovery is not limited to the time of application. Card companies regularly check credit information even after the contract is signed (see "ongoing credit monitoring" below).

A single line written to pass the screening could cause you to lose the contract itself years later. That is the structure.

10-4. Making a decision when in doubt

When in doubt, do not choose the item that seems easiest to pass, but rather the item you can explain.

Instead of writing lies to pass, preparing the conditions to pass first is a shortcut in the end. The cost of waiting 6 months to improve your index versus the risk of contract termination. The answer should be clear when you compare them.

11. Three cases where the index is reported as "could not be calculated"

Sometimes an index is not generated even after disclosure. CIC has already published those conditions.

11-1. Only contracts less than 6 months old

This happens to people who have only recently opened one account.

11-2. Only contracts marked as "transferred"

A state where there are long-term payment delays, etc. "Transferred" refers to payment delays of 61 days or more, or 3 months or more.

11-3. When information such as phone numbers has not been updated

If you have not notified the card company of a move or a change in phone number, you will be in this state. This is the only one of the three that you can fix yourself.

11-4. Handling for people who have never held a card

A so-called blank state. It is not that there is a bad record, but simply that there is insufficient information for judgment.

What you need to understand is that a blank state is not "bad" point. However, it is not "good" either. The card company will make a judgment based on other materials.

12. CIC is not the only credit information agency | 3 agencies and CRIN

Many articles dealing with applications from unemployed individuals only cover CIC. However, there are three credit information agencies in Japan.

12-1. Differences in the roles of CIC/JICC/KSC

CIC is mainly joined by credit card companies and credit sales companies. It is a designated credit information agency based on the Installment Sales Act and the Money Lending Business Act that handles credit transaction information.

JICC is mostly joined by money lenders, including consumer finance companies.

KSC (Japanese Bankers Association) handles bank-related transactions.

12-2. Information shared via CRIN

The three agencies share some information through a network called CRIN. The information shared includes negative information such as delinquency, subrogation, personal declaration information, and personal bankruptcy.

If there is an incident in one place, it can affect screenings involving other agencies. It is not the case that because a card company is only a member of CIC, the others do not matter.

12-3. Disclosure can be requested from all three locations

If you want to know your status accurately, you can request disclosure from each of the three agencies.

If you are focusing on credit card screening, CIC is sufficient. However, if you remember using consumer finance or bank loans in the past, it is worth checking JICC and KSC as well.

13. After being approved | A realistic path to an Epos Gold card with no annual fee

13-1. Distinguishing between officially confirmed conditions and undisclosed conditions

This is an area where numbers vary depending on the writer. I will write about them separately.

Things that can be confirmed in official guidance: It is stated that the Epos Gold Card will have no annual fee from the following year onwards if the annual usage amount reaches 500,000 yen or more. If you apply directly, there is an annual fee for the first year.

Things that are not publicly disclosed: The conditions for receiving an invitation from a general card to a gold card. This is not disclosed.

13-2. The accurate positioning of the "500,000 yen per year" figure

I often see articles asserting that "an invitation will arrive if you spend 500,000 yen per year," but this is not an official invitation condition.

500,000 yen is the figure provided as the usage threshold for making the annual fee free for the following year and beyond and is not a publicly stated condition for an invitation.

Mixing these two up leads to claims like "I spent 500,000 yen but didn't get an invitation." The accuracy of an article changes simply by not mixing them up.

13-3. Invitation conditions are not public

The benchmarks discussed externally are all speculations based on user observations. They are useful if treated as speculations, but you will make the wrong judgment if you accept them as definitive figures.

The only thing that can be said for certain is the general rule that having payment delays works to your disadvantage.

13-4. The reality of accumulating usage amounts while unemployed

500,000 yen per year while unemployed. In many cases, this will not be realistic.

Pushing yourself to spend more than your living expenses here is counterproductive. From the perspective of the index, an increase in the utilization rate of your credit limit is also disadvantageous (4-2).

13-5. Reasons not to use cash advances and revolving payments (from the index perspective)

The average cash advance balance for the 690 index tier was less than 1,000 yen (4-3).

Trying to reach a usage amount to make the annual fee free by using cash advances or revolving payments is counterproductive. This approach simultaneously worsens two items in the index (balance and cash advance balance). You will likely lose more than you gain.

14. If you are already a cardholder and become unemployed

14-1. Cards obtained while employed can continue to be used after becoming unemployed

The contract does not automatically terminate upon resignation. You can continue to use the card you have.

Furthermore, the contract period and payment history of that contract continue to accumulate. From the perspective of the index, what is most valuable during a period of unemployment is a contract you already hold.

14-2. The mechanism of ongoing credit monitoring

Card companies periodically check credit information even after a contract is signed. This is ongoing credit monitoring.

The "inquiry record" in CIC is information representing the fact of this check, and it is registered for 6 months from the date of inquiry.

