$0 Annual Fee for Life on Citi Platinum/Signature CC Complimentary Insurance

[Jhig]

I have had a Citibank Signature card for about 2 years now with the "Discounted" $199 annual fee. After reading this forum and discovering that they are offering "fee free for life" I decided to contact Citibank and plead "What about Me?"
Last night I rang Citibank, didn't get upset or frustrated with Citibank at all, and after informing them of their offer and where I stood, the call centre operator suggested she would put in a request to transfer my card to a "fee free for life" account. I thought, " ah OK a request only, but how will I know if its approved, no worries I will ring you when it is", she said.
Sure enough this afternoon she rang back to confirm the request was approved and my Signature card is now a "fee free for life" account.

Must admit I was pleasently suprised with Citibank, after previous dealings with them. BTW, thanks all for letting me know about the offer to start with.

 

[froggerADL]

I'm expecting 1~2 weeks until my application is progressed.... Nothing happens quickly this time of year.

And yet mine was approved within 7 hours just yesterday :shock:

 

[deejo77]

Signature - I applied Monday - confirmation email yesterday.......24hrs turn around I am happy with.

1) I was not a current or previous account holder
2) I emailed payslips and payment summary within 10mins of application
3) I faxed copy of drivers licence and medicare card within 1hr or application
4) forward them the enquiry number that my HR department has provided to me to authorise them to confirm my employment

Pretty happy so for.............

 

[mini2]

Anyone got their annual fee credited yet? Haven't shown up on my account as yet.

 

[psi999]

And yet mine was approved within 7 hours just yesterday :shock:

Yep mine just approved as well.... very happy (although i had to submit my payslips/passport/drivers licence/utility bill more than once).

less than 24hrs, even with a stuff around thats good going.

edit - Interestingly no HR/payroll check required which i was surprised with, details were provided and weren't required for approval (new customer).

 

[tim374]

4) forward them the enquiry number that my HR department has provided to me to authorise them to confirm my employment

Glad to hear I'm not the only one whose employer is like that. First time for me that payslips haven't been sufficient, but it seems Citibank can handle this extra hurdle of authorisation numbers.

 

[Leroy87]

So I got the email saying I had been conditionally approved and would need to send documentation, but minutes later got the "you have been approved" email. Nice.

The problem is, even though I applied for Signature I was only approved for Platinum and now I'm wondering what to do: earn rate on Platinum into velocity is only 0.625 pts/$ which is no better than what I already have, so there is no real motivation to get the card activated.

My only question would be - is it better to be in the system and try for an upgrade to Signature at a later date or just ditch it (having the extra card could weigh on other applications for sign-up points)?

 

[ferni]

Wife applied Tues night, Sent docs yesterday, this morning had a card statement for the new Signature card emailed to her (showing credit limit)...

 

[jlien]

Haven't received card, pin or welcome package yet, but received my first statement issued to me yesterday :S

Got all excited for nothing! :evil:

 

[ninja-tim]

Do they close down over the x-mas period? I hope they don't, sent me application on tuesday, sent documents yesterday. Hoping to hear back today or tomorrow.

 

[rweir]

My only question would be - is it better to be in the system and try for an upgrade to Signature at a later date or just ditch it (having the extra card could weigh on other applications for sign-up points)?

eh? you already have a credit application on your file, so cancelling it won't help with that.

from March or April 2014, though, with enhanced credit reporting, the fact you have the card and it's limit will be visible. if you think that'd matter for a future application, just cancel it then rather than now.

 

[get me outta here]

Having applied and meeting the criteria hands down they now tell me I don't qualify. Dealing w' these people has been terribly frustrating and therefore very stressful as it's like talking to a merry go round. It's the sort of nightmare service that people used to have to put up w' decades ago before companies understood what service should be. I may even call the banking ombudsperson.

I remember some examples of screamingly frustrated customers used as training 'aids' ages ago. However, a sensible person like me will just say I didn't really want to join your club anyway.

 

[Shorns]

Actually had a pretty good experience this time 'round! applied and was approved in 5 days, package 2 days later and set up was pretty easy, contract reflected the fee free for life bit too. It's so hit and miss with these guys but it's a offer I really couldn't refuse. Finally got a card again that I can change my PIN on and use paywave (HSBC seem to live in the 80's)

 

[Cat207]

I got my 'approved' email on 11/12, my statement a few days later. Still haven't received the card though.

 

[ferni]

Wife Applied Tuesday, emailed Documents Wednesday, Received a statement Thursday, Got the card in the mail Friday(yesterday)...

 

[ninja-tim]

Applied Tuesday night, sent docs wednesday, got email Thursday morning saying conditionally approved & got call soon after from citibank to confirm identity and saying they will have to call my accountant for reference and confirmation of my pay details. I was hoping to get it approved before christmas since my accountant is closed over christmas period and don't know if citibank will be closed too. Will that affect the offer since it ends 31st Dec?

 

[astrosly]

Applied Tuesday night, sent docs wednesday, got email Thursday morning saying conditionally approved & got call soon after from citibank to confirm identity and saying they will have to call my accountant for reference and confirmation of my pay details. I was hoping to get it approved before christmas since my accountant is closed over christmas period and don't know if citibank will be closed too. Will that affect the offer since it ends 31st Dec?

If I recall the T&Cs it said that you only have to apply by 31st Dec, not apply and be approved, to be eligible. I remember because other credit cards with bonus offers on at the moment explicitly said 'and approved' in their T&Cs but Citibank's did not say this.

 

[ninja-tim]

If I recall the T&Cs it said that you only have to apply by 31st Dec, not apply and be approved, to be eligible.

Thanks for the confirmation. Hopefully it gets approved before NYE. *fingers crossed*

 

[Beta4Me]

Well, I've had to lodge a formal complaint and send in a letter requesting reassessment because my application was declined as I didn't provide the required documents when they didn't ask me to provide them until AFTER my application lapsed: Yes, that's right, the CSR lied to me and asked me to send docs in when my application was already declined. I'm taking this to the financial services ombudsman if they don't approve the card ASAP. Ridiculous it's had to go this far.

 

[cove]

Don't take it too personally. Citi is a most unusual outfit that was saved during the GFC because they were deemed to be too big to fail.
If the IT systems feel clumsy and useless that would be because the lowest priced tender won the job.
Getting a rejection is not nice but use tenacity 100 that you have developed certainly helps when you are trying to get to YES.
Getting our two Citi cards were the hardest but we did get there in the end.