Citi Secured Credit Card Review

If your application for a Citi® Secured Mastercard® was denied, you have several options. You can call for reconsideration, apply elsewhere, seek a co-signer, or become an authorized user on someone else's account.  

If you were denied for the Citi Secured, there are a few possible explanations. Citi has a rule against accepting applicants with a bankruptcy in the last two years, for one thing. And like other issuers of secured cards, they will turn down people who don't have enough income to make payments, or who have too much debt relative to their income. You must also be at least 18 years old and have both a U.S. mailing address and an SSN.

Here's what you can do if your application for the Citi Secured was denied:

• Call the Citi reconsideration line at (800) 695-5171. Reconsideration is a good option if you think something about your application needs explaining, or if your situation has changed. If you can demonstrate that your finances are in better shape than they appeared, Citi may reverse your denial. But it's a longshot.
• Apply for a different secured card. Citi isn't the only secured credit card issuer. There are plenty of other options to consider, including a handful of secured cards with no credit check.
• Get a co-signer: A co-signer is someone who backs your application for a card by assuming responsibility for any balance you can't pay. Citi doesn't allow them, unfortunately, but other card issuers do. And if your co-signer has excellent credit, you should be able to get one of the best credit cards on the market.
• Become an authorized user: You can ask a friend or family member to add you to their card as an authorized user. As long as that person pays the bill on time, your credit score will improve over time.
• Wait it out. If your financial circumstances might change in the near future, or if you have a bankruptcy on your record that will soon age enough for you to get the Citi Secured, waiting is an option. But it's far from your best one. You need to start rebuilding your credit as soon as possible, and there are other secured cards that you can get right now.

If your application for the Citi Secured was denied, don't get discouraged. There are other secured credit cards out there, and you'll be able to start rebuilding your credit in no time.

To qualify for Citi Secured graduation, Citibank must deem your account eligible at its maturity date - 18 months after opening it and every 12 months thereafter. While there are no specific guidelines for how to ensure your Citi Secured graduates to an unsecured card, your credit performance will factor into it. So keeping your account in good standing by paying your bills on time and preferably in full definitely helps. Also, try keeping your credit utilization below 30%. Monitoring your credit score and reviewing your credit reports is also a good idea.

Unfortunately, you cannot request an earlier graduation date for the Citi Secured. You will have to wait until the maturity date. If your account is eligible for graduation, you will be notified by mail at least 30 days prior to maturity. In the event that your account does not graduate, a letter informing you of this matter will be sent out to you 20-30 days before the age of maturity. When a Citi Secured account does not pass graduation, it can either remain secured, or you can close it.

You can check your Citi Secured application status online by providing your Application ID and your ZIP code on Citi's dedicated web page. Alternatively, you can enter your primary phone number, ZIP code and date of birth.

You can also give Citibank a call at (888) 201-4523 and provide your Social Security number to confirm your identity.

Keep in mind that the average processing time for a Citi credit card application is 7-10 days. If approved for an account, your card should arrive within 14 days of the decision.

You can apply for the Citi Secured Mastercard online or in a Citi branch.

Please note that Citi has a rule against accepting applicants with a bankruptcy in the last two years. And like other issuers of secured cards, they will turn down people who don't have enough income to make payments, or who have too much debt relative to their income. 

If your application for a Citi Secured Mastercard was denied, you might have a second chance by calling Citi's reconsideration line at 800-695-5171. By discussing your credit history, income, or other financial factors, you may be able to convince them that you should be approved for the card after all. 

Ive had this card for 4 years. Never missed a payment, low utilization. I have several high limit unsecured cards and a great score. Each year I get a letter saying they cant graduate account at this time. Ive determined its a scam to keep our deposits.

It is not very hard to get the Citi® Secured Mastercard® because it is available to people with limited credit. The Citi Secured card is actually a relatively easy credit card for the average person to get.

In order to get the Citi Secured card, you will have to meet the credit score requirement, have a steady income and be at least 18 years old. You'll also need to have an SSN.

Keep in mind that even though it's not hard to get the Citi Secured card, you're still not guaranteed to be approved.

There are two ways to get a Citi Secured card deposit refund:

1. When you close your account, you will need to pay your outstanding balance and your deposit will be refunded to your checking account or as a check.
2. Once you are approved for this credit card, your security deposit will be held in a non-interest-bearing Collateral Holding Account for 18 months. After this period, if your account is in good standing, you may be eligible for an unsecured card – at this point, your deposit will be refunded to you in full, provided that you do not have an outstanding balance. If you do, they will apply the security deposit to the outstanding credit card balance and refund the difference.

You cannot get a credit limit increase for your Citi Secured card. Your initial security deposit will serve as your credit limit as long as your account is secured.

However, if you keep your account in good standing for 18 months, the issuer might consider graduating you to an unsecured card. If your account is eligible for graduation, your security deposit will be refunded. There's also a chance you'll be granted a higher credit limit than what your security deposit was.