[Offer Closed]: Citibank Gold NO ANNUAL FEE FOR LIFE

[Chicken]

Im assuming if i get a new gold card and cancel my silver i can 'merge' my points together so i wont lose any. is this correct?

Yes, I did this after I got my free gold card. I called, then asked them to merge my total credit limt, and the points, from my silver card to free gold card.

 

[KateMayo]

Hi geffa18,

I also had a silver card with a yearly fee but wanted the fee-free gold.

I waited until I’d had my silver card for almost a year and then applied via the website for the gold (including a fee-free supplementary card). I know that Citibank accessed my credit file despite my already having a credit history with them.

Once my application was approved, I cancelled the silver (avoiding the first-year’s fee) but making it very clear that I wanted the credit limits combined and the points transferred from my silver card to my gold.

Citibank did “lose” my points on transfer but a phone call fixed this.

All fairly painless.

I don’t know how you’d go attempting an upgrade rather than a new application – but the credit limit and transfer of points shouldn’t be an issue.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[waltervp]

Re: SICK of Citibank

... I'm on a silver card, and I'm way over the point cap limit for platinum card, yet I'm still getting all my points...

I have a Mycard issued by Citibank, is this the same? I find Citibank horrible to deal with. Even the internet-banking is problematic for me!! I got my Silver card in 2005 assuming I was getting 1:1 points which I was told were transferable to my Qantas FF account.

First issue I had was the ridiculous small credit limit they gave me. Especially compared to the $10K+ for the Platinum Visa (0.5:1) and the $10K+ on the Plat. Amex (1.5:1). Every time I get my bike repaired or place a deposit on a security locker the Mycard Citibank's Silver Mastercard gets rejected because I am over the limit. Applying for a larger limit always results in tiny increments. I am now up to $4K. If Amex is not accepted I like to use the Mastercard... and if that fails I use the Visa card.

After 2 years I managed to collect 35000 points and wanted to transfer them to my Qantas card. They told me I had to have a Gold Card, as it was not possible with a Silver card. I accepted the conditions (which cost money!) and was told to call back in a few days. A few weeks later I called back - today - to be told the Gold card got refused because I could not get the min. $5K credit because they had increased it to $4K in July and they can only do one increase every 6 months. So in a 4 weeks I can apply for the extra credit of $1K so that I can PAY for my Gold card so that I can transfer my lousy points. What a horse and pony show!

As soon as I have those points transferred - if it really happens in January - I will be cutting up my Citibank credit card I think, especially if they charge me an annual fee of $100+ for me and my wife's card!

 

[geffa18]

That sounds like a nightmare. I agree that citiabank horrible to deal with, most of the time each rep you talk to gives you diff info to. In regards to wht they told you, it is definately untrue that when you have a silver card you are unable to transfer to qantas, i have a silver card and have successfully transferred points to my qantas account on several times. The issues with credit limit seem absurd to me, you sound like you have a good credit history and would be eligeble for a much larger limit.

Personally, i applied for the card, on an ok salary and got instantly approved with a 9k limit, seems like these guys work in mysterious ways in which they choose to set limits.

My advice to you is to call up citibank again and tell them on their website they say that the silver card has the option of transferring points on a 1:1 basis to qantas FF (see Citibank | Citibank Silver - Citibank Australia) . Only problem i see is that "Mycard" may be an old credit card that has different conditions applied to it?? Anyone have more info about this card?

After you get the points sorted out, cancel that old card and apply via this link https://www.citibank.com.au/cardsoffer/offers/200607_DDP76HYD.htm to get the gold card with no annual fee for life. That should sort out your issues!

 

[vilemerchant]

Re: SICK of Citibank

I have a Mycard issued by Citibank, is this the same? I find Citibank horrible to deal with. Even the internet-banking is problematic for me!! I got my Silver card in 2005 assuming I was getting 1:1 points which I was told were transferable to my Qantas FF account.

First issue I had was the ridiculous small credit limit they gave me. Especially compared to the $10K+ for the Platinum Visa (0.5:1) and the $10K+ on the Plat. Amex (1.5:1). Every time I get my bike repaired or place a deposit on a security locker the Mycard Citibank's Silver Mastercard gets rejected because I am over the limit. Applying for a larger limit always results in tiny increments. I am now up to $4K. If Amex is not accepted I like to use the Mastercard... and if that fails I use the Visa card.

After 2 years I managed to collect 35000 points and wanted to transfer them to my Qantas card. They told me I had to have a Gold Card, as it was not possible with a Silver card. I accepted the conditions (which cost money!) and was told to call back in a few days. A few weeks later I called back - today - to be told the Gold card got refused because I could not get the min. $5K credit because they had increased it to $4K in July and they can only do one increase every 6 months. So in a 4 weeks I can apply for the extra credit of $1K so that I can PAY for my Gold card so that I can transfer my lousy points. What a horse and pony show!

As soon as I have those points transferred - if it really happens in January - I will be cutting up my Citibank credit card I think, especially if they charge me an annual fee of $100+ for me and my wife's card!

I've got the mycard aswell. After a few years of having the 4K silver card they sent me an offer to upgrade to Gold and CLI to 6K. They now offer me regular credit limit increases in the mail (probably every 6 months I guess).

BTW, if I were you i'd keep the silver card and in 4 weeks apply for a gold card thru the fee-free link. If you get approved I'm sure you could transfer your points and extra 4K CL to the new gold card and then close the silver.

 

[geffa18]

I currently have silver visa card that i pay annual fee for, and am planning to apply for the fee free for life gold visa card. Through reading through some of the forums i noticed a couple of things that i wanted clarification for.

1- can you hold a silver card as well as a gold card with both being visas?

