Why do I get all the fun with credit unions? First SDFCU, and now this! I am having quite the time trying to get my PenFed membership approved. Right now it appears that I will have to either give it up or start over. I thought that SDFCU was tough, but wow, it was a walk in the proverbial park compared to PenFed! I know that this is all made more complicated because I am an expat, and even then my situation is a bit abnormal. But it's like the credit unions work best with cookie cutter Americans: you know, a family, a job, suburban home with the white picket fence...
First of all, here is some information from a couple replies I had posted in another thread:
I recently applied for membership at PenFed, partially for this reason. I got a HP though. The primary reason I wanted membership was to be ready for the forthcoming relaunch of their Pathfinder credit card. This is of course assuming that it is actually relaunched.
I'm in the middle of getting the PenFed membership. I thought SDFCU was a hassle, but wow! PenFed provides zero feedback via messaging or email. I basically wait a few days, and then call to see why nothing is happening. It's like pushing a logchain. Right now we're working on address verification. I am glad that I'm getting the membership out of the way now so when (if) the Pathfinder comes, I don't have to go through this first!
Yet I press on. I know that there is a sweet reward waiting at the other end: PenFed membership, and eventually the Pathfinder credit card!
Then this:
Here are a few more details on my experience: I applied for membership through the online portal, probably like everyone else here does. The approval was very quick, like within minutes. I was able to log in and view my savings account.
However, a few hours later I could no longer log in. I would get a message saying that online access was blocked. I called, and I was told that they need identity verification. The agent told me to send a copy of my driver's license (front and back) SS card, and a utility bill or something for address verification. I was told that I would be able to log in when the documents were processed. The document upload portal didn't work because I couldn't log in, so I used an efax service to fax them. I waited a day or two, and I still could not log in. I called again. I was told that they need color copies, but I sent black and white. I hadn't thought about it, but this was due to sending them via fax. He told me that I can use the upload portal by selecting the "Not yet a member?" option.
So, I resent the documents. It was actually one document, because I had put all of the photos in a PDF and sent that. Again I waited a few days, and I still could not log in. So I called again yesterday. (It is important to note that calling usually involved being on hold for 30 minutes or so until I reach a live agent.) The agent told me that the document I sent for address verification was too old. So, I found a more recent one and sent it. That was just yesterday. So now I still wait to be able to log in...
One big issue I have is that I get no feedback; no messages, no emails, nothing. Nothing happens until I call and ask what's up. To be fair, it was like this with SDFCU too. I find when working with the big credit card companies that I will get a message and/or email letting me know what is going on, or what they need from me, or anything else.
Here is the screen I get when I try to log in:
Now tonight, things came to a head. I still could not log in, so I called again. The agent told me she would call the security department and see what's up. Before too long she came back on and said that she had a member of the security department on the line, and he would work through it with me.
Basically, he told me that a credit card statement was not sufficient for address verification, and that I would need to produce a utility bill. I said that I do not have utility bills. He asked if they're in my wife's name. I said no, but that I was an expat and I had applied using my official US address, which is the address of my Power of Attorney. I didn't want to say that, but I was out of options. I did tell him of my exerience with SDFCU, that I had first applied with my foreign address, but they told me to reapply with my US address. That worked flawlessly (for the membership, but the credit card application was another story. However, that too was eventually resolved!).
He said that without a utility bill, there was no reason to continue with membership approval because it cannot happen. I asked for an alternative solution. He said there is none, only a utility bill will work. I then asked how they approve people who do not get utility bills. I mean, certainly not every PenFed member has a utility bill in his or her name! What if I live with my friend for example? He said in that case a lease agreement would be used. Well, why didn't they tell me that before? I can certainly come up with a lease agreement at my current foreign address! So as soon as my current account is officially canceled, I will apply again with my foreign address and see how that spins out.
Interestingly enough, after the call I could again log in to my PenFed account. Go figure! 
Applauding your tenacity and perseverance; good luck!
So, my saga is finally over. I am now officially an accepted member of PenFed! They accepted the lease agreement at my foreign address, which is where I actually physically live. I first applied on May 20. I was approved on June 1. So, 12 days, two applications, countless hours on the phone (mostly on hold), many documents sent, two savings accounts later, I'm in!
Two savings accounts? Yes. When I applied the first time, I funded the required savings account with the maximum allowed amount of $100 with a credit card. Later my application was denied, and the $100 was refunded. I applied again. Now the savings account from the 1st application and the savings account from the 2nd application are both there. They both seem to be alive and well. The credit card payment from the first account was refunded. It shows a current balance of $0.00 and an available balance of -$5.00, because you are required to keep at least $5.00 in it. As soon as I get a checking account registered for funds transfer, I will try putting at least $5.00 into it and see if it actually works.
