Best Credit Cards for International Students With No Income in Spain

Best Credit Cards for International Students With No Income in Spain 

Finding a credit card in Spain as an international student with no salary can be difficult. A credit card allows you to spend borrowed money, so Spanish banks normally need evidence that you can repay the balance.

Students without employment may still have options, especially if they receive a scholarship, maintain savings, obtain support from a family member or build a reliable relationship with a Spanish bank. However, no legitimate bank can guarantee approval without reviewing the applicant’s financial circumstances.

This guide explains the best credit card options for international students with no income in Spain, along with safer debit-card alternatives.

Can You Get a Credit Card With No Income in Spain?

It is possible to submit an application, but approval is unlikely when the applicant has no salary, scholarship, savings or other reliable financial support.

The Bank of Spain explains that lenders must evaluate a customer’s solvency before granting credit. The bank considers whether the applicant can repay the borrowed money based on their personal and financial circumstances.

Credit-card providers may examine:

• Regular salary or scholarship payments.
• Savings held in the account.
• Monthly rent and living expenses.
• Existing loans and credit limits.
• Account overdrafts or returned payments.
• Length of residence in Spain.
• Internal banking history.
• Information available through Spanish credit databases.

CaixaBank, for example, publicly lists regular income and successful completion of its solvency analysis among its basic credit-card requirements.

Therefore, “no salary” and “no income” should not be treated as identical situations. A student without employment may still receive a monthly scholarship, family transfers or investment income. A student with no dependable resources will face much greater difficulty.

Best Credit Card Options for Students Without Employment Income

1. Openbank Open Credit Card

The Open Credit Card is one of the first options worth checking because Openbank explains that customers do not necessarily need to deposit their salary to request a credit card.

Openbank states that the card may be requested by customers who hold a current account. Contracting and renewal can be free under the applicable conditions. However, the applicant must still satisfy the bank’s solvency requirements.

Key features include:

• Visa credit card.
• Full monthly payment option.
• Instalment-payment options.
• Online card management.
• Availability through a digital bank.
• No compulsory payroll deposit to submit an application.

Best for: Students with savings, scholarship payments or consistent family support deposited into an Openbank account.

Important: A card advertised as available “without payroll” is not guaranteed for someone with no money coming into the account.

2. BBVA Aqua Más Credit Card for Young Customers

The BBVA Aqua Más for young customers is available to applicants aged 18–29. BBVA advertises no issuance or maintenance fee for eligible young customers, along with reduced costs when using the card abroad.

Potential advantages include:

• No issuance or maintenance fee for eligible customers.
• Designed for adults under 30.
• Digital security controls.
• Three-month interest-free payment for qualifying purchases.
• Benefits when paying or withdrawing money abroad.

Best for: Students under 30 who already use BBVA and regularly receive scholarship or family-support payments.

Opening a BBVA Young Account does not automatically guarantee the Aqua Más credit card. The account may be available to eligible Spanish residents aged 18–29 with a valid DNI or NIE, but the credit facility remains subject to separate approval.

3. CaixaBank Carné Joven Credit Card

The Carné Joven programme includes non-financial, debit and credit versions in participating regions.

CaixaBank states that the credit version can be available to adults aged 18–30, depending on the autonomous community. The card may also provide access to discounts connected to regional youth programmes.

It may be suitable for students living in:

• Catalonia.
• Asturias.
• Murcia.
• Another region participating in the relevant youth-card programme.

Best for: Students aged 18–30 who want regional youth discounts and can demonstrate financial support.

This is not a guaranteed no-income credit card. CaixaBank’s general requirements still include Spanish residence, regular income and a successful solvency assessment.

4. An Additional or Beneficiary Credit Card

For a student with no independent income, an additional card connected to a parent’s or family member’s credit account may be the most realistic way to access a genuine credit card.

