VAU General FAQs
Does VAU also provide cardholder name or address changes?
No. Visa Account Updater (VAU) supports only account number and expiration date changes, and closed account and contact cardholder advices.
How do I enroll in VAU?
Enrollment is easy. Review the participation requirement in the Visa Account Updater Terms of Use and contact your Visa representative, or email Visa Account Updater (VAU) Client Support Team at [email protected] (for North America customers), [email protected] (for Europe customers), or [email protected] (for AP customers).
How do I learn more about VAU?
To learn more about Visa Account Updater (VAU), contact your Visa representative, or email VAU Client Support Team at [email protected] (for North America customers), [email protected] (for Europe customers), or [email protected] (for AP customers). For other regions, please contact your Visa representative.
How does VAU and Real Time VAU work?
Visa Account Updater (VAU) offers multiple solutions that solve the problem of card changes; VAU (batch and API) and Real Time VAU. Each solution has unique capabilities, but all provide automatic account updates to merchants and acquirers. These solutions are not mutually exclusive, so it’s recommended that merchants and acquirers participate in all solutions where appropriate. In any case, cardholders do not always have to update their payment information and merchants can manage account information with ease. By delivering this time-saving efficiency, you create value for each stakeholder in the payment process.
VAU processes inquiries against its database and provides responses to the acquirer. Visa will only respond to specific data elements within an inquiry file or API call from a qualified merchant. Responses include account number or expiration date updates, closed account advices and contact cardholder advices. The acquirer forwards the responses within two business days to the requesting merchants, who must then update on-file accounts before requesting an authorization.
The process changes for Real Time VAU:
· Merchants send authorization request through their acquirers including the VAU indicator. VisaNet determines Real Time VAU eligibility based on defined criteria. If eligible, VisaNet sends inquiry to VAU. If not, transaction proceeds to authorization request.
How often do card details change in VAU?
On average, 30 percent of the Visa Account Updater (VAU) card accounts in an issuer’s portfolio incur a change to the account number or expiration date or are closed every year.
Is testing a requirement to implement VAU?
Visa Account Updater (VAU) testing is mandatory for new client enrollment. Visa requires the issuer or acquirer submit at least one file successfully and receive the corresponding daily report before the VAU segment can be promoted to production status.
What does VAU do?
Visa Account Updater (VAU) enables the electronic exchange of updated account information (account number and expiration date changes, and account closures and contact cardholder advices) among participating issuers, acquirers and merchants that process Visa transactions using credential-on-file data.
What if I have a technical problem or question about VAU?
Check Visa Online for Visa Account Updater (VAU) information including the Visa Account Updater Implementation Guide or contact your regional Visa Client Support Team Representative or Account Manager.
The client can email [email protected] (for North America customers), [email protected] (for Europe customers), or [email protected] (for AP customers) for any questions. For other regions, please contact your Visa representative.
What types of VAU account changes are supported?
Visa Account Updater (VAU) supports account number changes (such as for account upgrades or lost or stolen cards), new card expiration dates, account closures, product conversions, and brand conversions. VAU also supports transmission of advices that instruct the merchant to contact the cardholder for further payment instructions in some situations, such as when a divorced former joint account holder creates a new individual account. Real Time VAU only supports Visa-related updates, and not brand conversions.
Why does VAU have participation requirements?
The participation requirements were established to ensure the security of cardholder information, to maximize the value of Visa Account Updater (VAU), a [email protected] (for North America customers), [email protected] (for Europe customers), or [email protected](for AP customers) nd to reflect all applicable laws and regulations.
What are the addressable decline codes for VAU/Real Time VAU?
Visa Account Updater (VAU) and Real Time VAU can help reduce declines for these response codes.
Auth Response Code |
Auth Response Code Description |
14 |
Invalid Account Number |
46 |
Closed Account |
54 |
Expired Card / No Exp Date |
04 |
Pick Up Card |
07 |
Pick Up Card, Spcl Cond |
41 |
Pick Up Card, Lost |
43 |
Pick Up Card, Stolen |
01 |
Refer to Issuer |
02 |
Refer to Issuer, Special Condition |
VAU Issuer FAQs
Are VAU issuer account updates pushed to all merchants?
