Getting declined for a credit card is never exciting. People do not like the feeling of rejection. But did you know getting declined on a credit card is not necessarily a final decision?

Credit card issuers usually have a reconsideration team you can get in touch with to see if your application may be reconsidered after getting declined. In my experience, I have gotten many credit cards approved after trying a reconsideration.

Here, in this post, we’ll go through the list of credit card issuers and how to get your application reconsidered.

First Thing First

Here are some tips to know before you call.

1) Prepare an explanation:

Before you call a credit card reconsideration department, prepare a decent explanation of why you think the credit card application should be reconsidered. 

For example, asking Chase to consider your excellent banking relationship with them is a great reason. 

Have you paid a balance that is still showing on your credit report? Or some other error showing on your report? 

That might be something the representative will understand and be willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. If you were declined due to a recently returned payment, make sure to give a solid explanation for why this was only a one time mistake and how it will never happen again. 

Point out that for the x amount of years you’ve been a customer with the bank, this only happened once, etc.

2) Explain why you applied:

When you call for reconsideration, point out a good reason to the rep as to why you applied for the card (especially if many credit cards are already showing on your credit report). 

A good reason would be “I fly a lot with United Airlines, and I would like to earn MileagePlus points with the United Explorer Credit Card“. 

A bad reason would be “I want to receive the welcome bonus”.

3) Use negotiation skills:

Sometimes, you can tell the rep that you will agree to start out now with a lower credit line, and build it up slowly. If you already have an existing credit line on another credit card with the same issuer, then ask the rep if you can split up and reallocate your current limit to the new card.

4) Not every decision can be overturned:

For example, if Chase declined you for “too many recently opened accounts”, then due to this reason, your application will not be able to be reconsidered (you can read more about other issuers approval terms here).

Here is how to reconsider an application with each bank and some great phone call tips. 

American Express

You can reach the Amex Reconsideration Department at 1-800-567-1083.

Applications can be reconsidered for up to 30 days without a new credit pull and up to 90 days with a new credit pull.

Phone Call Tips

1. Ask to reallocate or maybe close down an existing Amex credit card.
2. If they ask for your tax return, sometimes you can get away with sending in a bank statement.

Avianca Bank

You can reach the Avianca Reconsideration Department by calling 1-844-343-1010.

Applications can be reconsidered for up to 30 days from the application date. Banco Popular will not do a hard credit pull.

Bank of America

You can reach the Bank Of America business underwriting department by calling 1-888-569-4439 (only for business cards).

Applications can be reconsidered for up to 30 days, but Bank Of America will do a new hard credit pull before reconsidering an application.

Phone Call Tips

1. Point out your good relationship with Bank Of America, if applicable.
2. If your Experian credit report is frozen, ask them to pull a different credit bureau.

Barclays

You can reach the Barclays Reconsideration Department by calling 1-866-408-4064.

Applications can be reconsidered for up to 30 days. If you call the same day as the application was submitted then there won’t be a hard credit pull.

When reconsidering the next day, most report not getting hit with a new credit pull for up to 30 days. There are some data points that Barclays did do a new hard credit pull (it may depend if you’re requesting a higher credit limit).

Phone Call Tips

1. You can ask to have your highest existing credit limit on your credit report matched
2. Ask to reallocate an existing Barclays credit limit from another card (you can do even business to personal or personal to business).
3. Point out why you want the new card (do not say you want the welcome bonus!).

Chase

You can reach the Chase Reconsideration Department by calling 1-888-609-7805.

Applications can be reconsidered for up to 30 days without a new hard credit pull.

Chase has a great and friendly reconsideration department.

Applications that were declined due to the Chase 5/24 rule cannot be reconsidered.

Phone Call Tips

1. If you are over the 5/24 rule due to authorized users, explain that the authorized user accounts are not your credit cards.
2. Ask to reallocate an existing Chase credit limit from another Chase card (you can only do personal to personal or business to business).

Citi

You can reach the Citi Reconsideration Department by calling 1-800-695-5171.

Applications can be reconsidered for up to 30 days. Usually, Citi will do a hard credit pull before reconsidering an application.

Phone Call Tips

1. If nothing has changed on your credit report or with your income, then usually, you will get declined again.

Capital One

Capital One does not have a direct line to the reconsideration department. You can call the customer service number 1-800-625-7866 and ask them to submit a request for your application to be reconsidered (Capital One will usually only reconsider an application due to an error, for example, if you made a mistake and put in the wrong SSN, etc).

Citizens Bank

You can reach the Citizens Reconsideration Department by calling 1-800-930-8916.

Citizens Bank will work case by case and have a credit analyst review the application. Citizens Bank will not do a hard credit pull.

Discover

Unfortunately, Discover applications cannot be reconsidered.

You can try to re-apply for a credit card but it will result in another hard credit pull.

Fidelity Bank

You can reach the Fidelity Reconsideration Department by calling 1-800-364-9648.

HSBC Bank

You can reach the HSBC Reconsideration Department by calling 1-866-574-4421.

Key Bank

Key Bank does not have a direct line to the reconsideration department. You can call the customer service number at 1-800-539-9056 and ask for your application to be reconsidered.

Synchrony Bank

Unfortunately, Synchrony applications cannot be reconsidered.

TD Bank

Unfortunately, TD applications cannot be reconsidered.

US Bank

You can reach the US Bank Reconsideration Department by calling  1-800-685-7680 and ask to speak to the Reconsideration Department.

Applications can be reconsidered for up to 30 days. Usually, US Bank will not do a hard credit pull before reconsidering an application.

Wells Fargo Bank

You can reach the Wells Fargo Reconsideration Department by calling 1-866-412-5956.

Applications can be reconsidered for up to 60 days. Usually, Wells Fargo Bank will only do a hard credit pull if there has been a change in a negative mark on your report.

Please Note: The information found in this post is based on our reader’s experience or collected from data points found on the internet. I cannot guarantee that your results will be the same. Please share your own experience in the comments, and I will update the post accordingly.