If delays with other companies are discovered during ongoing credit monitoring, your credit limit may be reviewed or your usage may be suspended. Conversely, as long as you continue to make payments, the resignation itself is not a mechanism that is immediately reflected.

14-3. Handling at the time of renewal

It is common for credit information to be checked even at the time of expiration date renewal.

If there are no problems with payments, it is not determined that renewal will be denied simply because you are unemployed. Here, too, payment status is more important than attributes.

14-4. Notification of change of occupation

It is usually stipulated in the membership agreement that you must notify the company if there are any changes to the application details.

Many people are unsure whether they should report it. However, the yardstick for judgment is simple.If the obligation to notify is written in the agreement, reporting it is acting in accordance with the contract. Compare the short-term peace of mind gained by not reporting it with the risk of continuing to hold a state of breach of contract.

15. How to act when you are rejected

15-1. First, isolate the cause (attributes or index)

The reason for rejection is not disclosed. However, you can isolate it.

Let's look at the index and calculation reasons in the CIC disclosure. If the calculation reasons point out payment status or the number of applications, the cause is on the credit information side. If the index is high and there are no problems with the calculation reasons, the cause is on the side of the estimated payment capacity, that is, income and savings.

Once you can isolate this, what you do next changes. If it is the former, it will recover over time. If it is the latter, you will have to wait until your savings or household situation changes, or try lowering the requested credit limit.

15-2. Wait at least 6 months before reapplying

This is because the retention period for application information is 6 months from the date of inquiry. If you apply repeatedly during this period, the number of applications item will deteriorate.

15-3. Use the 6 months to cultivate your index

The 6 months you wait. You don't have to leave it blank.

Continue to pay for existing contracts (installment payments for mobile devices, etc., can also be included) on time. Of the 5 categories of the index, three—payment status, balance, and contract duration—will move during this time.

At the same time, if your address and phone number information is outdated, notify the card company to update it. You can resolve the state described in 11-3.

If you set tasks for each month, it will look like this.

Things to do in the first month

Check your index and the reasons for its calculation via CIC disclosure. If your address or phone number is outdated, notify the card company.

Things to do consistently for months 1 to 6

Do not miss a single payment on your current obligations (credit cards, mobile device installments, etc.).

Keep your usage within 30% of your credit limit. Pay off any cash advance balances in full.

Do not apply for new credit (application information disappears 6 months after the inquiry date).

Things to do in the 6th month

Request a CIC disclosure again. Apply only after confirming that the reasons for the calculation have improved.

Requesting two disclosures will cost 1,000 yen, but you can move forward after confirming the changes in numbers. This is a cheap price to pay compared to the cost of applying blindly and having to wait another 6 months.

15-4. If you absolutely need a payment method

There are methods that do not involve screening or have lighter screening requirements.

Debit cardsare deducted immediately from your account balance. Since no credit is extended, they can often be obtained even if you are unemployed.

Prepaid cardscan be used within the amount you have charged.

Family cardsare issued based on the credit of the primary cardholder. The condition is that you must be a family member of the primary cardholder.

However, none of these are of a nature that builds up as a contract in your credit information. It is important to understand this.

15-5. The system of self-declared information

CIC has a system where you can register information declared by yourself. The retention period is within 5 years from the registration date, and it can be deleted within that period upon your request.

This is used for situations such as having lost your ID or being concerned about identity theft. It is not a system directly related to applications by the unemployed. However, it is one of the things you can do actively regarding your own credit information. It is worth knowing about.

16. What happens during an immediate rejection, often called a "instant kill"

Receiving a rejection notice immediately after applying. Some people call this an "instant kill." This is the scenario that unemployed applicants fear the most, isn't it?

16-1. It is over before a human even looks at it

Like many card companies, Epos Card performs an automatic assessment the moment an application is received. Credit information inquiries are also handled mechanically at this stage.

If an application is rejected here, the conclusion is reached before a human ever reads the application details. That is why it is fast. It is not that the screening process is sloppy; it is simply that applications are dropped early based on conditions the machine can detect.

16-2. Conditions detectable by machines are limited

Automatic assessments only look at what the machine can read as numerical data. This includes the presence or absence of delinquency registered in credit information, the number of application records, existing contracts and balances, and the consistency of the information entered in the application form.

The attribute of being unemployed itself is not included in the index for this assessment (Chapter 3). What separates the assessment results is something else linked to that.

16-3. Three conditions that easily lead to instant rejection

There is delinquency in credit information. This refers to a state where payment delays of 61 days or more, or 3 months or more, are registered. This information remains registered for 5 years after the contract ends. If you fall into this category, the assessment ends without looking at any other factors.

Applications are lined up in a short period. Application information remains for 6 months from the date of inquiry. If you keep applying for the next card every time you are rejected, this number of records will accumulate.