Through their Visa Account Updater (VAU) acquirers, enrolled merchants submit inquiries regarding accounts with which they have ongoing relationships.
VAU: The service processes inquiries against its database and provides responses to the acquirer. Visa will only respond to specific data elements within an inquiry file or API request from a qualified merchant (e-commerce and card-on-file (COF)). Responses include account number or expiration date updates, closed account advices and contact cardholder advices. The acquirer forwards the responses within two business days to the requesting merchants, who must then update on-file accounts before requesting an authorization.
Real Time VAU:
Can a VAU issuer block a specific merchant from receiving its updates?
If a Visa Account Updater (VAU) issuer determines that it would rather not supply information to a particular participating merchant, it may block the merchant. Note that the blocking functionality is not on an account-by-account basis; the issuer must block the merchant completely. For more information, see the VAU Merchant Exclusions section of the Visa Account Updater Service Description.
Can a VAU issuer stop a specificaccount update from being shared with a specific merchant?
Visa Account Updater (VAU) allows issuers to place cardholder-level Stop Advices at a merchant level. This means that individual merchants cannot receive any updates on a specific PAN unless the issuer removes the Stop Advice for the PAN. Issuer can set up Stop Advices either through the Visa Online VAU application or through the Stop Advice API. For more information, see the VAU Stop Advices section of the Visa Account Updater Service Description.
Can a VAU issuer have multiple Segment IDs?
Each issuer is initially assigned one Segment ID. However, Visa recognizes that issuers may submit files to VAU from different geographical locations or platforms. Depending on the business needs and constraints of the member, Visa establishes additional segments as necessary.
Can an issuer receive VAU reports through Visa Online?
Yes, participating issuers and issuer-processors can access and download Visa Account Updater (VAU) reports via Visa Online. There are no VAU fees associated with receiving reports via Visa Online. To access VAU reports through Visa Online:
Log in to Visa Online. If you do not have a Visa Online account, go to Visa Online and provide the requested information. Request a subscription to the Visa Account Updater service by selecting Add/Edit under “My Services” on the home page. Visa will inform applicants via email when their subscription is established. Please allow a minimum of 10 business days for Visa to process the request.
The issuer or issuer-processor should email [email protected] (for North America customers), [email protected] (for Europe customers), or [email protected] (for AP customers) to request Visa Online reporting for their specific VAU segment(s). Issuers and issuer processors can then access and download their reports in the new VAU VOL user interface under the section ‘Reports.’.
Do issuers have to revise cardholder terms to include language related to VAU?
This question should be reviewed by each Visa Account Updater (VAU) participant’s attorneys.
Does VAU support portfolio conversions?
Yes, Visa Account Updater (VAU) supports MasterCard-to-Visa, American Express-to-Visa, Discover-to-Visa, and Visa-to-Visa portfolio conversions. Real Time VAU only supports portfolio conversions that are Visa-to-Visa.
Note: In LAC, VAU also supports Visa to non-Visa (MasterCard, American Express, Discover) portfolio conversions and non-Visa to non-Visa portfolio conversions.
How can a VAU issuer improve/maximize the match rate of data they provide?
Visa recommends that issuers maximize the benefits of Visa Account Updater (VAU) by enrolling all issuing BINs (consumer, commercial, small business, and reloadable prepaid) in VAU as soon as practical. As a best practice, issuers should review rejected files and records, make the necessary corrections, and resubmit them to VAU.
How can an issuer find out what is the current update in VAU for their cardholder’s account?
Issuers can use the Single PAN Inquiry feature in the Visa Account Updater (VAU) application on Visa Online to look up the current update in VAU for a specific account that is associated with their segment. They will also see the chain of account updates in chronological order based on the PAN associated with the search.
How long can a cardholder be opted out by an issuer using the VAU application on Visa Online (VOL)?
