Citi preapproval: A guide to pre-qualifying for Citi credit cards (2024)

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Credit cards

Dawn Papandrea

Ashley Barnett

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Robin Saks Frankel

What is preapproval and pre-qualification for a credit card?

Generally speaking, preapproval and pre-qualification are similar in that they both use soft credit inquiries to make a reasonable guess that you’d be an ideal cardholder. Neither being preapproved or pre-qualified is a guarantee that you’ll ultimately be approved, however.

When credit card issuers send offers to consumers that say you’re preapproved or pre-qualified that means that they took it upon themselves to look at your credit file to see if you would be a good candidate for that card. With such offers, it’s likely, though not guaranteed, that if you accept the offer and officially apply for the card, you will be approved.

In some cases, consumers may be able to initiate a process to see if they are pre-qualified before they apply for a card via the credit issuer’s website.

If offered, the card issuer will explicitly note that your credit will not be impacted since a hard credit check (which dings your score temporarily) is not performed. From there, you’ll be asked to self-report your credit score range and income, and then the card company will let you know if you have a strong chance of approval.

What is the difference between credit card preapproval and pre-qualification?

Sometimes, the terms are used interchangeably, but there are slight differences.

The main difference between credit card preapproval and pre-qualification is that preapproval may be a slightly stronger indicator that you will make it to full approval. But every credit issuer’s process may vary slightly.

What’s most important to note for both preapproval and pre-qualification is that the credit card company does a preliminary review of your credit file and/or information you supply to them in a short questionnaire to estimate if you’ll meet their criteria for approval.

How to pre-qualify or get preapproval with Citi

Citi’s website currently states that it is not offering pre-qualification at this time. Instead, prospective cardholders are encouraged to research the various Citi cards to find one that fits their needs.

Best Citi credit cards that offer preapproval

As of now, there are no Citi credit cards that offer preapproval to the general public. However, that should not deter you from applying. If you have a good credit score, no recent negative items on your credit report and ample income, there’s a strong likelihood that you will be approved for cards that are geared toward your credit level.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

If Citi sends prescreening offers to prospective customers, those will use a soft credit pull, which means there is no impact to your credit.

There are a number of Citi credit cards that appeal to consumers at different credit levels. As such, each has its own criteria for approval. In general, higher-tier cards (such as rewards cards with an annual fee like the Citi Strata Premier℠Card*The information for the Citi Strata Premier℠Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.), will require a very good to excellent credit score.

If you are wondering how to get a credit card with a low credit score or limited credit history, the easiest Citi card to go for is the Citi® Secured Mastercard®*The information for the Citi® Secured Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.. As a secured card, it’s ideal for helping consumers who want to build or rebuild their credit. It requires a security deposit that serves as your credit limit.

Credit limits vary depending on both the card and the cardholder’s credit history and annual salary. In general, people with excellent credit will be offered higher credit limits. Over time as a cardholder with strong payment behavior, Citi may increase your credit limit.

*The information for the Citi Strata Premier℠Card and Citi® Secured Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint.The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Dawn Papandrea

BLUEPRINT