This no longer works. More information here.
According to Deposit Accounts it might be possible to join Navy Federal Credit Union even if you normally wouldn’t qualify. There are lots of reasons why you might want to join. This method isn’t guaranteed to work (and isn’t listed on their official qualification page), but has worked in the past so keep that in mind. Here is what you need to do:
- Join Navy League Of the United States (cheapest membership is $25). You need to enter “San Diego” into the preferred council box.
- Submit a paper application for Navy Federal. Remember to include proof of your Navy League membership, people have reported that it’s best to snail mail this application in rather than e-mail ([email protected]) or fax (1-703-206-4600).
Some reports also say that you can open an account in branch after joining Navy League over the phone. You might be able to get the membership expedited by calling Navy Federal, but this shouldn’t be necessary if you snail mail it in. Navy Federal customer service representatives have confirmed that this is an eligible way to join the credit union.
Please share your datapoints and experiences in the comments below.
I was able to join in my local branch without showing any proof. I said that my father was in the Army (which was true) and that was good enough (he is not a NFCU member). The rep said there was a chance they would contact me for his proof but it was very unlikely that they would (they didn’t).
Does anyone know if you were qualified due to household membership if you move will it cancel?
Once a member, always a member
Doc, you might want to mark this as expired.
Done, thanks.
Sucks this has happened. I apped on Apr 27 and through multiple requests for support docs all sent (last was on May 12 at 2pm seems I was caught hours too late.
They are no longer accepting memberships through this avenue. Below are excerpts of my chat with a rep today.
” Regrettably, I was advised that your application will not be able to be processed as we are no longer accepting Navy League applicants. That department has been removed from our eligibility charter”
” : I was advised that Navy League applicants were not guaranteed membership, and that it had been a topic under review for quite some time”
This has been confirmed today across multiple channels.
RIP, NLUS-SD
I’m following up the status of your application?
How was it?
Successful?
I joined via this method ONLINE which was completed on 8/4/2016 at 12:03PM ET (this is when the TU HP alert came from WalletHub) after NFCU requested proof of my Navy League San Diego Council membership on 8/3/2016.. I scanned the Navy League emails, a copy of DL and a Utility Bill and emailed it back to them on 8/3/2016 at 1:55PM ET.
I was approved for the full $15K CLOC and a $2900 CC the same day. The CC is now at $10K
My sister then joined through me on 8/5/2016. She only wanted a CC and was approved for one at $12k SL. That line is now at $15.5K.
I have read in both other major forums about not applying online. All I can say I was successful as I HATE doing paper apps for anything-this is not the 90’s or before. If my membership eligibility was going to be questioned so be it and for those caught in the NFCU BSA hell, I am sorry to hear but I was never questioned. If they do it in the future-fine-I don’t keep my $$$ there so if they freeze the $20 I keep on deposit-I won’t be crying. I’ll provide whatever docs and info they request and move on
How good are the CD promo rates? Will help me figure out if it is worth the Hard pull.
Thanks
It varies, I don’t bother with CDs so I don’t really keep an eye on it. Worth joining just for the credit card offers I think.
John,
The best certificate rate is the Special Easy Start – 3% up to 3K. They also have a couple others that hover just under 3% too I think.
Ok. Joined the Navy League on Dec 29, specified the San Diego Council and received the Navy League welcoming email on 1/6….While the Navy League welcoming email does provide the membership number and member since date…… there is no mention of the San Diego Council…..In fact, it actually looks like the Navy League changed the local council designation from San Diego to NY(where i reside) even though the payment receipt indicates San Diego Council…… If true I would consider this highly risky. See the welcoming letter I received and the last paragraph.
Welcome to the Navy League!
