Navy Federal Credit Card Reviews

Yes, Navy Federal does issue an American Express credit card: the Navy Federal Credit Union More Rewards American Express® Credit Card. The NFCU More Rewards Amex card has a $0 annual fee and offers 3 points / $1 spent at grocery stores and restaurants, including food delivery services. The card also gives 3 points / $1 spent on gas and transit expenses. All other purchases get 1 point / $1 spent. Plus, there's an initial bonus of 20,000 points for spending $2,000 within the first 90 days of opening an account.

The More Rewards card is the only Navy Federal credit card on the American Express network right now. Navy Federal issues a number of other credit cards on the Visa and Mastercard networks.

Anyone considering a Navy Federal American Express, Mastercard or Visa card should bear in mind that you must qualify for Navy Federal Credit Union membership first, before you can apply for the card. Anyone connected to the U.S. Armed Forces or Department of Defense, including family members, may be considered for membership. You'll also need at least good credit to have high odds of approval for the NFCU More Rewards Amex card itself.

You can request to do a Navy Federal balance transfer when you apply for any NFCU credit card. If you already have a Navy Federal card, you can make a transfer request through your online account. The Navy Federal balance transfer fee is 0%. The NFCU balance transfer APR could be as low as 0% (intro) or as high as 9.99% - 18% (V), depending on the card.

The best Navy Federal balance transfer credit card is the Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum Credit Card because it offers an intro APR of 0% for 12 months on balance transfers and has a $0 annual fee in addition to its $0 transfer fee. There are no other 0% balance transfer credit cards from Navy Federal. But all NFCU cards have fairly low regular APRs.

Navy Federal Balance Transfers:

• Best balance transfer card: The Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum Credit Card offers 0% for 12 months on balance transfers. No other NFCU cards have 0% rates, but regular APRs range from 1.99% (intro) - 18% (V).
• Fees: No balance transfer fees.
• Timeline: It should take about two weeks for your Navy Federal balance transfer to be completed.
• Ways to request: You can ask for a balance transfer on the application for a new NFCU card. You can request one for an existing card online or through the mobile app.
• Information required: You need the account number for the balance you're transferring, plus the name and address of that account's issuer, along with the amount you want to transfer.
• How to request online: Sign in to your account. Click the “Transfers” tab. Click “Make a Credit Card Balance Transfer” at the bottom right. Fill in the required information. Submit your request.
• How to request in-app: In the Navy Federal Credit Union mobile app, go to “Account Management,” then “Balance Transfer.” Input the required information and submit your request.

If you do a Navy Federal balance transfer, be sure to continue making monthly payments to your old issuer if the due date comes up before your balance transfer is completed. Otherwise, you risk being marked as late. Any additional payments you make to your old issuer will be credited to your NFCU card once the transfer processes.

Navy Federal credit card approval requirements include a credit score of at least 700, in most cases; this is considered “good” credit. The Navy Federal Credit Union GO REWARDS® Credit Card, the Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum Credit Card and the Navy Federal Credit Union More Rewards American Express® Credit Card, all require a 700+ credit score for approval, as do a few other offers. But the Navy Federal Credit Union Visa Signature® Flagship Rewards Credit Card requires an excellent credit score (750+). The easiest Navy Federal card to get is the Navy Federal Credit Union nRewards® Secured Credit Card. You can qualify even with a credit score of 639 or less.

To apply for a Navy Federal Credit Union credit card, you have to be an NFCU member. To be eligible for NFCU membership, you or one of your family members must have ties to the armed forces, National Guard or Department of Defense. This includes active duty personnel, officer candidates, reservists and veterans. If none of these apply, call (888) 842-6328 or visit a local Navy Federal branch for assistance.

There is a lot of information required on NFCU credit card applications. You will have to provide your name, address and birthdate, for starters. The address must be a physical U.S. location and not a P.O. Box. You also need to list either your Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN). Applicants must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years old to be eligible. If you're under 21, you need proof of an independent income sufficient enough to make payments.

All applicants must include their employment status, monthly rent or mortgage payment, and annual income. You don't need a full-time job to qualify for a card, but you will need to report the sources of any income. This could be part-time salary or wages, rental income, retirement benefits, interest and/or dividend income, and more.

Perhaps most importantly, Navy Federal will verify your credit history and ability to pay. Your credit score, income, debt level and other factors will help determine if you're approved. This information will also play a role in setting your interest rate and credit limit.

The easiest Navy Federal credit card to get is the Navy Federal Credit Union nRewards® Secured Credit Card because you can get approved with Bad credit. If you're not looking for a secured card, NFCU has unsecured credit cards for good credit or better, such as the Navy Federal Credit Union More Rewards American Express® Credit Card, the Navy Federal Credit Union cashRewards Credit Card, the Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum Credit Card, and the Navy Federal Credit Union GO REWARDS® Credit Card.

The Navy Federal Credit Union nRewards® Secured Credit Card requires a refundable deposit (minimum of $200), and the deposit becomes your credit limit. It's a real credit card, so information about your account will be reported to credit bureaus. And you'll be charged an APR of 18% (V) on your purchases if you don't pay your balance in full every month. This secured card gives you a path toward unsecured credit, too. NFCU reviews secured credit accounts starting at 6 months for a chance at “graduating” from a secured card to an unsecured credit line.

Still, no matter how creditworthy you may be, you won't get approved if you don't qualify for NFCU membership. Navy Federal Credit Union membership is open to members of the military, Department of Defense employees, veterans, and their families. You can see if you can become a member at the Navy Federal Credit Union website. But that restriction alone makes NFCU cards harder to get than comparable cards open to the general public.

You can get a Navy Federal cash advance at a bank branch or an ATM that displays the logo of your card's network. For ATM cash advances, your Navy Federal credit card must have a PIN.. You can request or reset a PIN by sending a secure message through your online account, or at a local branch. You can also call (888) 842-6328 for assistance. There is no cash advance fee if you use your credit card at a Navy Federal branch or ATM.

Here's what you need to know about Navy Federal credit card cash advances:

• Location: You can get a Navy Federal credit card cash advance at an ATM or bank branch that displays the logo of your card's network. In-branch cash advances require a government-issued photo ID, your card and account number. ATM cash advances require a credit card PIN.
• Cash advance fees: Cash advances performed at a Navy Federal branch or ATM do not incur any cash advance fees, but all other domestic cash advances are subject to a $0.5 fee. In addition to the Navy Federal fee, some ATM's may also charge an additional fee of their own.
• Cash advance APR: The Navy Federal cash advance APR is 2% above the regular APR, not to exceed 18%. For instance, the Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum Credit Card features a regular APR of 5.99% - 18% (V), depending on creditworthiness, so its cash advance APR is between 7.99% - 20% (V). Check your monthly statement to see what your exact cash advance APR is. Cash advance APR starts accruing from the moment of the transaction.

Credit card cash advances are very costly, so It's best to avoid them unless it's an absolute emergency.