The input content is inconsistent. The phone number does not match past registrations. The address format is inconsistent. The combination of annual income and occupation cannot be explained. Even if you are not writing lies, if you submit with old information, you will hit this wall.

16-4. What you can do to avoid instant rejection

Of the three, the only one you can take action on right now is the third one.

If your address or phone number differs from what you have registered with the card company, fix it first. This also overlaps with the "conditions that make it impossible to calculate an index" mentioned in Chapter 11. These are items you can correct yourself.

The first and second points can only be resolved with time. That is precisely why it makes sense to check your own status via a CIC disclosure before applying (Chapters 7 and 8). If you pay 500 yen to see the actual report, you will know whether you will be instantly rejected before you even apply.

16-5. "Rejected during instant issuance" does not necessarily mean a final rejection

Epos Card has a path for same-day receipt (Chapter 9). If a result was not produced through this path, it may simply mean that a decision could not be made on the spot and the application has been forwarded to the standard screening process.

Not getting a conclusion on the spot is different from being rejected. If you apply for the next card without waiting for the official notification, only the number of application records will increase.

17. The reason to have one card during a period of unemployment

Up to this point, we have discussed "whether you will pass." This chapter is about "whether you need one in the first place."

A period of unemployment is a time to tighten spending. It might seem counterintuitive to get a credit card. In reality, it is the opposite. It makes sense to secure one payment method precisely during a period of unemployment.

17-1. The longer you have no income, the harder it is to see the outline of your spending

When income stops, household management changes from focusing on "how much comes in" to only "how much goes out."

If you pay with cash, the amount spent simply disappears from your hands. No record remains. With a card, the details of when, where, and how much you spent remain on your statement. During a period of unemployment, this record is more valuable than the rewards rate.

17-2. There are situations where a payment method is required for rental contracts and rent guarantees

When moving, you will go through the screening process of a rent debt guarantee company. Depending on the company, they may require you to specify a card as your payment method.

At this time, if you do not have a single card, your options will decrease on the spot.If there is a possibility that you will move during your period of unemployment, it is easier to act if you have already obtained a card.

Epos Card has a form linked to the Marui Group's rent guarantee service. However, this is determined by the circumstances of the property and the management company. Prior confirmation is required.

17-3. There are situations where you need a grace period for sudden payments

Medical expenses, repair costs, travel expenses. Even during a period of unemployment, unavoidable payments will arise.

If you pay with a card, the money is actually withdrawn from your account from the following month onwards.This is not a suggestion to take on debt. It is about having one means to shift your payment due date yourself. It is a preparation to ensure you do not have days where your cash on hand is zero.

Cashing is a different matter. As written in Chapter 5, with an annual income of zero, the limit for the total volume regulation is also zero. You cannot use it, and you should not use it.

17-4. A low credit limit is not a drawback, but a safeguard

If you apply while unemployed, your credit limit will be low even if you are approved. It could be 100,000 or 200,000 yen.

Some people feel dissatisfied with this. However, if you are limited to a period of unemployment, a low credit limit is actually advantageous. This is because overspending is structurally prevented.

In addition, as seen in Chapter 4,the ratio of the balance to the credit limit is one of the items in the index. The group with an index of 690 uses only 3.5% of their limit on average. Even if your limit is small, as long as you use little within it, you will not be at a disadvantage in terms of the index.

17-5. A contract accumulates time just by holding it

Finally, this is the biggest reason.

Of the four items seen in Chapter 4, only the contract period can be built solely through time. The group with an index of 690 had an average of 15 years, and the group with 480 had an average of 5 years.

A card obtained during a period of unemployment also begins to accumulate contract time from that day on.There is a difference in the track record you will have in five years between getting one after you find employment and getting one now.

If you are in a position to get one during your period of unemployment, it will likely be easier for you later if you do so.

18. How much will the credit limit be?

18-1. No uniform initial value is published

How much the initial credit limit will be. Not limited to Epos Card, no credit card company publishes this.

The only thing known is the calculation formula in Chapter 5. The shopping limit is set within 90% of the amount remaining after subtracting living expenses and credit debt from annual income, etc. (including savings).

18-2. Why the limit is small for unemployed applicants

Because the left side of the calculation formula is small. If annual income is zero, only savings remain. Living expenses are subtracted from that.

As seen in the trial calculation in Chapter 5, as long as savings are below living expenses, no limit is generated from this calculation. Even if it exceeds them, 90% of the difference is the upper limit.

The small limit is not because you were evaluated poorly in the screening. It is the result of the formula.

18-3. Two paths to increase the limit later

Temporary limit increases are applied for when there are specific circumstances, such as moving or making a large purchase. The limit is raised for a set period.

Permanent limit increases are applied for after building up a track record of usage and payments. Since the estimated payable amount is recalculated here as well, it will not be approved unless your income or savings situation has changed.

