How to get pre-approved for a Citi card

Citi is an advertising partner of CreditCards.com.

Imagine finding the perfect credit card for your wallet. It comes with a generous welcome bonus or an extended 0% APR balance transfer period that you need to help pay off your existing debt. Sounds good, right?

You can avoid some of the guesswork and potential heartache during the credit card application process by getting pre-approved or pre-qualified for the card you want. Citi – and most major card issuers – can pre-approve your card based on a soft pull on your credit, which doesn’t affect your credit score.

Keep in mind that a soft request allows the card issuer to look at basic information on your credit report and determine your creditworthiness. If your credit card company pre-approves your card, it is not a guarantee of approval and you will still need to complete an official application. But at least you will know that the odds are in your favor.

On the other hand, if the issuer rejects your pre-approval, you can save yourself the hassle of filing and avoid a credit-damaging tough draw. Continue reading to learn more about Citi Credit Card Pre-Approval.

How to get pre-approved for a Citi credit card

Here are a few ways to get pre-approved for a Citi credit card:

Check offers on CardMatch

One place to check Citi pre-approval is CardMatch™. All you have to do is enter some basic information about yourself, including your name, address, and the last four digits of your social security number. You will then receive a personalized list of offers based on your credit profile. The whole process takes less than a minute, and since CardMatch only performs a soft checkout, it won’t hurt your credit.

CardMatch allows you to quickly compare the rewards, rates, and terms of multiple credit cards. If you are pre-qualified for a Citi credit card or other card of your choice, you can easily apply for free within the tool.

Find pre-selected deals on the Citi website

Citi also offers a pre-screening tool that lets you know if you have been pre-selected for a Citi card. Like CardMatch, the site asks you to fill out a simple form that includes your name, contact information, the last four digits of your social security number, and the type of credit card you want (reward, balance transfer, low initial APR, cash back, or no preference) . After you agree to the authorization terms, you can click “View My Offers”.

Citi will immediately match any credit card offers that match your credit profile for you. While credit card approval is never guaranteed, any offers you receive will likely have a higher chance of being approved. And if you want to take advantage of one of the offers recommended by Citi, you can apply now.

Other Ways to Prequalify for Citi Cards

Completing the online form is by far the easiest way to pre-qualify for a Citi card, but not the only one. You can also receive a pre-qualified Citi offer by regular mail.

If you live near a Citi branch, you can also drop in and ask for any offers in person. In some cases, Citi has been known to offer increased signup bonuses or other introductory offers when you apply in this way.

Best Citi Cards for Prequalified Offers

Cash back Citi Simplicity® Card	Balance transfers Citi® Dual Cash Card	Flexible rewards Citi Rewards+® Card
Cashback up to 2% on all purchases – 1% when making purchases and an additional 1% when paying for these purchases 0% annual interest rate for the first 18 months when transferring the balance then 13.99-23.99% with a variable annual interest rate.	0% initial APR for the first 21 months on balance transfers (transfers must be completed within the first 4 months), then 14.74%-24.74% variable annual interest rate. 0% per annum for the first 12 months on new purchases then 14.74%-24.74% variable annual interest rate	2 thank you points per dollar at supermarkets and gas stations (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1 point per dollar) 1 point Thanks for the dollar for all other purchases Each purchase is rounded up to the nearest 10 points. Earn 20,000 bonus points if you spend $1,500 within the first 3 months of opening an account, it can be redeemed for $200 gift cards at ThankYou.com.

Why you should prequalify with Citi before applying

You should consider pre-screening with Citi because it can give you a good idea of ​​your chances of acceptance before you formally apply for a card. If you’re pre-approved, your chances of actually being approved are higher, so you’ll know if it’s worth continuing to apply for a credit card.

If Citi doesn’t pre-qualify, you’ll at least avoid being asked hard on your credit report only to have your application rejected. A hard request can stay on your credit report for up to two years, although its impact on your credit may only last a year or so.

Also, if your request for pre-approval does not result in an offer, this is a clear sign that something is wrong with your credit history or other information you provided during the pre-approval process. If this is the case, it is recommended that you obtain free copies of your credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com to find out what these problems might be. Carefully review your credit reports for erroneous or fraudulent information. Discuss any errors you find with the major credit reference agencies Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

bottom line

If you’re worried about your credit card chances, pre-qualifiers are a valuable tool for finding cards within your reach. Although Citi does not offer as many promotions as other card issuers, you still have a chance to win the best match.