What does it take to get approved for Citibank?

[slund5499]

I know I need to work on my utilization and get it down to 10% or less.

When my FICo was 670 with 9% utilization, 4 new accounts, 1 baddie and 7 inquiries, I got approved for the shell card with a $500 SL. Denied on every other app including Sears.

No pre-qualifer on the website. Denied for all citibank bank cards.

Any help would be appreciated. Maybe I have to go 3 years with no new accounts, 1% Utility, no inquiries, 1 baddie and $1 million dollar income.

[Anonymous]

Honestly I'm not sure. My husband had I think a 660ish, tons of inquiries and 20% utilization and was approved for the double cash. Only $1000 though

[morgacj2004]

CITI is tough. One of the more conservative lenders. I would try to get your scores up past 700 and then re-apply. The SEARS card was also my first CITI product.!

[slund5499]

Thanks....I know I am way out of the league on Chase, Wells Fargo, US Bank Barclay and Bank America.

Capital one has been decent to me, but now they are becoming sticklers witht he CLI (score too low for credit limit exposure).

My profile only seems to fit Commenity.

I need to commenity credit lines to help in utilization. Recovering from a small summer vacation and lots of medical bills that was not covered by insurance (which pushed my utilization to 38% which is the highest I have ever had it in my life.

I will lurk from the garden and as I get enough CLI from my current lenders, I will begin to dump Commenity cards.

[live-n-learn]

Citi is hard to read....  I don't get any pre-quals on their site either but they sent me a pre-selected  for the Citi Diamond Preferred through the mail about a week ago.

[ddemari]

Citi is tough. They hate me. They like a clean profile and probably for best results a score of 680+. Although I'm sure others have gotten in with Lower scores

[tntexans72]

Ymmv but citi don't like baddies. Maybe others have gotten in but it's few and far between. If you have a recent baddie, try getting that taking care. Like others have stated, they like a clean report. 

[Anonymous]

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tntexans72 wrote:

Ymmv but citi don't like baddies. Maybe others have gotten in but it's few and far between. If you have a recent baddie, try getting that taking care. Like others have stated, they like a clean report. 

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When I was approved for my CITI DC about 2 months ago my Fico EX score was 713 with only 1 inquiry and no baddies. Just want share... hope that helps.

[CreditCuriosity]

Citi iif they send you a pre-qual with a solid apr via snail mail they want you for whatever reason even if you have a 650ish score and a few baddies.  Otherwise your credit better be clean and above a 700 before attempting to try citi from my experience and the ton of reading I have done about them.

Out of the following lenders CITI is the toughest IMO.

Citi

BofA

Chase

Amex

Barclay's

[Erusidhion]

    I have tried countless times in the beginning and now to try and get a main Citibank card and they would never give me anything. However. They sent me a pre-qualification for a Home Depot card earlier this year and I accepted it's measly limit of $500 (now $10,000 recent CLI). After that I was able to get an Office Depot/Office Max card with another measly $500 limit. I tried to get an increase but they turned me down. I was seeking new credit/application spree and they probably saw the increase on my Home Depot card. I just recently got a pre-qualification like a lot of others for a Shell Drive for Five for a measly $200 limit. I thought of asking for a CLI on this but I'll hold back. I shop at Winn Dixie for food which gives me fuelperks that go on the fuelrewards card that saves me a lot on gas at Shell stations. I'm not sure if I can combine those with the Shell Drive for Five and get more of a discount... maybe? That would be crazy..

    Anyways I got 3 of their store cards. I'm sure with good use that I may be able to get into their good graces to get one of their cards like Double Cash or Simplicity.

    I CAN'T GET A COMENITY CARD FOR THE LIFE OF ME THOUGH! I've yet to get anything from them.... they are the bane of my existence. Anyone know of an easy Comenity card to get not using the SCT trick?