Are you a Citibank (or Citi) credit card holder? You’re probably wondering about how to pay your Citibank credit card now that UnionBank has acquired Citibank in the Philippines.
Although Citibank Philippines no longer exists as a business entity after its merger with UnionBank, your Citibank credit card can still be used until its eventual expiration. After it expires, you will be issued a new credit card with the UnionBank branding. You also won’t be able to renew your Citi credit card.
Compounding matters is the news that the Citibank Philippines online banking website and the Citi mobile app were shut down on March 22, 2024. This means that Citi credit card holders will no longer be able to pay their bills through the Citibank mobile app and online banking platform.
If you still prefer to use your Citibank credit card, don’t worry because you can still pay your bills through UnionBank and other payment channels such as GCash. Continue using your Citi-branded credit card until its expiration date, after which, you may decide whether to switch to a UnionBank card or not.
With the help of my wife who is a Citibank credit card holder, I’ve compiled the different ways to pay your Citi credit card bills online.
How to Pay Your Citibank Credit Card via UnionBank Online Banking
Probably the best way to pay your Citibank credit card is through UnionBank online banking, either on their website or the mobile app, because your payments will be posted immediately.
By adding your Citibank credit card to UnionBank online banking, you’ll also be able to view your credit card transactions and billing statements in real time.
How to Add Your Citibank Credit Card to UnionBank
Let’s start by adding or linking your Citi credit card to your UnionBank online banking account. This is a one-time procedure; once you’ve linked your credit card, you don’t need to add it again.
If you’ve already added your Citibank credit card to UnionBank, just proceed to the next tutorial which is to pay your credit card bill.
Step 1: The first thing you need to do is to install the UnionBank mobile app on your smartphone. You can download the UnionBank app from Google Play (for Android) or the App Store (for iOS).
Step 2: Open the UnionBank app and select “Sign up with existing account.”
Step 3: Read the terms and conditions and the privacy policy (you don’t need to read them in their entirety), and then press “ACCEPT” on the upper-right corner of the screen.
Step 4: You’re now in the Sign Up screen. Tap the “Select Account Type” dropdown field.
Step 5: Select your account type which is “Credit Card.”
Step 6: Enter your 16-digit Citibank credit card number on the provided field, and then press “Next.”
Step 7: Enter the 6-digit one-time password (OTP) that was sent to your registered mobile number.
Step 8: Congratulations! You have successfully added your Citibank credit card account to your UnionBank online banking profile. You will receive an SMS confirmation of the successful linkage.
How to Pay Your Citibank Credit Card Using UnionBank
Follow these steps to pay your Citi credit card via the UnionBank mobile banking app:
Step 1: Open the UnionBank mobile app and login using your password or biometrics.
Once logged in, select your Citibank credit card account. In the example below, the account name for my wife’s Citi credit card is “Rewards Platinum Mastercard Credit.”
Step 2: In the Account Details screen, you can view your credit limit, statement balance, minimum amount due, and other information.
Tap the “Pay” button to continue.
Step 3: Select which amount that you want to pay:
- Last Statement Balance – Pay your entire credit card balance as of the last statement date.
- Minimum Amount Due – Pay only the minimum amount due.
- Enter Custom Amount – Decide the amount that you want to pay.
- Set up Auto-Debit – Arrange for a specific amount to be automatically paid on a recurring basis.
Step 4: Enter your payment details including the amount (if you selected “custom amount” on the previous step) and the date (you may change it to a future date).
Select the bank account where the amount will be debited from by pressing “TAP TO SELECT ACCOUNT.”
Step 5: Choose your UnionBank account from where the payment will be taken.
Step 6: Press the “NEXT” button to proceed.
Step 7: Review your payment details to ensure that these are correct. If you want to change the amount or the source account, just tap the “EDIT” link.
Tap the “PAY” button to continue.
Step 8: A one-time password (OTP) will be automatically generated by the UnionBank app. Press “CONTINUE” to complete your payment.
