How to Increase Your Credit Score Fast?

A good credit score can make life a lot easier—it can help you get approved for a home loan, a personal loan, or even a credit card. Plus, you might score lower interest rates, which means you’ll save money in the long run.

In India, your credit score is usually provided by the Credit Information Bureau (India) Ltd (CIBIL). It ranges from 300 to 900, and anything between 700 and 900 is considered pretty good.

Let’s look at 7 simple ways you can improve your credit score and increase your chances of getting approved for credit.

1. Pay Your Bills on Time

Lenders want to see that you’re reliable with payments. If you often miss due dates or delay payments, it can hurt your score.

They usually focus on your payment history over the past 12 months. So, even if you’ve slipped up before, building a solid recent record can still work in your favor.

Tip: Set up auto-pay or reminders so you never miss a payment again.

2. Start Building Credit Early

It takes about 6–12 months of regular repayments to start building your credit history.

Your credit report shows how much you owe, whether you’ve paid on time, or gone over your limits. Without this info, lenders don’t know if they can trust you with money.

Start small—maybe buy a phone or appliance and pay in installments. A low-limit credit card is also a great way to build credit, as long as you use it responsibly and pay it off each month.

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3. Keep Your Credit Usage Low

This is called your credit utilization ratio—basically, how much of your credit limit you’re using. Try to keep this below 30%.

If you’re always maxing out your cards, lenders may think you’re not managing money well. If needed, ask for a higher credit limit to bring your ratio down—it actually shows lenders you’re trusted with more credit.

Another trick? Make two payments a month or set alerts so you don’t get too close to your limit.

4. Don’t Apply for Too Many Cards at Once

Every time you apply for credit, it triggers a “hard inquiry,” which can affect your score—especially if you’re applying for multiple cards in a short time.

Instead, ask lenders to do a “quotation search” instead of a full credit check when you’re comparing options. This won’t show up on your report. Always make sure you meet the eligibility criteria before applying.

5. Check Your Credit Report for Errors

Mistakes happen! Incorrect info or outdated data can hurt your score unnecessarily.

There are 4 main credit bureaus in India:

• CIBIL (TransUnion)
• Equifax
• Experian
• CRIF Highmark

If something doesn’t look right, request your credit report and file a dispute. It may take up to 30 days to resolve, but it’s worth it.

6. Pay Off Credit Card Balances on Time

Missing your credit card payment can seriously damage your score. If you can’t pay the full amount, at least pay the minimum due—this keeps your account from being reported as overdue.

Just remember, unpaid amounts will still collect interest. So, try to clear your balance in the next cycle to avoid extra charges and protect your score.

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7. Clear Any Outstanding Debt

Lingering debt drags down your credit score. To improve it, focus on paying off loans on time—or even earlier, if possible. Prepayments or foreclosing a loan shows responsible borrowing behavior, which boosts your creditworthiness.

How Long Does It Take to Rebuild Credit?

It depends. If your credit score took a big hit from something like defaulting on a loan or declaring bankruptcy, it could take years to fully recover. Negative marks may stay on your report for up to 7–10 years.

But don’t worry—with smart steps like the ones above, you could see real improvement in a matter of months or a couple of years.

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Moving Abroad? Transfer Your Credit with HSBC

If you’re relocating, your credit score doesn’t usually follow you. But if you’re an HSBC Premier customer, the bank can help transfer your credit history from India to another eligible country, making it easier to access credit in your new home. It’s subject to local rules, but definitely worth looking into.