An issuer can opt out the cardholder in Visa Account Updater (VAU) application on Visa On-line and select the calendar to enter an end-date. The maximum time period using this mechanism is 2 years. If the issuer wishes to opt out for an indefinite period, they can enter only the PAN and leave the end date as blank until the cardholder wishes to opt back in.
How long does VAU retain data provided by issuers?
VAU stores data for a rolling 5 year period.
We store:
How will VAU issuers know if their file was rejected?
If the file is received by Visa Account Updater (VAU) and is rejected, issuers will find a status of Rejected on the Daily Issuer File Summary Report along with a reason code identifying the error. Issuers should review that report to determine the cause of the rejection and resubmit the file after correcting the error.
If the file is rejected during transmission, Visa will contact issuers for further instructions according to Direct Exchange Open File Delivery/Visa File Gateway or Visa File Exchange Service procedures.
What disclosures should be included in VAU cardholder agreements for issuers?
Issuers should contact their legal departments for appropriate disclosure language to ensure their cardholder agreements properly disclose under applicable law the sharing and processing of personal data in connection with the Visa Account Updater (VAU) service.
What if a cardholder wants to opt out of VAU?
When an opt out is requested for a particular card, issuers can submit either a Cardholder Opt-Out Advice ('O') or a Contact Cardholder Advice ('Q') to Visa Account Updater (VAU) when an update is triggered by, for example, a new account number or expiration date. If the issuer submits a Cardholder Opt-Out service identifier, the opt out status will stay with the chain of accounts so that even if the issuer submits subsequent updates, the cardholder will continue to be opted out until the issuer removes the opt out or the last update is purged from the VAU database.
For more information about the opt out service, refer to Upcoming Changes to Visa Account Updater in the Visa Business News, dated 23 August 2018.
For European customers, it may mean the cardholder has opted out regardless of whether the card has changed.
What if an issuer’s cardholder has multiple updates to one account? Will VAU capture the subsequent updates?
Yes, Visa Account Updater (VAU) is designed to track multiple changes to an individual account and ensures that the current information is provided to inquiring acquirers and their participating merchants.
What if an issuer has a cardholder request to opt back in to VAU?
If the issuer submitted a Cardholder Opt Out ("O") service identifier, the issuer can either submit the Cardholder Opt Back-In ("B") service identifier for the account in their Visa Account Updater (VAU) submission file,or remove the cardholder opt out in the VAU application on Visa Online to opt back in the cardholder.
If the issuer submitted a Contact Cardholder Advice ("Q"), then the issuer can submit the appropriate update ("A" or "E") to remove the "Q."
What steps have been taken to ensure that VAU cardholders' information is safe?
VAU adheres to high-security protocols already in place for the existing Visa transaction infrastructure. In addition, the vehicle by which Visa Account Updater (VAU) works to minimize risk is the Visa Account Updater Terms of Use.
When can a VAU issuer use contact cardholder advice ‘Q’ or the opt out code ‘O’?
When a card is reissued for a cardholder who has opted out of automatic updates, issuers who are in the process of implementing Visa Account Updater (VAU) should send the new “Cardholder Opt Out ('O') update to VAU if they are able to.
For issuers that have already implemented VAU, it is acceptable to continue to send the contact cardholder advice ('Q') if they are not able to send the new Opt Out date. If the issuer sends 'Q', then they will need to send a 'Q' on each reissuance. Existing enrolled issuers are encouraged to explore sending to 'O' since opt out will stay with chain of accounts.
Why should a VAU issuer provide updates promptly?
It is in the issuer's best interest to provide timely information to maximize the value of Visa Account Updater (VAU) to the issuer and its cardholders.
What is the acquirer impact of implementing Real Time VAU for OCT and AFT?
Visa Account Updater (VAU) acquirers/merchants or service providers that choose to participate in the Real Time VAU service will have the option to request account information replacement when originating AFTs and OCTs.
What is the VAU Issuer Stop Advice API?
