Credit card annual fee waivers: A bank-by-bank guide

One common concern about playing the miles game is that holding multiple credit cards will require paying multiple annual fees.

Fortunately, that’s simply not the case. I have 30 different cards (or rather “had”; that number has come down slightly following my recent Marie Kondo exercise), and only regularly pay the annual fee for a couple of them. 

The fact of the matter is that banks are very ready to waive annual fees, even if you don’t meet the published minimum spend requirement. 

Still, it can be a hassle to call up the bank, navigate complicated menu options that “have recently changed” (yeah right), and listen to all those unskippable “we are experiencing higher-than-usual call volumes” messages (protip: it’s not higher-than-usual if you play it every time).

To save you the trouble, I’ve put together this compendium which summarises:

• How to request an annual fee waiver without calling up the bank
• If calling is required, how to fast track to the fee waiver section

The full details can be found below.

American Express

Automatic fee waivers

AMEX has no published criteria for automatic fee waivers.

Fee waivers can be requested via the chat function on the AMEX app, or via the AMEX hotline.

AMEX app

1. Login to the AMEX app
2. Tap on the chat icon (top right corner)
3. Tap Chat With Us
4. Type “fee waiver”
5. You’ll be connected with a CSO who will assist further

Hotline

1. Call the number at the back of your card (or find the relevant number here)
2. Enter the last five digits of your card > 1 > Verification > 0
3. You’ll be connected with a CSO who will assist further

Bank of China

Automatic fee waivers

Bank of China has no published criteria for automatic fee waivers.

Fee waivers can only be requested via the BOC hotline.

Hotline

1. Call 1800 338 5335
2. Press 1 > 2 > Key in 16 digit credit card number > Key in mobile number 

Fee waiver decisions take two weeks to process. 

CIMB

Automatic fee waivers

CIMB does not charge annual fees for any of its principal or supplementary cards. You can enjoy them free for life.

Citibank

Automatic fee waivers

Citibank has no published criteria for automatic fee waivers.

Fee waivers can only be requested via the Citi hotline. 

Hotline

1. Call 6225 5225
2. Wait for the long welcome message to finish >  Press 1 > enter NRIC > 1 (NRIC starts with ‘S’) or 2 (NRIC starts with ‘T’) > 2 > 4 > 1 > Enter OTP 
3. Listen to instructions and press 1 to confirm fee waiver

DBS/POSB

Automatic fee waivers

A fee waiver will be granted automatically for the following cards with the following minimum spend in a membership year:

• DBS Woman’s Card (S$15,000)
• DBS Altitude AMEX (S$25,000)
• DBS Altitude Visa (S$25,000)
• DBS Black Visa Card (S$25,000)
• DBS Takashimaya AMEX Card (S$25,000)
• DBS Woman’s World Mastercard (S$25,000)
• DBS Vantage Card (S$60,000)

Fee waivers can be requested via the DBS digibot, which is available through both the mobile app and desktop website. Fee waiver requests cannot be made between 11.45 p.m to 12.30 a.m and 2.30 a.m to 2.45 a.m daily (excluding Sundays and public holidays).

If you hold a DBS Altitude or DBS Vantage Card, do note that 5,000/12,500 DBS Points were credited at the time the annual fee was charged. You must have 5,000/12,500 DBS Points in your account before requesting for a fee waiver, or else you’ll be charged at S$0.0388 per DBS Point. 

DBS Internet Banking

1. Access the digibot on the DBS website by clicking the “May I help you” icon at the bottom right (website)
2. Type Fee Waiver
3. Tap Fee Waiver followed by Authenticate Me
4. Complete the authentication process
5. Select Credit Cards Fee Waiver
6. Select the type of fee waiver you wish to apply for
7. Select the credit card account to be waived
8. Review the details and tap on confirm

DBS digibanking app

1. Access the digibot on the app by tapping the question mark at the top right. Scroll all the way to the bottom and tap on “Ask Digibot”
2. Type Fee Waiver
3. Tap Fee Waiver 
4. Select Credit Cards Fee Waiver
5. Select Annual Fee
6. Select the credit card account to be waived
7. Review the details and tap on confirm

Hotline

1. Call 1800 111 1111
2. Press 1> NRIC or credit card number > 1 > Enter OTP > 1 > 1

Fee waiver decisions will be processed within three business days. 

HSBC

Automatic fee waivers

Automatic fee waivers are available for the following cards with a minimum spend of S$12,500 per membership year:

• HSBC Advance
• HSBC Visa Platinum

As a reminder, the HSBC Revolution has no annual fee, and the HSBC Visa Infinite’s annual fee cannot be waived.

Fee waivers are only available via the HSBC hotline.

Hotline

1. Call 1800 4722 669
2. Press 8 > 1 > 2 > Enter 16 digit credit card number > Mobile phone number 

Maybank

Automatic fee waivers

Automatic fee waivers are available with the following minimum spend per membership year:

• Maybank Manchester United Platinum Visa (S$3,600)
• Maybank DUO Platinum Mastercard (S$6,000)
• Maybank FC Barcelona Visa Signature (S$10,000)
• Maybank Horizon Visa Signature ($18,000)
• Maybank World Mastercard (S$24,000)
• Maybank Visa Infinite (S$60,000)

Fee waivers can only be done via the Maybank hotline.