BBVA explains that an authorised or beneficiary user may use a card connected to the primary holder’s credit arrangement. The primary cardholder remains responsible for repayment, including transactions made by the authorised user.

Advantages may include:

• No need for the student to qualify for an independent credit limit.
• Spending controls determined by the primary cardholder.
• Access to a card for travel and emergencies.
• Shared credit limit with the main account holder.

Possible disadvantages include:

• The primary holder is responsible for the debt.
• Both people must agree on spending limits.
• Fees depend on the card contract.
• It may not build an independent banking relationship for the student.

Best for: Students financially supported by a parent or close family member who already has a Spanish credit card.

Best Alternatives When Credit Is Declined

A debit card is usually safer and easier to obtain because spending is limited to the money available in the account.

imagin Debit Card

The imagin online account includes a Spanish debit card without issuance or maintenance fees under its advertised conditions. Customers can also use CaixaBank’s ATM network.

It can be useful for:

• Everyday purchases.
• Online subscriptions.
• Contactless payments.
• Cash withdrawals.
• Spending in foreign currencies.
• Receiving scholarship or family payments.

BBVA Aqua Debit Card for Young Customers

The BBVA Aqua debit card is intended for customers aged 18–29 and does not have issuance or maintenance fees under the youth offer. It also includes benefits for international usage.

Openbank Open Debit Card

Openbank offers a debit card connected to its online current account. The first holder can receive the card without issuance or renewal fees under the bank’s published conditions.

These alternatives are debit cards, not credit cards. They do not provide borrowed money, but they can cover most student payment needs.

Documents International Students May Need

Requirements vary by bank, but students should prepare:

• Valid passport.
• NIE or TIE.
• Proof of Spanish address.
• University enrolment certificate.
• Spanish bank-account information.
• Scholarship award letter, when applicable.
• Recent bank statements.
• Evidence of savings.
• Proof of regular family transfers.
• Spanish tax information, if requested.

Foreign residents can generally access Spanish bank accounts using documents such as a passport or NIE, although products and requirements differ between residents and non-residents.

How to Improve Your Approval Chances Without a Salary

Show alternative financial resources

Provide evidence of scholarships, savings or dependable monthly family transfers.

Build a banking history first

Use the same account for rent, tuition, direct debits and daily purchases before applying for credit.

Avoid overdrafts

Repeated overdrafts, rejected payments and insufficient balances can weaken your application.

Request a small limit

A modest limit may create less risk for the bank than requesting several thousand euros.

Apply through your existing bank

Your current bank can already see your deposits, expenses and account-management history.

Consider a beneficiary card

This may be more practical than submitting repeated independent applications that are likely to be rejected.

Credit Card Costs to Check

Before signing a contract, review:

• Annual card fee.
• Interest rate and APR.
• Foreign transaction fee.
• Cash-withdrawal fee.
• Late-payment charges.
• Instalment-plan fees.
• Default payment method.
• Total amount repayable.

Be especially careful with revolving credit. The Bank of Spain warns that low monthly repayments can considerably extend the repayment period and increase the total interest paid.

Final Verdict

There is no widely available Spanish credit card that guarantees approval to an international student with no income.

The Openbank Open Credit Card is worth investigating when the student has savings, a scholarship or recurring family support but does not receive a salary. The BBVA Aqua Más and CaixaBank Carné Joven may suit younger students, although both remain subject to approval.

A beneficiary credit card connected to a financially established family member may be the most realistic genuine credit option. Students with no repayment resources should choose a debit card from imagin, BBVA or Openbank rather than using expensive revolving credit.

Official Sources

• Banco de España – Responsible lending and solvency assessments
• Banco de España – Types of payment cards
• Openbank – Credit cards without a payroll deposit
• Openbank – Open Credit Card
• BBVA – Aqua Más Credit Card for Young Customers
• CaixaBank – Credit-card requirements
• CaixaBank – Carné Joven Card
• imagin – Online account and debit card