I've also successfully transferred from Citibank silver to this free Citibank gold (well, 90% successful)
I applied on that web site, they called my employer, then also asked me to fax them a pay slip. Then approved, sent me the card, all done pretty much standard procedure.
They also didn't ask for 100 point ID.
Getting the card was easy. Combining the old card to the new card was the hardest part.
I called them on Friday asking them to combine my old card and this new card together. For the sake of easier understanding, I would say my old silver card has a credit limit of $100, while the new free gold card only has a credit limit of $50.
The operater told me that it was not possible to combine my credit limit and balances to one account. She advised because my old card has $80 balance on $100 limit, while my new free gold only has $50 limit, it is impossible to transfer $80 to a card with only $50 limit. So I asked if that means she would be able to combine the credit limits if I make a payment today, so the money will clear the next day, and call back. Her answer was then "no".
She told me I would have to apply for a credit limit increase on the new card, which I cannot do because I haven't had that card for 9 months. (Citibank has this policy of the first credit limit increase application must be done after having your card for 9 months). I told her I've been with Citibank so many years, and have always paid 2 or 3 times per month because my credit limit is too low, I should not have to wait 9 months at all. Her answer was flat no.
I then asked her if she could just copy my $100 limit to the new card, and close the old silver account. Her answer was still "no". Now this is getting very strange. I explained to her that, I have 2 cards at the moment, one with $50 limit, another with $100 limit, that means I can spend $150. Now I'm only asking her to copy my credit limit of $100 to the new free card, then close the old silver immediately, which means I would only have $100 to spend, not $150. Now isn't it safer for Citibank to only give me $100? It's it more dangerous, higher the risk, to let me have $150 instead? So why can't they copy my credit limit across? It doesn't make any sense! She then put me on hold for a long time. (She had actually put me on hold many many times during this phone call).
Another operator evetually told me they would combine my account, so my new free gold card would have a limit of $150 and my $80 balance transferred there. She also said that I can call back in 3 days time if I want to have a limit of only $100. She also confirmed all my reward points will be transferred to the new card as well.
Now, we just need to make sure they combine my account, not doing a balance transfer so my $80 will start incurring interest immediately.
I also enquired about another problem with my account. I was offered to upgrade my old silver card to a new card with a credit limit increase about 2 months ago. I only ticked to box for new credit limit, did not tick the upgrade from silver to gold option. They upgrade my account to gold regardless, and charge me a pro rata fee for the upgrade. I never activated my gold card. I asked the operator if they can refund the fee because I never requested a gold card.
She told me I did ask for it. I asked her if she would like me to fax her the form I filled in which clearly shows I did not tick the upgrade option. She then told me my $100 credit limit was too high for silver card, so they have to charge me annual fee for gold card even if I only have a silver card. I immediately asked if I should go to the Banking Ombudsman. She didn't know what to say next.
Anyway, I hung up my mobile phone, and the screen shown the call as exactly 40 minutes long. I did not wait in the queue for 40 minutes, but actually talked on the phone for 40 minutes. I wonder how many calls they take in an hour???
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