The VAU Issuer Stop Advice API is a secure, scalable, and high-performance web service/API for issuers and issuer processors to send VAU requests to place stop advice to prevent updates for specific cardholder PAN(s) from being shared with specific merchant(s).
What are the benefits of Stop Advices?
The benefit of VAU Stop Advice is that an issuer can proactively stop a merchant from getting an automatic VAU update on a specific PAN (e.g., following reported fraud) while still allowing other merchants to receive the update so their cardholder can continue to transact with these merchants.
How does the VAU Issuer Stop Advice API work?
The VAU Issuer Stop Advice API takes an input either a single Personal Account Number (PAN), merchant ID, Card Acceptor ID (CAID) or a set of up to 100 requests containing a PAN, CAID, and merchant ID to set up the stop advices.
VAU Acquirer FAQs
Can a VAU acquirer or VisaNet acquirer processor have multiple Segment IDs?
Each Visa Account Updater (VAU) acquirer or VisaNet acquirer processor is initially assigned one Segment ID. However, Visa recognizes that acquirers may submit files to VAU from different geographical locations or platforms. Depending on the business needs and constraints of the acquirer, Visa establishes additional segments as necessary. An acquirer or VisaNet acquirer processor providing VAU services to merchants in multiple countries is required to obtain a separate Segment ID(s) applicable to the merchants that reside in each country.
How can an acquirer or VisaNet acquirer processor/merchant maximize the value of using VAU?
As a best practice, acquirers and acquirer processors should review any rejected files or records they receive from Visa Account Updater (VAU), make the necessary corrections, and resubmit the information to VAU. Acquirers and acquirer processors should also take note of responses received from VAU and do not resubmit the same inquiries unless they have reason to believe the account information may have changed.
How does an acquirer enroll a merchant in VAU?
For Visa Account Updater (VAU): Submit an enrollment/change form for each merchant you wish to enroll in VAU. Merchant enrollment forms are available to enrolled acquirers through your Visa representative. Acquirers are responsible for ensuring that any merchant for which they submit an enrollment/change form is eligible to participate in VAU per the qualifications outlined in the Visa Account Updater Terms of Use. Visa staff will review the merchant enrollment form and provide a prompt enrollment decision to the acquirer.
For Real Time VAU: Individual merchant enrollment is not required, but the acquirer must complete these steps:
How does the Opt Out Code 'O' and Opt Back In Code 'B' impact VAU acquirers?
If a cardholder does not want their card details shared through the Visa Account Updater (VAU) service, issuers use these codes to opt out the account from VAU, and then opt it back in if the cardholder changes their mind.
Recognizing that acquirers may need to make changes to accept the new response code of ‘O,' VAU will convert the 'O' to an existing response code until acquirers confirm they are ready to receive the new opt out 'O' code.
If the merchant inquiry is on the old card, VAU will respond with 'Q.' If the merchant inquiry is on the new card, VAU will respond with 'P.'
When acquirers are ready to receive 'O' response code value, they need to send email to the VAU Client Support Team at [email protected] (for North America customers), [email protected] (for Europe customers), or [email protected](for AP customers).
How will VAU acquirers or VisaNet acquirer processor know if their fileis rejected?
If the file is received by VAU and is rejected, acquirers or VisaNet acquirer processors will receive a file status of Rejected on the Daily Acquirer File Summary Report along with a reason code identifying the error that caused the file to be rejected. Acquirers or VisaNet acquirer processors should review that report to determine the cause of the rejection and resubmit the file after correcting the error.
If the file is rejected during transmission, Visa will contact the acquirer or VisaNet acquirer processor for further instructions according to Direct Exchange Open File Delivery/Visa File Gateway and Visa File Exchange Service or Visa File Transfer procedures.
Is the VAU data that is transmitted to the acquirer from the merchant (and back) required to be secure?
Yes. Visa Account Updater (VAU) acquirers are also responsible for ensuring that their merchants maintain appropriate data security.
