How can you get a Citibank credit card after bankruptcy?

It’s unlikely that you’ll get approved for a Citibank credit card after bankruptcy, since Citibank doesn’t currently offer any credit cards for people with bad credit. You’ll need to rebuild your credit before you can qualify for a Citibank card. That said, your approval odds for any credit card will depend on your overall creditworthiness.

Things to Know About Credit Cards After Bankruptcy

You should wait until your bankruptcy is discharged to apply for credit.

Card issuers generally do not approve applicants with unresolved bankruptcies on their credit reports. Your odds of approval will be far better if you wait until after your discharge. For the best results, consider waiting a few months to a year after discharge before attempting to get a new credit card.

Your options will be limited.

A bankruptcy on your credit report is likely to tank your credit score and limit your choices for credit cards in the future. Bankruptcies stay on your credit report for 7 to 10 years, but this won’t prevent you from getting approved for a credit card the entire time.

Card issuers don’t like getting burned twice.

It’s unlikely that any card issuers named as debtors in your bankruptcy case will approve you for a new credit card immediately after your bankruptcy. It’s a good idea to start with a credit card from an issuer that was not named in your bankruptcy, and wait several years to approach issuers that were named.

Bankruptcy discharge timelines depend on which chapter you file.

Chapter 7 bankruptcy takes 4 to 6 months after filing to be discharged, and could take longer. If you filed Chapter 13, you’ll need the approval of your trustee if you want to apply for a credit card during your payment plan, and payment plans in Chapter 13 typically last for 3 to 5 years.

For more options, check out our editors’ latest picks for the best bankruptcy credit cards.

Yes, it is possible to get approved for a Citi credit card after bankruptcy. However, you will have to wait at least two years before applying. After that, you can apply for the Citi® Secured Mastercard®. This is the starter credit card in Citibank’s portfolio and it has more lenient approval requirements. This card also has a $0 annual fee.

To open a Citi Secured account, you will be required to put down a minimum security deposit of $200. Also, bear in mind there are other approval requirements too. Citi will review your income, debt and credit history to make sure you can afford a new account.

If you are not set on Citibank as an issuer, you can also check out our editors’ latest picks for the best bankruptcy credit cards to weigh your options.