Instant credit cards are usually piggybacked onto existing credit card financing and will stipulate in the fine print that in case of the borrower (the cardholder) dishonoring the debt the original qualifying credit card will be charged. The ability to get approved online or during business hours by a banking institution or credit union can enable emergency spending, bridge financing, business expenditure, and cash advances. Instant credit cards can save time and avoid the long process of "snailmail".

Express approval may be secured for instant credit cards due to existing cardholder status with a more junior credit line or credit card product. The kind of creditworthiness needed for this type of approval will have to be a high score with a log history of prompt payments and service to debt.

The addition to a normal load of debt with adequate assets might result in prompt approval of instant credit cards, but a negation due to debt load and poor credit history may be followed up with an examination of a credit history and a credit bureau scoring result.

But credit cards form a financial institution are not the only kind of instant credit cards that are available. Consumers can apply for retail store credit cards and obtain immediately expanded ability to finance a purchase such as a household appliance or big-box electronics device.

Instant credit and instant credit cards can be secured on the basis of existing credit history and current credit card indebtednesses, but use the purchases as a security interest in the loan funding the instant credit cards.