Both involve screening. Aiming for a permanent increase while unemployed is likely not realistic.

18-4. Rather than increasing the limit, do not decrease it

What you should do during the period of unemployment is not to increase it. It is to not let it decrease.

If you follow the four items in Chapter 4, keep to the due dates, stay within 30% of the limit, do not leave cash advances, and do not terminate the contract. Just by doing this, your index will not drop. A state where the limit remains small but the index is high. This is the easiest state to move from after you find employment.

19. Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Will I be rejected at the time of application if I am unemployed?

The application conditions for an Epos Card are being 18 years of age or older (excluding high school students), and the presence or absence of income is not included in the conditions. You can apply.

Q. If I am rejected, will it be recorded in my credit information that I was "rejected"?

What is recorded in the CIC application information is the inquiry date, product name, planned contract amount, planned number of payments, inquiry company name, etc. It is not an item that records the approval or rejection itself. However, the fact that you applied remains for 6 months.

Q. How much savings do I need to be approved?

There is no publicly available uniform standard. Since the estimated payable amount is calculated by subtracting living expenses (which vary based on household size and home ownership status) and credit debt, the required amount varies from person to person.

Q. What should my index score be?

There is no publicly available passing score. CIC also clearly states that the index is just one piece of information that card companies refer to, and that screening is conducted comprehensively by each company. Approval is not determined by the index alone.

Q. Can I show my index to others?

CIC advises against providing it to third parties. In addition, there is a procedure (free of charge) to stop providing it to credit companies. You can also cancel this suspension.

Q. Can I request disclosure as many times as I want?

Online disclosure is accepted daily from 8:00 to 21:45. It costs 500 yen per request. You can re-download the disclosure report for free within 96 hours.

Q. I am a student, but my index was not calculated. Will I be rejected?

The fact that an index is not calculated is separate from being rejected in the screening process. It is possible that you meet the condition of only having contracts less than 6 months old. It does not mean you have a bad record.

Q. Should I cancel cards I don't use?

Contract duration is one of the five categories of the index, and it can only be built up over time. If you are organizing your cards, the correct approach is likely to keep the ones with the oldest contract dates.

Q. I received a rejection notice immediately after applying. What happened?

This means a conclusion was reached through an automated judgment. It comes back quickly because it is finished before a person reads the application details. The three conditions that easily cause this are: changes in credit information, a accumulation of applications within 6 months, and inconsistencies in the entered information (Chapter 16).

Q. I didn't get a result with instant issuance. Does that mean I was rejected?

It just means a decision wasn't made on the spot, and it may have been moved to the regular screening process. If you apply for the next card without waiting for the official notification, only the application information will increase.

Q. My credit limit was 100,000 yen. Isn't that too low?

This is the result of the calculation of the estimated payable amount (Chapter 5 and Chapter 18). If your annual income is zero, the upper limit is 90% of the difference after subtracting living expenses from your savings. It does not mean you were evaluated poorly.

Q. If I get a card while I am unemployed, will it be disadvantageous after I get a job?

It will not. The contract starts accumulating duration from the day it is created. The average contract duration for the 690 index tier is 15 years. The longer you wait to get a job, the more that accumulation is delayed (Chapter 17).

Q. If I set the cash advance limit to 0 yen, can I add it later?

You will apply for it later. However, because of the total volume regulation, you cannot get it while you have no income. The upper limit is one-third of your annual income, so if your annual income is zero, the limit is also zero.

Q. I am receiving unemployment benefits. Can I list this as income?

If there is a corresponding option on the application form, select it; if not, select "Other" and enter the actual situation. How benefits are treated in the calculation of the expected payment amount is determined by each company's own calculations and is not publicly disclosed. Prioritize writing the actual situation.

Q. Can I have a family card without a screening?

Since it is issued based on the primary cardholder's credit, it is unlikely that you will be rejected due to your own credit information, but that does not mean there is no screening. In addition, since the use of a family card is recorded as the primary cardholder's contract, it does not accumulate as your own contract period (Chapter 15).

20. Sources

• Designated Credit Information Agency CIC, "Credit Information Held by CIC" (Retention periods and registration items for application information, credit information, usage records, and personal declaration information)

• Designated Credit Information Agency CIC, "Credit Guidance" (Range of indices, 5 categories used for calculation, not using attributes, reference values of 480/690 for indices, disclosure fees, cases where calculation is not possible, suspension of provision)

• Designated Credit Information Agency CIC, "What is Information Disclosure"

• Epos Card FAQ, "From what age can I apply for an Epos Card?"

*This article is based on information published by each company as of August 7, 2026. Systems, fees, and conditions are subject to change. Please check the latest information from each company before applying.

*Screening criteria are not publicly disclosed by any company. This article is written within the scope of publicly available systems and statistics and does not guarantee screening results.