Approval Rules Citi 2/65
You'll be declined if you apply for a third Citi card within 65 days
Deep Dive into the Citi 2/65 Rule
Apply for a third Citi card within 65 days, and you'll be declined. With Citi's other rules (and limited points cards) it's not likely you'd be chasing a third Citi card in any 65-day period. But as long as you keep your card history up to date, we'll keep track for you.
Important to know:
You can get both business and personal cards when it comes to this rule, but you’re only allowed one business card. That’s because there is another rule - the Citi 1/95 rule - that states you are only allowed one business card in a 95 day period. So if you do want a third Citi card after 65 days have passed, it will have to be either three personal cards or two personal cards and one business card. You can only get a second business card after 95 days.
Related Rules
How Does This Affect Your Credit Card Strategy?
As stated above, you most likely won’t want or need three Citi cards in such a short period of time, so this rule alone shouldn’t impact your overall strategy much. This Citi rule is just one of several rules you should be aware of regarding velocity though. We already mentioned the 1/95 rule regarding business cards (you can only get one business card in 95 days). There is also the Citi 1/8 rule which limits you to one card in eight days. If you trip, or even come close to tripping any of these rules, that means you’re churning through new cards fast, which will eventually get you into trouble.
Important to know:
If you are an American Airlines loyalist and/or want to collect as many American miles as you can in a short amount of time, that’s the only reason we can think of where this rule (and all the velocity rules) might come into play.
Co-branded Citi American Airline cards are the most valuable cards Citi offers, so if you plan to open multiple American cards to collect the signup bonuses for each, be aware of this rule (and the others) and make sure you space out your applications.
It’s also important to be aware of the separate rules regarding American cards backed by Citi. Those say that you are only eligible for the signup bonuses on each card once in a 48 month period. This goes for both the four personal cards and the one business card. Since this is such a long waiting period between being able to get bonuses, you might want to get your clock started on each card as soon as possible, especially if you plan on opening multiples. This is the one scenario where this 2/65 rule will come into play. Make sure you have a strategy in place for which cards you want to open, in which order, and how far you must space them out to adhere to each rule.
Importance of this Rule
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There aren’t many Citi cards that we suggest getting that will make this rule one to worry much about. We don’t often suggest opening 3 cards in a little over two months anyway, as that type of churning will eventually raise red flags and shorten the life of your points and miles hobby. You should be aware of this rule, especially if American Airline miles are important to you, but this isn’t a rule that should drive your entire card strategy.
Rule Applies to All Cards from This Bank
Cards Subject to This Rule
FAQs
Are there exceptions to this rule?
No, this counts for all Citi credit cards.
How do I check my status?
The easiest way to check your status is to sign up for a Points Navigator account and load all your credit cards into our system. We’ll track all rules that coincide with each card you have. If you’re going to trip one of the many rules, we’ll alert you before you apply.
Do business cards count for this rule?
Yes, business cards do count for this rule. You could get one business card and one personal card in 65 days. But business cards also have their own, separate, Citi 1/95 rule which states that you cannot get more than one business card in 95 days.
Do product changes on existing cards count for this rule?
No, a product change does not count for this rule.
About Approval Rules
Collecting credit card points is largely driven by understanding and abiding by bank rules regarding approval (or disapproval) of cards. So here's what you need to know:
- Approval rules are rarely fully publicized by the banks
- We use our own research and data points from other users in creating the rules listing
- Our goal in sharing/using the rule listings is to provide you guidance to avoid getting declined
- There can sometimes be exceptions to the rules, but we try to take a more cautious approach in advising you.