2- I read earlier that someone got rejected for a card because they had another card they appllied for within the past 6 months. Is there some sort of time frame you have to wait to get a new card or you can't get multiple cards within a certain time frame? I just really dont want my application rejected for some stupid reason and then need to wait 6 months to apply again.

 

[Chicken]

1- can you hold a silver card as well as a gold card with both being visas?

Yes, I had a silver, then applied for this free gold, got approved, had two. I then merged them afterwards.

2- I read earlier that someone got rejected for a card because they had another card they appllied for within the past 6 months. ?

Yes, Citibank seems to block any application if you had increased your credit limit or got a new card in the last 6 - 9 months. You should be fine as long as you haven't had these for a while.

 

[geffa18]

Ive only had my silver card for about 6 months, might just wait till the 10 months then apply for the gold and once it comes through merge and cancel the silver.
cheers

 

[waltervp]

I read earlier that someone got rejected for a card because they had another card they appllied for within the past 6 months.

I was told I could not get a gold card as that required an upgrade from my $4K limit to a $5K limit, and since my credit limit had been increased less then 6 months ago I could not get an increase to $5K and thus could not get the gold card till the 6 months were up: a matter of weeks!

The only reason I had to upgrade to Gold was so that I could transfer the accumulated points to my Qantas FF membership, which they tell me is not possible with Silver!!! This came as a surprise to me. Does anyone have silver and transfer points to Qantas? That was the only thing I wanted to do, and I cannot do it until I upgrade to Gold!! I felt cheated as the only reason I got the Mycard Citibank Silver Mastercard 2 years ago was to collect points for my Qantas FF m'ship! Any other surprises in store for me?

 

[Chicken]

Does anyone have silver and transfer points to Qantas?

Yes. I had a silver card before and free transfer to QF.

I felt cheated as the only reason I got the Mycard Citibank Silver Mastercard 2 years ago was to collect points for my Qantas FF m'ship!

My Card was all these credit unions came up with, then found Citibank to run it for them. You are supposed to be able to transfer to QF. Can't you do it via Citibank Internet banking?

 

[KateMayo]

Hi waltervp,

Did you get the Mycard Citibank silver card direct from Citibank or did you get it from a credit union?

 

[waltervp]

It was two years ago... I am pretty sure it was direct, as it is not associated to any of my existing bank accounts. Would that make any difference?

 

[Chicken]

Would that make any difference?

Those issued to credit union members can be transferred to QF. Yours is probably a different one where points cannot be transferred to QF.

 

[geffa18]

I was told I could not get a gold card as that required an upgrade from my $4K limit to a $5K limit, and since my credit limit had been increased less then 6 months ago I could not get an increase to $5K and thus could not get the gold card till the 6 months were up: a matter of weeks!

I dont really understand this, i recently downgraded my silver card limit from $8500 to $4000, does this mean that i cannot simply apply for a new gold card and get it? Somone please explain/clarify

 

[KateMayo]

Hi waltervp,

The reason I was asking where you got your card from is that from doing some quick googling I can see a few Mycard Citibank credit union products. These all seem to have two types of card – silver and gold – with transfer of points over to QFF only available on the gold card (which seems to have an added rewards programme element called BlueSky).

This is quite different for the standard Citibank silver and gold Mastercards (and Visa cards) where transfer of points across to QFF can be done with either card.

 

[Alanslegal]

2- I read earlier that someone got rejected for a card because they had another card they appllied for within the past 6 months. Is there some sort of time frame you have to wait to get a new card or you can't get multiple cards within a certain time frame? I just really dont want my application rejected for some stupid reason and then need to wait 6 months to apply again.

yes i was one of these people in the rejected list =( as my 4k limit did not meet the basic $5k for the gold ........ silly enough, they sent out an upgrade to Gold Card offer but with the $119 annual fee not too long after I got the rejection......

seriously though, am considering to delete CB from my future banking requirements.......

 

[geffa18]

I have a 4k limit on my silver now, does that mean if i apply for a new gold i will be rejected?

 

[Alanslegal]

I have a 4k limit on my silver now, does that mean if i apply for a new gold i will be rejected?

it is more important to look at the last time you either applied for the card Or when your last credit limit increase was? if the answer to any of these was within the past 6 months or so, then CB may likely knock you back...

 

[geffa18]

I applied for my last card in April 07 and recently did a credit limit DECREASE, from $8500 to $4000, do you think it'll go through without a problem?

 

[Dr_Nick]

I recently applied for the Visa Gold fee-free card mentioned on a recent previous page (the one with 4.9% balance transfer) and received it today.

I can assure people that it is truly fee-free, no additional card fees either. My credit limit of slightly more than a quarter of my teacher's salary was rather startling too!

The only downsides to this card, it seems to me are:
- Transfers of points to QFF in 10,000 blocks
- No extra $ for Qantas purchases (as against my Earth+ for example)
- An interesting statement right at the end of their letter to me. I quote:
"Account activity -If you pay the Closing Balance by the Payment Due Date for 10 out of 12 consecutive months, your maximum interest free period may be reduced to 44 days. This means that the number of days in which you must make your repayments will be reduced from 25 days to 14 days". I noted the use of the word 'may' in there...has this occured to anyone else?

Overall, I've done pretty well out of this caper so far. Few months ago joined up with Earth+, 15,000 free points, no annual fee in first year, free QFF membership, $1=1 point with Amex. I will probably keep this until just before the annual fee kicks in for any Qantas purchases, and cancel if they want to charge a fee. Then 2,000 points for joining Etrade (and didn't have to trade to get them either). Now fee-free Citibank with big credit limit for all everyday purchases, with supplementary card for the missus to add to the points.

Other than a few stamps and a few hours of my time, all free so far.