Citi Diamond secured - seeking datapoints

[KJinNC]

(Note: This is an edited post, because a new version got combined with an older version. The original version focused on whether this card could graduate sooner than 18 months. After posting it, I became aware that in some cases, the card graduated AFTER 18 months, so I am now interested in datapoints on both possibilities.)

Those whose Citi secured cards have graduated:

- How long did it take? (Yes, I know Citi says 18 months. Yes, I know it's supposedly the same as your card's expiration date.)

- If it was faster or slower than the claimed 18 months, do you know why? For example, did you run a lot of spending through the card and always PIF? Did you carry a balance? Did you go over 80% utilization? Were you ever late, even one day late?

I have seen anecdotal claims of graduation as soon as 11 months and as late as 30 months, with no explanation for the difference. My reason for asking is that I don't know if I want to carry a $200 card for 30 months in hopes of one day getting a Double Cash. Pretty sure I could get that or equivalent a lot sooner than 30 months, probably more like 12 months. Datapoints may also decide if I just leave my Hulu bill and autopay on it or if I do more with it.

Thanks!

[calyx]

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@KJinNC wrote:

I have a Citi Diamond secured card. Because of that, I pay attention when it comes up in threads here, and it seems like there's generally less info about it than about some other secured cards.

My questions are mainly about graduation (if/when/how), but this thread can also be used for other questions, such as how hard it is to get (my opinion: easy, but I only have one data point, myself).

1 - I think the card can graduate, is that true?

YES

2 - I have seen here that it can take a while, though, with some saying 18 months. Who has had this card graduate and how long did it take?

TOS from CITI says 18 months.
They would have given you a potential graduation date when you got your paperwork, it's linked to the account holding your deposit (mine, according to citi, for ex, is 4/5/2020)
I've seen reviews where CITI has informed people that they will take longer to graduate, I've seen reviews where people have graduated early.   I have not seen anything that puts it ahead of 12 month, though.

3 - When it does graduate, what does it become? Does it depend on your credit? Do you have options?
CITI Diamond Preferred.   You can product change it.

4 - If it simply becomes an unsecured Diamond, can you then PC that to a card that better suits your needs?
Currently, yes.

Thanks!

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[NaaryalHead]

They mention 18 months but you can ask for early graduation if you pay on time. I think mine graduated at 10 or 12 months mark.

You can then ask them to PC it to the other cards. I went with double cash.

[KJinNC]

You just called and asked them, and they agreed to do it early? Or is there a specific way to do it? Thanks!

[sjt]

From what I have read, they automatically start to review at 11 or 12 month.

[KJinNC]

A moderator combined my new thread with an older thread I posted on the same topic (thanks), so I'm going to put my new question in the OP. This post is where the new version used to be 

Thanks for the prior replies - but, the reason I posted a new thread is that after that thread aged off the first pages of the board, I saw some anecdotes of the card not graduating for *two and a half years*. So, I'm particularly interested in hearing from people whose Citi cards did not graduate on time, if they know why that might have been.

[Anonymous]

I was just notified that mine will FINALLY graduate. I opened it in Feb of 2017. My scores have gone up, only bad thing left is a BK 7 from 2010. I’ve now got many unsecured cards, highest limit is $15,000. Always PIF. My Citi card, with it’s tiny little $200 limit only gets occasional use, typically for a bottle of pop from the machine at work. No reason given for it not graduating at 18 months. I’ve only held on to it since it’s my oldest card in my rebuild.

[KJinNC]

Thanks - it is also my oldest card by a small margin (weeks), but stories like yours make me wonder if I would get a DC faster by closing mine and applying for a DC next year.

Congrats on graduation, though!

[sjt]

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@KJinNC wrote:
Thanks - it is also my oldest card by a small margin (weeks), but stories like yours make me wonder if I would get a DC faster by closing mine and applying for a DC next year.

Congrats on graduation, though!

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Citi starts reviewing accounts for unsecured status at the 11 month mark. Just pay on-time and you should graduate in under 18 months

[KJinNC]

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@sjt wrote:

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@KJinNC wrote:
Thanks - it is also my oldest card by a small margin (weeks), but stories like yours make me wonder if I would get a DC faster by closing mine and applying for a DC next year.

Congrats on graduation, though!

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Citi starts reviewing accounts for unsecured status at the 11 month mark. Just pay on-time and you should graduate in under 18 months

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I hope so, but, really can't tell from the anecdotes I have seen so far. PNW, for example, said that he/she always PIF and it took two and a half years. However, PNW apparently did make minimal use of the card. That one anecdote might indicate that Citi rewards use of the card (and punishes lack of use of the card). But I don't feel like we have enough information yet to have confidence in any theories like that.

Again, for anyone who had a Citi card that took more than the stated 18 months to graduate, can you post if you have a guess of why it may have taken longer? Or, if you think you did everything right and it still took extra time to graduate? (Maybe Citi doesn't run a tight process for this?) Those who had cards graduate much earlier than 18 months, can you post if you have a guess of why it went faster? Thanks!