2021 Citi Secured Credit Card Review

If your application for a Citi® Secured Mastercard® was denied, 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.

If you were denied for a Citi secured card, you have options. You can call for reconsideration, apply elsewhere, seek a co-signer, become an authorized user or simply wait.

Here's what you can do if your application for a Citi Secured Credit Card 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 a Citi Secured Card, 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 a Citi Secured Credit Card 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.

It takes between about 12 to 18 months to graduate from the Citi Secured card to an unsecured Citi card. That's why it's important to keep a low balance and pay your bill in full and on time, or else you're in danger of having that clock reset and you'll be back to square one.

You can check you Citi Secured card application status online by providing your Application ID and your ZIP code here.

You can also give them a call at 1-888-201-4523 and provide your application ID, zip code, phone number, birthday and/or Social Security number to confirm your identity.

Your Citi card application status could be pending for up to 30 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. 

You will be able to use the Citi Secured card at any ATM outside the US. However, using your credit card for cash advances will be very costly, especially considering that your card also charges a foreign transaction fee.

You can learn more tips about withdrawing money abroad here.

The minimum Citi Secured card credit limit you can have is $200 and the maximum is $2,500. Keep in mind, you'll not only have to first be approved for an amount, but also make an equal security deposit.

There is no minimum income requirement to get the Citi Secured Card, but having an income is a must, in order to determine approval and your card's credit limit.

Your credit limit will be determined based on the following:

Your annual salary and wages
Any other annual income
A review of your debt, including the debt listed on your credit report

Citibank, the issuer, will inform you of your credit limit when you receive your credit card. Some limits may be as low as $500.

Yes, the Citi Secured will do a hard pull. You can apply for it with bad credit though.

There is no way to get pre-approved for the Citi Secured. A hard pull usually causes an applicant's credit score to drop by 5-10 points. Most people's scores bounce back within 3-6 months with responsible credit management, but it can take up to 12 months. You can learn more about how to minimize the credit score damage here.