How do I check my Citi Simplicity application status?

Your Citi Simplicity Card approval odds are good if you have a credit score of 700+. That means you need good credit or better to have a shot at getting approved. Your approval odds for the Citi Simplicity Card will also be influenced by your annual income and existing debts.

Here’s more info about the Citi Simplicity Card approval odds:

• Higher odds with at least good credit: Check your credit score before-hand to see if you’re within the optimal range and avoid affecting your score with an uninformed hard inquiry.
• Check if you are pre-selected: To get a better sense of your approval odds before applying for a Citi Simplicity Card, you can check to see if you’re pre-qualified for any offers on the Citi Bank website. Pre-qualifying does not guarantee approval, but it does indicate that you have pretty good odds of getting approved for certain cards, and it won’t affect your credit score.
• Respond to a mail offer: If you’ve been lucky enough to have been pre-selected for a mail offer, you can respond to it on Citi’s website by providing your invitation code and last name. Pre-qualified offers don’t guarantee approval. But you have good chances of approval as long as nothing negative has been added to your credit report.
• Check your credit report: If you haven’t checked your report in a while, you should definitely do it before applying. So, you’ll be able to better assess the impact that the application will have on your credit score. You can get your credit report and check your score for free, right here on WalletHub.
• Update your financial profile: Citi looks at your credit report, plus your annual income and monthly housing payment. If you are currently registered for online access, you can update this info on Citi’s website. Otherwise, you can call Citi Customer Service at (800) 950-5114.

If you want to enhance your application by improving your credit score, WalletHub’s free credit analysis can tell you what steps to take.

It can take anywhere from less than a minute to a few weeks to get approved for a credit card. The amount of time depends on how you apply, how good your credit is relative to the requirements of the card, and whether the issuer can immediately verify your information. You could be … read full answerinstantly approved if you apply online and are obviously qualified. But if you don’t get instant approval, it’ll typically take at least 7-10 business days to hear back.

Here’s what affects how long it takes to get approved for a credit card:

• The way you apply. You can apply for most credit cards by mail, by phone or online. If you apply by mail, that’s going to add an extra 1-7 days just for your application to get there. The other two methods both allow for instant approval.
• Your credit and income. No credit card guarantees instant approval. You’ll only get it if you exceed the issuer’s credit, income and other requirements. If you’re right on the border of qualifying, the issuer will probably take longer to consider your application. The typical wait time is 7-10 business days, which translates to around two weeks.
• Your personal info. You’ll need to enter details like your name, date of birth, address and Social Security number when you apply for any card. That information also is present on your credit reports, which the issuer will check during the approval process. If the information on your application doesn’t match the information on your report, or if it gets flagged as fraudulent, it will hold up the process until the issuer can verify your identity.

So the standard timeframe in which you can expect to be approved for a credit card and receive it by mail is approximately 3-4 weeks. If you’re not approved instantly, count on 7-10 business days for approval and 7-10 business days for delivery. And if you’re itching to get your card faster, don’t forget to ask the issuer about expedited delivery.

You need a credit score of at least 700 for a Citi credit card in most cases. That means applicants for Citi credit cards need at least good credit to be approved. But it really depends on which card you’re after. Some Citi credit cards require higher scores, and one accepts applicants with limited credit history.… read full answer

Below, you can see what Citi cards your credit score will allow you to pursue, along with other information about approval.

Citi credit score requirements:

• Limited History: For those with little or no credit history, the Citi Secured is a good option. A refundable security deposit of $200 is required. It doesn’t give any rewards, but it does offer a $0 annual fee and can help you rebuild your credit.
• Fair credit (640-699): With fair credit, you have a good shot at getting one of Citi’s various store cards. These cards can only be used at their associated store. Some examples of store cards issued by Citi that require at least fair credit are Office Depot Credit Card, Best Buy® Store Card and Goodyear Credit Card.
• Good credit (700-749): Good credit opens you up to some of Citi’s more attractive credit card offerings. You can get one of the best cashback cards on the market - Citi Double Cash Card - if you have at least good credit. Other cards that require at least good include Citi Simplicity Card, Citi Diamond Preferred and the Citi Rewards+ Card. And if you’re a frequent American Airlines flyer, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® also requires at least good credit while offering 2 miles / $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants and on America Airlines purchases (1 mile / $1 on all other purchases).
• Excellent credit (750 and up): You’ll be eligible for all of Citi’s cards with a score in this range, assuming your income and other information check out. But the only excellent-credit-only option is the Costco Credit Card (cash back oriented, offering 1 - 4% cash back on different spending categories).
• Other requirements: It takes more than just a good enough credit score to get Citi credit card approval. In particular, you need enough income to pay the monthly bills, along with your existing debts. You’ll also need a valid Social Security number (or ITIN) and U.S. mailing address.

If you’re not sure which Citi credit card you’ll be able to qualify for, it’s easy to get pre-qualified for a credit card online. Citi might also send a pre-qualified credit card offer to potential customers. But while this increases your chances for approval, it does not guarantee it. If you have received such an offer, visit Citi’s web page and enter your invitation code and last name to apply.

Also, keep in mind that applying for a Citi or any other credit card triggers hard inquiries and can temporarily lower your score - the more inquiries over a short period of time, the more damage to your score. So it’s best to know where you stand before applying for any credit card. You can check your credit score and track your progress for free, right here on WalletHub.