Posted on 11 October 2026
I applied for two lifetime-free credit cards online within two weeks. My score dropped from 775 to 745. Why did this happen and will it recover?
Portal Admin & Advisory
Every time you apply for a credit card or personal loan, the issuing bank requests a detailed credit report from CIBIL. This creates a 'Hard Inquiry' on your profile. Why your score dropped: 1. Inquiries Signal Credit Hunger: Multiple hard inquiries within a short window signal elevated financial risk / credit-hungry behavior to scoring algorithms. 2. Average Account Age: If both cards were approved, the addition of two brand-new zero-age accounts lowers your 'Average Age of Accounts' (AAoA), which accounts for 15% of your score. Recovery Timeline: - The temporary dip from hard inquiries begins recovering within 60 to 90 days. - Keep card utilization under 25% of your available limits. - Pay statement balances on or before due date. - Your score will likely exceed 780 within 3 to 4 billing cycles.
