I've been following this thread and my experience reflects that of many here. I've finally jumped all the Citi-hurdles and been approved for the fee-free for life Signature card so I thought I'd share my experience so that others may benefit (particularly
reppeh ).
I had a Citibusiness Gold visa (with a $4k limit), and a Citiplus transaction account for 10 years. I was offered the Platinum when Citi phased out the CBG card but like others deemed the Platinum card to be next to useless, so I pushed back and looked elsewhere. Oh how I wish I had a ABN alibi.
So, I applied for the Virgin money Platinum card, which was on "conditionally approved" status for ages. I had to email in all the info (employment agreement, recent payslips, tax statement, monthly - NOT annual -investment earning details) over the course of few weeks to various email addresses. Then comes the fee-free for life Signature card offer. I called up Citi thinking that I could just upgrade from the (now active) Platinum card - like many here. No go. My Platinum credit limit was too low to jump to the Signature $15k minimum. Apparently, Citi will add 50% of (and to) your credit limit to determine which card you qualify for - this is regardless of how much you earn (I earn $120k+). I requested a review/explanation, referring Citi to my longstanding record, but that was also declined because of the Virgin application which was still being processed.
So I contacted Citi, expressing in the strongest possible terms that I've been a customer for 10 years and if that was to continue perhaps someone should call me to sort out this mess. Next day, "Tony" calls. I promptly withdrew the Virgin card application, then re-appled via the 'friends and family' link for the Signature. It took about five calls to Citi to get to this point, not inlcuding those haggling over why my CBG should not be cancelled.
At this point my new Signature application was conditionally approved, then declined again - however this time "Tony" did a little financial gymnastics. He added the $6k limit from the CGB (incl the 50% limit uplift) to the $10.5k limit I'd been given for the new Platinum card (I was actuallly issued a new one when a) I cancelled the CBG replacement and b) my declined Signature application defaulted to an approved Platinum), and hey presto, the credit limit for the Platinum now exceeded the $15k Signature limit. Then the Platinum was 'converted' to a Signature but they charged the $395 annual fee upon first spend. Ugh. Two more calls to Citi: one to have the annual fee removed, and one to confirm that fee-free for life is in the system. It appears all is now in order. Except my credit rating file probably resembles a port-a-loo at a music festival - I do not want to look. (I also got a new AmEx Plat Edge at the same time.)
So, I reckon all it took was three months and:
about 10 calls by me,
the same number from them,
the threat of taking my meagre business elsewhere,
a lot of insistence by me,
enough personal info emailed to make a scammer/phisher giddy with excitement.
Anyhow, I hope that allays the fears of those still struggling through the Citi machine, and gives a laugh for those who didn't have to go through it. I'm convinced it'll all be worth it as the card is easily the best on the market IMO. I would be most annoyed if Citi "enhance" the earn/transfer rates.