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If you apply for a credit card and are not immediately approved, then in most circumstances you should call the bank to discuss your application.
Ask the agent if you could provide any more information about the application. Generally they ask a few questions that were already on the app and approve you–especially if your application was left as pending and not denied.
Check out Rookie Alli’s experience (previous MileValue writer) calling Citi over the reconsideration of her application for the Hilton Honors Reserve Card.
Hopefully this video clears up any apprehension you might have about calling the reconsideration lines. Not all calls are this painless, but most are. Still scared? Follow these steps and you’ve got nothing to worry about.
- Come up with a reason you want the card that does not reference the sign up bonus and does reference the card’s co-branded hotel or airline, or a hotel or airline transfer point if the card earns points.
- Call the bank’s reconsideration line (latest numbers listed below).
- Tell the agent you wanted to see if the bank needed any more information to process your application.
- Answer the agent’s questions truthfully.
- Generally, be approved.
If you don’t get approved on your “reconsideration call”, you can actually hang up and call back. This process results in many more approvals than just waiting.
Denied application?
It is still worth making a reconsideration call if your application is denied, you just might want to be ready to negotiate. For example, sometimes banks will deny you if you already have a large credit line with them on one or more cards. If you know which card(s) you are willing to move credit over from and offer that as an option get the new card approved, then perhaps the agent will be more willing to work with you as you’d be helping to minimize the bank’s risk. Doing so has helped me get multiple Bank of America cards open.
If you do have an existing relationship to the bank and the rep doesn’t seem to be aware of it, don’t forget to play that card.
And again, have that specific reason for wanting the card ready. That will of course help your case as well.
Exception to The Rule
The one bank this advice does not typically apply to is Chase. Most people report higher approval rates by just waiting it out when they receive pending responses for Chase applications.
If you decide to call, expect much tougher questions than those described above.
The Phone Numbers
American Express
- Personal and Business Cards: 877-399-3083
Citi
- Personal and Business Cards: 888-201-4523
Bank of America
-
Personal Cards: 1-888-503-6091
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Business Cards: 866-695-6598
Barclays
- Personal and Business Cards: 866-408-4064
US Bank
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Personal and Business: 800-947-1444
Chase
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Personal Cards: (888) 609-7805
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Business Cards: (800) 453-9719
If you’ve had a faster/better experience with a different number than what’s listed above, let us know in the comments.
Bottom Line
Unless it’s a Chase card you don’t get auto-approved for, don’t sit around and wait to hear back from the bank. That is what the text on your pending application response will always tell you to do, but the silent wheel doesn’t get the grease–the squeaky one does. Calling the appropriate phone number listed above and answering whatever surface level questions the agent may ask you about your application is not hard and will reap you more approvals than if you hadn’t made the call.
What’s the easiest recon call you’ve ever made? The hardest?
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Editorial Disclaimer: The editorial content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuers, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuers.
The comments section below is not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all questions are answered.
What happened to Rookie Ali? She move on?
Lanny
I Heard she went to work for a very high end bank’s credit card application department making the big money . However she is now the CEO like I would do she didn’t approve one credit card in a month . Why does anyone need 15 credit cards and why do they always apply for a card @ 9 months then cancel @ 11 months over the last 7 years ? The profits went up the need for Bankers went down the data is all right there on the credit report . I hope Citi doesn’t read this !!!!!!!!!
CHEERs
haha
I have the opposite problem – maybe someone knows if this will turn out okay… =/
I applied for the TY Premier card almost two months ago (when bonus was only 30K) but received a rejection letter. I applied for the card again a week ago (when bonus is now 50K) and received an approval email a week later.
I received the physical card in the mail few days later and activated it… then on the same day, I received ANOTHER approval email for another TY Premier card (with different card numbers). I called in and they said the first approval email was for the application from two months ago, so it’s tied to the 30K bonus! Apparently this has been happening frequently recently. The rep I talked to sent a request to have the 50K bonus applied to the first TY card (intead of 30K).
But now I have TWO TY Premier cards! I did NOT want two (double the spending requirement!). The rep said he made a notation that since this was the bank’s oversight I should be able to receive the bonus on the second card as well. Even if I end up closing out one of them, it will look bad on my credit report! I’m regretting not getting this in writing somehow… do you think the bank will honor the bonus on the second card as well? If there’s a chance they won’t… I’d rather put the $4K spend on another card.
Call the Bank up with CC numbers in Hand tell them you want ONE CARD NOT TWO with 50K points better the latter one . They will Check into it BUT it will take a few days .Have them respond by SM or Email DOUBLE check the number for the 50K card then the 90 day START date and End date .Then CANCEL the other .
I applied got a card and CANCELED it (for spending min) 32 days later I called they reinstated it with like 58 days left got the points but forgot Bank name and card BUT they were nice !!!
Don’t worry about that on ur Credit Report that means nothing .
CHEERs
Last year I wanted a new Chase card and met the 5/24 requirement (though I had some cards I was no longer using). Applied, got the the “we’re considering you” response, called. The guy said I was maxed out on how much credit Chase would give me. He cancelled a card I wasn’t using and approved the new card using that limit.
Reconsideration call where I was denied and they just needed my old address as my new one wasnt on my credit report yet. Easy call but they wouldn’t send it to new address, had to go to old. Barclays
[…] Phone Numbers For Reconsideration Calls: If you’ve been in this hobby a while, and have opened several cards during your your time, you may have received a denial or “status pending” notice on a few applications. Not to worry though, as the banks may just need to verify some information. A quick phone call to the reconsideration line may do the trick! […]