Federal law, specifically the Equal Credit Card Opportunity Act, requires lenders to provide written notice if they deny your credit card application. According to this law, when your credit card application is declined, the written notification must contain the following two important pieces of information: a. Specific reasons for rejecting the credit card application (or a method of finding these reasons); b. If a credit report was used in making the decision, the name and address of the agency that issued the credit report. If your credit card application has been declined, here are some steps you can take to increase your chances of continuing with your application: Step 1: Figure out why you were declined. Lenders will usually state the reasons for rejecting your application in the rejection letter. If you are still unclear about the reason for rejection, you can ask for specific information. Sometimes it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact reason why your application was denied because there are so many different factors involved in these decisions. Don't be shy about asking questions, as the information you gain can help you improve your credit profile so you may qualify for a credit card in the future. Step 2: Get your credit report. If a lender uses your credit report in deciding whether to issue you a credit card, you are entitled to receive a free copy of the report. You must request this report within 60 days of denial, do not wait to order it. Read the report carefully to make sure it is accurate and complete. If you do find errors, you should address them directly to the credit card bureau. Errors will be requested to be investigated and corrected if necessary. If you believe that an error on your report caused your application to be denied, you can ask the credit card bureau to send the lender a corrected report to see if the lender can re-examine your application. Step 3: Try again and consider applying for a credit card with a lower initial limit. All lenders have different approval standards, and just because you're not approved by one issuer doesn't mean that others won't be. Try another financial institution, but be careful not to apply for more than four or five credit cards in a six-month period.