Hotline

1. Call 1800 629 2265
2. Press 1> 1> 1> 1> 1> Enter 16 digit credit card number > 1 > Enter mobile number > 1 

Fee waiver decisions will be processed within seven business days. 

OCBC Bank

Automatic fee waivers

A fee waiver will be granted automatically with a minimum spend of S$10,000 in a membership year, except for the following cards:

• OCBC Great Eastern Cashflo Credit Card (S$5,000)
• BEST-OCBC Credit Card (S$5,000)
• OCBC Premier VOYAGE (S$30,000)
• OCBC VOYAGE (S$60,000)

Fee waivers can be requested via the OCBC Digital app or OCBC Internet Banking.

OCBC Digital app

1. Login to the OCBC Digital app
2. Tap on the menu bar (top left)
3. Select Card Services > Request a fee waiver
4. Select the card you wish to request a fee waiver for 

OCBC Internet Banking

1. Login to OCBC Internet Banking
2. Mouse over Customer Service in the top menu bar, then Credit Card Fee Waiver
3. Select the card you wish to request a fee waiver for

Standard Chartered

Automatic fee waivers

Standard Chartered has no published criteria for automatic fee waivers. 

Annual fee waivers used to be available via the SC Mobile app and online banking portal, but at the moment only late fee waivers can be requested.

In the meantime, you’ll need to request an annual fee waiver via the hotline instead.

Hotline

1. Call 6747 7000
2. Press 2 > wait for a long message to finish > 2 > 1 > Enter 16 digit credit card number > Wait for confirmation

UOB

Automatic fee waivers

Annual fees are automatically waived for:

• UOB PRVI Miles AMEX (min. S$50,000 spend per membership year)
• UOB EVOL (min. 3 transactions per month each month of a membership year)

You need to take special precautions with UOB cards, as UOB’s idea of a fee waiver is to deduct UNI$ from your balance to cover the fee! In other words, don’t rejoice just because you see an annual fee waiver granted in your statement. It’s more likely than not that your UNI$ have been garnished to cover it. 

How do UOB’s automatic UNI$ deductions for annual fees work?

Fee waivers can be requested via the TMRW app.

UOB TMRW app

1. Login to the UOB TMRW app
2. Tap Accounts at the bottom of the screen
3. Select the card you wish to request a fee waiver for
4. Tap Settings, then Waive Fees
5. Select Annual Fee and confirm

For avoidance of doubt, you can request a fee waiver this way regardless of whether you’ve been billed in cash, or via a deduction of UNI$.

If it’s any consolation, any reversal of the annual fee involves a crediting of fresh UNI$, with a new two-year expiry period.

Important points to note

(1) Annual fees are charged upfront

Annual fees are always charged upfront, in respect of the upcoming year. 

For example, if my card with a first year fee waiver is approved on 1 July 2022, I’ll be charged the second year’s annual fee on 1 July 2023 (which covers the period until 1 July 2024). 

Some people mistakenly believe that by the time they see the annual fee on their statement, it’s too late to waive (because the year has gone by). That’s not true. You can request a waiver, and if it’s not granted, cancel the card for a full refund.

(2) Miles will be clawed back if annual fee is waived

Certain cards like the DBS Altitude Card and Citi PremierMiles Card award miles (in the form of bank points) for paying the annual fee.

Should you pay your credit card annual fee to earn miles?

If the fee is subsequently waived, those points will be clawed back.

Don’t try and pull a fast one by cashing out the points, then requesting a fee waiver- your account can reflect a negative points balance, and the bank reserves the right to charge for shortfalls.

(3) No doesn’t mean no

If you request an annual fee waiver through one of the automated channels and it’s rejected, there’s still one last shot.

Call up the bank and request to speak with a CSO (ignore the pre-recorded messages that say fee waivers can only be done via the automated system). Tell them you wish to cancel your card because of the annual fee, and they might be willing to offer a waiver in order to retain you.

(4) Don’t be afraid to walk away

If the bank refuses to grant a waiver, you’ll need to decide whether the benefits of membership outweigh the costs, and for most entry-level cards the answer will likely be “no”. 

There’s no shame in walking away, since you can always reapply further down the road (and qualify for a first year fee waiver, if applicable). 

Before cancelling a card, it may be necessary to cash out your points. This depends on whether it’s your last card with the bank, and whether the bank in question pools points. Refer to the article below for more details. 

Which banks pool credit card points?

Conclusion

Credit card annual fees are pesky, but requesting a waiver is fairly straightforward for most banks. It’s your responsibility to monitor your account and raise a request when the time comes, so make a habit of checking your monthly statement (look at the expiry date on your card- the month is when the annual fee is billed).

How’s your luck been with annual fee waivers?