Dear XXXX,
Thank you for your membership in the Navy League of the United States. Below please find your e-membership member ID information! Members like you, joining together nationally and in local councils help us convey our message that strong sea services are vital to the economy and security of the United States. Navy League is unique among military-oriented associations in that, we are a civilian organization. Because of committed Americans like you, we can pursue our four-point mission:
Support youth programs such as the Naval Sea Cadet and League Corps, Naval ROTC, Junior Navy and Marine Corps ROTC
Support the men and women of the Sea Services and their families
Provide support and assistance to the Sea Services
Educate the public and public officials of the necessity of Sea Power to our Nation’s economy and security
As a member, we’ll be sharing news and information with you about the state of our sea services, and ways for you to get involved in Navy League through events and activities in your local council. Your local Council is New York. We value your membership, and appreciate having you stand with us and our 40,000 members worldwide to be a voice for keeping our sea services strong and ready, and our nation secure.
Warmest Regards,
Skip Witunski
National President
NAVY LEAGUE
of the United States
XXXXXXXXXXX
MEMBER ID: XXXXXXXXXXXX MEMBER SINCE: 12/29/2016
Wonder if you can now get it changed. I read on another site that they were doing that to others, assigning them to their closest council, not the one they initially put on their application.
Luckily, I live in Southern California so that shouldn’t happen to me though my payment receipt didn’t mention the San Diego Council at all.
Great minds think alike…..already sent an email to membership requesting the change but have not heard back. Don’t have high expectations
Good luck with that. I just wish they’d send me my welcome e-mail with the information, been almost two weeks since they’ve had access to my money (via credit card payment) and I’ve got nothing in return.
Apparently that is part of the Navy League joining experience….My email requesting the council location correction/change has not been answered or acknowledged. If I do not hear back in a day or two I will send followup emails to the national presidents…current and elect asking why no reply …..and if they believe this is acceptable performance by their membership committee. Perhaps that’s a next step for you also. I don’t have any expectations…..and considered the exercise a loss.
Update…..Well after several emails to the membership without response I sent an email to the Naval League President requesting the change to the San Diego Council. Don’t know if it was the email requests or just timing but I did receive a welcoming email from the San Diego Council….a little over a month after joining the Navy League. Onward to hopefully a success in joining Navy Credit Union.
Good luck with NFCU. After waiting 3 weeks since applying for membership and not hearing anything, I called today and was told I was denied but no reason given.
They said I can appeal and reapply but what good would that do without knowing the reason.
Might be too much Checksystems activity in the past year (12-15) though I always understood that they did a TransUnion hard pull instead and I have no activity there.
Oh well, may never know, on to the next one.
Update again….The email to the Pres of the NL may have helped…finally received the letter from the San Diego Council. Sent in all info including $5 check for initial funding to NFCU. Check was cashed but no membership. After 2 weeks received email indicating NFCU required copy of the actual donation receipt. Emailed requested info the NFCU- no response for 1 week. Called and after 1 hr on the found reviewing info was granted membership and online access. Total time from donation to account opening – a mere 7 weeks.
I too finally got approved for membership and took close to 6 weeks. I found out they denied me for a possible fraudulent application/ identity theft but I wasn’t getting any where by sending the documents they kept requesting.
I finally called the nearest branch to me (over 100 miles so not an option to go there) and getting them to check on my behalf, things went a lot smoother. Had to go through sending another application and requested documents but finally saw that they checked Transunion and got approved a couple days later.
Hope it turns out to be worth the effort.
In response to your last response, I have e-mailed both the national and local chapters and haven’t gotten anything back from them either.
Going to give them the 3-4 weeks they stated it might take then cancel my membership if I still haven’t heard from them, if that is the way they are going to treat their members.
Right after I posted my last, got the welcome e-mail with my membership information (just looked before I posted)!
Two weeks to the day that I applied. On to the Navy Federal Credit Union…
Applied and paid for membership on Jan 3 but still haven’t received my welcome e-mail or member ID. Called the Navy League today and was told that it is taking between 3 and 4 weeks to process new memberships because of the number of new applicants.
Looks like this and other sites are maybe having an affect on their volume of new applicants.