CitiBank Denial Turned Approval Data Share

[csryang]

It seems that CitiBank might have been tightening up their approval lately. From my observation and personal experience, here is what I come up with:

If the application status tells you that it's pending, then you have a very good chance of getting approved after verification or after moving credit. 

If you applied and received an instant denial, you would have to jump through hoops to get that turned into an approval. Turning a denial into an approval is typically slim. Citi reconsideration numbers go to a call center and they do not help much if your application is denied instantly. They will not spend much time talking with you until you receive your rejection letter. 

After rejection, some report better results after trying one of these:

1) Go to a branch to see if you could talk with a branch associate to get your application reconsidered

2) Call recon but ask for a supervisor so that you could be transferred to an actual analyst or request them to submit your application for secondary review.

3) Mail them a reconsideration letter vs call their Executive Office (it seems that the letter will actually go to their EO). 

My observation over the past couple months is that if you have more than or equal to 5 inquiries including the citi application inquiry over the past 6 months, then it's likely that you will be instantly denied. However, there are exclusions to this if you have a good credit profile like long history with Citi or long AAoA.

Please share your datapoints!!

[CreditInspired]

On Dec 9, I received an instant denial from Citi for the DC card. My scores were EX 687, TU 701, EQ 707. I really didn't care because I already had the CitiCostco card and I had also applied for Chase and DiscoverIT, which were instantly approved. Well, the next day I got an email from Citi stating I had not completed my application and to give them a called. Weird! I called, they sent a verification code to my cell phone, and approved me for $2K.

[Anonymous]

TU 646 EQ 648 Exp 646. I have only 3 inqs and 1 open collection but seems to me they take into account their history with you if you have any other Citi cards.

Just to elaborate on my experience... Been with Citi for over 12 years and I think they're onto this site, lol. The EO has been strict lately and wondering how people reached their number. I sent goodwills for my HD account which I found out was forwarded to the Citi EO. I requested a CLI online for my DC which was instantly denied. I called the EO for recon and the rep accidentally pulled up my pending HD goodwill case in the system. My CLI was still denied despite my other payment history and now I'm regretting not asking for one before I PC to the DC. If they're being stingy with credit on their popular cards to long time customers, I can't imagine how approvals are for new ones. I will try again next month since my disputes and goodwills should be finalized by then.

[Physh1]

I was approved for the Citi AA Plat Select WEMC for $9500. 2 weeks before approval my scores were...

EX 784

TU 785

EQ 784

Citi pulled EX and I have 13 EX inquiries within the previous 6 months along with 8 new accounts. AAoA is ~7 years and util was 3% when I got approved.

[csryang]

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@Physh1 wrote:

I was approved for the Citi AA Plat Select WEMC for $9500. 2 weeks before approval my scores were...

EX 784

TU 785

EQ 784

Citi pulled EX and I have 13 EX inquiries within the previous 6 months along with 8 new accounts. AAoA is ~7 years and util was 3% when I got approved.

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Wow impressive. Citi approval even with 13EX inquiries and 8 new account for the previous 6 months!

Was it an instant approval or was it a call in? In addition, do you have banking relationship with Citi with direct deposits?

I guess the inquiry rule with Citi does not apply to you then. It seems that if FICO score is high enough with long AAoA and low Util, there's still chance to be approved.

[Anonymous]

While Citi is tightening there lending guidelines (as are many lenders currently) due to the bust in the unsecured personal loan arena (thats costing them loads) and recent uptick in delinquencies (and forecast further increases in delinquencies) there are still ways for qualified people to get approved. 

The recon phone number just gets you to essentially a tier 2 associate, its very difficult for those associates to really get anything done as most of them have very low credit signatures. Your best bet is to get to a supervisor who can get you to an actual analyst. or if you have access to a branch to request a manual review request to be completed by an associate. The branch associate will fill out a form that goes to a specialized department of amazing people who have the second highest level underwriting authority at Citi (next to credit policy) and they take a very "does this make sense" approach. 

[Physh1]

Instant approval...

No other relationship with them other than burning them with 2 charge offs in 08/09...

I cold apped expecting a denial because of the charge offs but I was wrong...

[Anonymous]

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@Physh1 wrote:

Instant approval...

No other relationship with them other than burning them with 2 charge offs in 08/09...

I cold apped expecting a denial because of the charge offs but I was wrong...

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Would you mind sharing anything else? Such as number of recent accounts/inquiries or FICO8 score? I'm interested in apping with them in the future. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

For me the seem to be loosening up a bit.  

I got approved for the Citi Costo Visa, SL $5,500 a few weeks ago.

This was actually shocking to me for several reasons:

1. Scores 662-684 and 10+ inquiries on each bureau, most over 6 months old

2. At the time I applied for this,  I had opened 10+ new accts in the previous 8-9 months with only  a handful of those being "real" cards.  I had mostly store cards and the other cards I had did not have large limits. I say "had" because I went on a very unplanned app spree after this approval with crazy results (See my updated signature).  But, at the time I app'd for this card, my highest limit on a bank card was $3,750 on my Cap One QS1.

3 I have 4 old CO's still reporting.  These are paid but still show late because I cannot get the CB's t to update them, despite proof of payment being sent.  They are all set to fall off in the next 4-6 months.

4.  Most shocking, I also have 4 (PAID) public records reporting.  One of these is from when I burned Citi back in 2009 for $14k.  I have since paid all of this back but to LVNV Funding, not Citi, so they don't know I paid it.  Long story but this debt got filed as a judgment twice and one of those shows Citibank as the lender.  This is still reporting to all 4 CB's and does not show paid or satisfied, even thought it is.

I tried to app for a DC right after this approval, just to see what happened.  It was an instant denial but, on the letter, the only reason listed was that I already had an account (the Costco Visa).

I also got declined for the Citi secured card back in February. I forget what the decline reason was but it was not related to past history or the CO's /  judgments.  I think it was lack experience with bank cards or something like that. 

For me, this approval was a huge victory. I thought it would be years before I was off Citi's blacklist.  It sounds goofy but I teared up when I got the card that said "Citi" on it and it's thrilling to have a login on the Citi website again.  I won't count it 100% complete until I have a card that isn't co-branded but I feel confident that it could happen in 12-24 months now. 

[csryang]

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@Anonymous wrote:

While Citi is tightening there lending guidelines (as are many lenders currently) due to the bust in the unsecured personal loan arena (thats costing them loads) and recent uptick in delinquencies (and forecast further increases in delinquencies) there are still ways for qualified people to get approved. 

The recon phone number just gets you to essentially a tier 2 associate, its very difficult for those associates to really get anything done as most of them have very low credit signatures. Your best bet is to get to a supervisor who can get you to an actual analyst. or if you have access to a branch to request a manual review request to be completed by an associate. The branch associate will fill out a form that goes to a specialized department of amazing people who have the second highest level underwriting authority at Citi (next to credit policy) and they take a very "does this make sense" approach. 

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Nice info! I wish I lived close to a Citi branch to be able to talk with a branch associate...

I will definitely keep this in mind and get to a supervisor who can get to an actual analyst for future applications. Thank you for the info. I will update my original post.