If no OTP was generated by the app, select “RECEIVE OTP VIA SMS” to have it sent to your mobile number.
Step 9: Congratulations! Your Citi credit card payment is successful. You may take a screenshot of the transaction for your reference.
Keep in mind that, while you can add your Citibank credit card to UnionBank even if you don’t have a UnionBank account, you can only pay your credit card bills if you already have an existing UnionBank savings or current account.
Fortunately, you can open a UnionBank savings account online by following the steps outlined in this article. Alternatively, you can apply for a Pag-IBIG Loyalty Card Plus or a UMID ATM Pay Card, both of which will give you your own UnionBank savings account.
How to Pay Your Citibank Credit Card via GCash
If you have a GCash account, you can easily pay your Citi credit card bill using your smartphone. Don’t have a GCash account yet? Read this article to learn how to sign up to GCash.
Follow these steps to pay your Citi credit card dues using GCash:
Step 1: Open the GCash app and login using your MPIN or biometrics.
Step 2: On the GCash home screen, select “Bills.”
Step 3: On the “Pay Bills” screen, choose “Credit Cards.”
Step 4: You’ll now see a list of credit card billers. Since “Citibank” is no longer available, just select “UnionBank of the Philippines” as the biller.
Step 5: Enter the following payment details:
- Payable amount (take note of the service charge),
- The 16-digit Citibank credit card number, and
- Email address (optional).
Press the “NEXT” button to continue.
Step 6: Select the payment source, which is normally “GCash.” Make sure that you have sufficient balance to cover the amount you want to pay.
Tap “Next” on the upper-right corner of the screen to continue.
Step 7: Review your payment details and check that your Citibank credit card number is correct.
Finally, press “CONFIRM” to proceed with payment.
Congratulations! You’ve paid your Citi credit card via the GCash app. Your payment will be posted within 3-5 business days, so be sure to pay your bills long before the due date.
How to Pay Your Citibank Credit Card via Maya
Another alternative to GCash is Maya (formerly known as PayMaya). Just like GCash, Maya allows you to pay your credit card bills
Step 1: Open the Maya app and login using your password or biometrics.
Step 2: On the Maya home screen, choose “Bills.”
Step 3: Under “Biller Categories,” select “Credit Cards.”
Step 4: Scroll down the list of billers and choose “UnionBank Credit Card.”
Step 5: Enter the following payment details:
- The 16-digit Citibank credit card number,
- Payable amount, and
- Name (optional).
Press “Continue” when you’re done.
Step 6: Review your payment details, making sure that the credit card number is correct.
Press “Pay” to complete your payment.
That’s it! You’ve paid your Citibank credit card via the Maya app. Take note that it will take up to 3-5 business days for your payment to be posted.
How to Pay Your Citi Credit Card via Other Banks
Do you have a bank account aside from UnionBank? You can also pay your Citibank credit card bills through BDO, BPI, PNB, Metrobank, and other local banks.
Per UnionBank’s advisory, starting March 22, 2024, you can use UnionBank or Union Bank of the Philippines as the biller when paying for your Citi credit card or personal loan dues.
You just need to login to your respective bank’s online banking account and navigate to the bills payment section. Afterwards, look for the biller named “UnionBank” or “Union Bank of the Philippines” and enter the required payment details.
Depending on the bank, you may have to enroll UnionBank as the biller before you can pay your credit card dues.
Final Thoughts
Paying your credit card bills well before the due date ensures that your account remains in good standing and lets you avoid late payment charges.
Always make it a point to pay your Citibank credit card at least 3 days before the due date, since it takes time for some transactions to be posted to your account. If you only pay during the due date, there’s a possibility that your payment will be posted on the next banking day, which could result in late payment charges.
However, if you use UnionBank online banking to pay your Citibank credit card bills, your payment will be posted immediately. This means that you can pay your card on the due date itself.
Citibank may no longer be operating in the Philippines, but there’s no reason to ditch your Citi credit card yet. You can still use it for all your payments and purchases, and you can still pay your dues via UnionBank and e-wallet apps such as GCash.
