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Recent CitiBank Applicant?
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An old thread, but I thought I would update it. A few posts back I wrote about my former experience with citibank when tried to open an account with them back in 2009.
Well, a few weeks ago I thought I could take my chances and try again, applied for the euro current account and everything has been really fast. Within a week of returning the forms and proof of address I received my PIN and visa debit card. The card even came as a cheque guarantee card!
Then, after I could access the internet banking service I also applied for an sterling current account (not that I need it as I have my main HSBC current account, but it comes handy if you get euros into the euro current account and want to convert them into sterling and send a BACS payment to another UK bank. The euro current account dosn't allow BACS payments, just SEPA and SWIFT). The current account was opened and showed on my online banking within 24 hours.
So anyone who's interested in these accounts, try again as they may have improved their account opening process -or I was lucky enough.0 -
An old thread, but I thought I would update it. A few posts back I wrote about my former experience with citibank when tried to open an account with them back in 2009.
Well, a few weeks ago I thought I could take my chances and try again, applied for the euro current account and everything has been really fast. Within a week of returning the forms and proof of address I received my PIN and visa debit card. The card even came as a cheque guarantee card!
Then, after I could access the internet banking service I also applied for an sterling current account (not that I need it as I have my main HSBC current account, but it comes handy if you get euros into the euro current account and want to convert them into sterling and send a BACS payment to another UK bank. The euro current account dosn't allow BACS payments, just SEPA and SWIFT). The current account was opened and showed on my online banking within 24 hours.
So anyone who's interested in these accounts, try again as they may have improved their account opening process -or I was lucky enough.
What is your credit history like? I did apply to Citi over 2 year's ago and got a decline! I did have adverse in a big way at the time though:eek:0 -
I have no adverse but a very brief credit history. My oldest credit account, a mail order catalogue that I recently closed, is from May 2009. Then my first credit card is from October 2009.
When I first applied to citibank, back in October 2008, my credit file didn't even exist. My only account was a Halifax easycash and these go unreported. Received the letter requesting proof of address and a certified copy of ID. Delayed too much sending the certified copy of my driving licence and when I did they said my application had been cancelled and they were unable to reopen it. Then I applied again two or three months later, received the forms and request for ID etc. and sent them back immediately. I never received an answer back from them. Just the documents back saying I would hear from them shortly.
Back them it was the Access current account what I was interested in, but now I wanted a current account in euros and they seem to be the only free alternative, so applied and within a few days I got the card, PIN and so on.
I can't say whether they are particularly easy as within the last two months I have been accepted for an HSBC full bank account and for a Santander Business current account. Six months ago I was refused by Alliance and Leicester for a current account. So it may be that with one year clean credit history you become more attractive to banks.
Curiously enough, this time Citibank did not ask me to send a certified copy of any ID, just proof of address. And no, I am not on the electoral roll... :rotfl:
But again, something similar happened to me with HSBC, I applied for their bank account three or four months ago and they asked ID and proof of address. I send something they didn't accept and they were unable to open the account. Then I reapplied two months ago and the account was opened straight away. No ID or proof of address. :eek:0 -
Just thought I'd add a recent update that it still can take forever if you apply online..
I applied recently, took 2 months to find out I was declined as well. Got the usual pre-approval letter nonsense, and eventually had to call them to find out I was declined. I was pretty adverse credit history though, so fair enough.
hth,
pippitypipI know I'm in my own little world, but it's ok - they know me here!0 -
pippitypip wrote: »Just thought I'd add a recent update that it still can take forever if you apply online..
I applied recently, took 2 months to find out I was declined as well. Got the usual pre-approval letter nonsense, and eventually had to call them to find out I was declined. I was pretty adverse credit history though, so fair enough.
hth,
pippitypip
So based on your experience and my past and current experience we could say that if you are accepted they do debit card, PIN and everything quickly but if you are not accepted they simply ignore you... not very nice of them. Yet I believe they offer the best, cheaper and most convenient foreign currency accounts in the UK, that's why I insisted again and, this time, was lucky enough to be accepted.0 -
Just re-opened a GBP and EUR account with Citi. (I closed my Citi accounts over a year ago as they weren't of any use then). Both times, application was quick and painless. Received everything and had online access within 2 weeks of posting my application. Just waiting for them to implement faster payments0
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Has you debit card the cheque guarantee hologram?
They say on their site FP will be available by the end of 2010. Hope this is true as I do not like to see my money is lost somewhere in cyberspace for two or three days.0 -
No cheque guarantee on my VISA debit card. I've never guaranteed a cheque so I don't mind if it's not there. The debit card is more than enough. Mainly want it for free withdrawals from my EUR and JPY savings.0
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I was just curious. Mine came with the cheque guarantee and I have a very little credit history. Wondered if they issued them as a standard. Now I see they don't. Anyway, as you say, I will not use it either.0
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An old thread, but I thought I would update it. A few posts back I wrote about my former experience with citibank when tried to open an account with them back in 2009.
Well, a few weeks ago I thought I could take my chances and try again, applied for the euro current account and everything has been really fast. Within a week of returning the forms and proof of address I received my PIN and visa debit card. The card even came as a cheque guarantee card!
Then, after I could access the internet banking service I also applied for an sterling current account (not that I need it as I have my main HSBC current account, but it comes handy if you get euros into the euro current account and want to convert them into sterling and send a BACS payment to another UK bank. The euro current account dosn't allow BACS payments, just SEPA and SWIFT). The current account was opened and showed on my online banking within 24 hours.
So anyone who's interested in these accounts, try again as they may have improved their account opening process -or I was lucky enough.
You were lucky to get a CGC, as I had a letter off Citibank the other day, saying they were and are doing away with them, and any cards issued after November 2010, will NOT have the CG Logo of £100 on them, and after June 2011, they will no longer be valid.0
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