I have had a Citi card with 9k CL for 18 months now. I have been turned down twice for CLI since opening the card. The last, yesterday, I was given this excuse...
"At this time, your request is being declined because your payment amounts when compared to your current outstanding balance do not demonstrate the ability to carry and maintain a higher balance."
In the last two months, I made a $1000 payment, and a $500 payment...They also just gave me another card 4 months ago with a 9500 CL. I am trying to increase the credit limit so I can consolidate get rid of some of my cards that have much higher interest rates and lower CLs.
I just looked at the backdoor numbers at the top of the page. I dont see a recon number for Citi...
I just did infact find teh backdoor number on that sticky. it was on the last page... I talked to someone just now. Yes I have carried a balance and he informed me that I wasnt at 50% payment of my total spending. So, I have spent or charged 12400 on the card and only had 5600 payments so far. 50% would have been around 800 more than what I have made in payments. He said to send in another 1500 or so to get well over the 50% and try again.
@Settemio wrote:I just did infact find teh backdoor number on that sticky. it was on the last page... I talked to someone just now. Yes I have carried a balance and he informed me that I wasnt at 50% payment of my total spending. So, I have spent or charged 12400 on the card and only had 5600 payments so far. 50% would have been around 800 more than what I have made in payments. He said to send in another 1500 or so to get well over the 50% and try again.
Useful indeed! I've never heard (of) this. Those CCCs just have all sorts of formulas, don't they? 
Do they have people on payroll who do nothing but think up more hoops for us jump through??
I got the exact same message when I tried for a CLI the other day!! It cost me an hard pull, which annoyed me since it was clear my cli was going to be turned down regardless of what my credit report contained. I still don't understand that message though. My balance at the time of the cli was zero 
prior to that I always carried a balance and have done for awhile. It was the only card I carried a balance on, until I paid it a few weeks back ($3300). So, I guess I just use it a few more months and PIF each time as I do with all my other cards.
