Visa Inc. is committed to providing our partners and interested parties with greater insight into Visa’s operations. As part of our effort, we are pleased to provide access to the latest edition of the Visa Core Rules and Visa Product and Service Rules, which govern the participation of our financial institution clients in the Visa system. To protect cardholders and merchants and maintain the integrity of the Visa system, we have omitted proprietary and competitive information, as well as certain details from the rules relating to the security of the network.
Any regional or country-specific rules within the Visa Core Rules and Visa Product and Service Rules apply to transactions, Merchants, Issuers and Acquirers in their Region/Country and any rules marked with the name of a region(s) or country(ies) are applicable to financial institutions operating in that region(s) or country(ies) only. The Interlink Core Rules and Interlink Product and Service Rules apply to financial institutions operating in the U.S. and Canada.
If you have questions about Visa’s rules, please contact us at VisaRules@visa.com.
Rules governing electronic funds transfer at point of sale.
Use this online form to report a problem you had when trying to use your Visa card.
Make an inquiry regarding the Visa Core Rules and Visa Product and Service Rules or the Interlink Operating Regulations.
Below are some common Visa Rules questions. If you have a question about a Visa rule that is not addressed below, please contact Visa at VisaRules@visa.com. Please note that the Visa Rules change from time to time. If there is a discrepancy between the information contained in these Frequently Asked Questions and the Visa Rules, the Visa Rules will apply. If you encounter a situation that may involve a violation of the Visa Rules, please complete and submit an inquiry form. If you have a question about a specific Visa transaction that was posted to your account, you should notify your Visa card issuer using the customer support number appearing on your Visa statement or the back of your Visa card for assistance.
As a U.S. company, Visa Inc. and its affiliates must comply with U.S. law, including trade sanctions administered and enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). OFAC prohibits or restricts transactions with certain countries, organizations, and individuals. For example, there are countrywide prohibitions for Iran, North Korea, and Syria. More information about OFAC can be found on the U.S. Treasury Department’s website.
In addition, Visa issuers outside of the U.S. may also be required to comply with their country’s designated sanctions list as well.
In general, no. The Visa brand promise of “everywhere you want to be” means that you should be able to use your card anywhere Visa is accepted. An issuer is not permitted to block all transactions from a specific location or merchant type. However there are some exceptions permitted, for example, if local regulations require the issuer to block certain transactions or Visa has allowed the issuer to temporarily decline transactions based on an immediate fraud threat. Note that Visa cards issued in countries with laws that limit international use will have a “Valid Only in (Country)” legend printed on the card.
Visa has strict rules about currency conversion when using your Visa card outside the country where it was issued.You must be given the opportunity to have the transaction processed in the local currency. If the merchant did not do so, please notify your Visa card issuer.
In general, a merchant is not permitted to establish a minimum or maximum amount for a Visa transaction. However, exceptions apply in the U.S. and U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. In those locations and only for credit cards, a merchant may require a minimum transaction amount of US $10 and government agencies and education merchants may establish a maximum transaction amount. If a merchant refused to accept your Visa card on the basis that the merchant requires a minimum or maximum amount on a Visa debit card, or the amount on a credit card is greater than U.S. $10, please notify your Visa card issuer.
In general, a merchant is permitted to ask for identification but cannot require it as a condition of Visa card acceptance. However, there are exceptions, for example, if Visa has granted the merchant permission to require identification under certain circumstances for fraud control.
In most cases, yes, however if the transaction is under a certain amount, the merchant is only required to provide a receipt if you ask for it. In addition, the merchant is not required to provide a receipt for a low-value transaction at an unattended terminal, such as a vending machine.
In general, no. A Merchant must not add any amount over the advertised or normal price to a Transaction, unless applicable laws or regulations expressly require that a Merchant be permitted to impose a surcharge. In the U.S., surcharging is permitted on credit cards in most States but merchants are required to follow the requirements outlined in the Merchant Surcharging Q & A.
In certain countries, for example Russia, the U.S., and some countries in Asia, a merchant is permitted to charge a convenience fee to the customer. The fee must be a flat fee (not a percentage of the transaction amount), clearly disclosed, and represent payment for the convenience of paying through an alternate payment channel (such as online) that is different than the merchant’s normal payment channel (for example sending a check through the mail or paying in person).
Certain merchants (for example, government, education) in Canada, Egypt, Russia, and the U.S. are permitted to assess service fees on Visa Card transactions
A merchant is permitted to offer discounts for paying in cash, however, the discount must be given as a reduction from the standard price.
In certain countries (Australia, Canada, India, South Africa, U.S.) a merchant is permitted to provide cash-back as part of a Visa transaction, under specific circumstances and on certain card types (for example, debit cards). Cash-back is only permitted when the Visa card was issued in the same country as the merchant location.