My VAU merchant uses a customer identificationnumber (e.g., their gold club number) to internally identify customers and their accounts. Can this identificationnumber, which would allow the merchant's system to be more easily refreshed, be transmitted in the request?
Yes. Visa Account Updater’s (VAU) record layout includes a dedicated field for proprietary merchant information. This field can be used to hold internal customer identification number, billing indicators or other cross-reference data. This data will be "mirrored" back to the merchant within each response record to facilitate easy matching against the merchant's internal data structure.
Note: Does not apply to Real Time VAU.
What type of VAU merchants will be allowed to use this service?
Only merchants with credential-on-file business models (e.g., recurring bill payment providers, subscription services, Internet/mobile-app "one-click" checkouts, etc.) may participate in Visa Account Updater (VAU), subject to any restrictions outlined in the Visa Account Updater Terms of Use.
Will VAU acquirers receive reports on merchant activity?
Visa Account Updater (VAU) provides participating acquirers with a number of reports that will summarize all requests made by their merchants and the related VAU responses. Participating acquirers can receive reports either through the same secure file transfer service they use to submit inquiries, or they can access and download reports via Visa Online. There are no fees for accessing and downloading the reports via Visa Online.
To access VAU reports through Visa Online:
What is the VAU Acquirer API?
The VAU Acquirer API is a secure, scalable, high performance web service/API service for acquirers and/or processors for merchants to submit VAU inquiries and receive real time updates with information from the Visa Account Updater database to enable an improved customer experience for card reissuance events. It is an optional feature that supplements VAU and Real Time VAU and can be used to proactively update buyer credentials prior to any purchase transaction.
How does the VAU Acquirer API work?
The VAU Acquirer API takes as input either a single Customer Account Number (PAN) or a set of PANS and returns a new PAN or Expiration date (or both) when available, as well as other relevant service identifiers; for example, Closed Account, Opt-Out, and Contact Cardholder.
What are the differences between the VAU Acquirer API and Real Time VAU?
Does the VAU Acquirer API replace other existing VAU channels?
No, this API is not meant to replace any other existing VAU channels. It is an additional channel added to enable an improved customer experience for card reissuance events. It is an optional service. However, we encourage clients to explore all the VAU services and implement the solutions that suit them best.
VAU Merchant FAQs
How can a VAU merchant efficientlypost issuer updates to its internal customer files?
Visa Account Updater’s (VAU) record layout includes a dedicated field for proprietary merchant information. This field can be used to hold internal customer identification numbers, billing indicators or other cross-reference data. This data will be "mirrored" back to the merchant within each response record to facilitate easy matching against the merchant's internal data structure.
How can a VAU merchant enroll?
Visa Account Updater (VAU) merchants can enroll through their acquirer.
How quickly must a VAU merchant update its database after receiving updated account information?
Visa Account Updater (VAU) merchants should update their customer database as soon as possible for maximum benefit, but are required to apply updated account information to their customer database within five (5) business days of receipt from their acquirer. This ensures that merchants will have the latest account information on file before sending future authorization requests. For merchants using acquirer, processor or Third-Party Agents provided token vaults, VAU response must be applied to the vault within two business days of receipt from VAU.
If a merchant receives updated account information from VAU, should it submit future authorization transactions on the updated information?
Yes, all subsequent Visa Account Updater (VAU) authorizations should be submitted using the updated account information. By using the updated account information in future authorization requests, the merchant will receive fewer declined transactions.
Real Time VAU FAQs
In what regions is Real Time VAU available?
This service is available in all regions to Visa Account Updater (VAU) merchants, subject to acquirer participation and availability by market. For other market information, contact your Visa representative.
Is testing required for acquirers to implement Real Time VAU for OCT and AFT?
Yes. Testing is required to implement this Visa Account Updater (VAU) enhancement.
What is the issuer impact of implementing Real Time VAU for OCT and AFT?
Visa Account Updater (VAU) issuers that participate in the Real Time VAU service must be aware that account information replacement may occur for AFTs and OCTs.
Issuers that subscribe to receive TLV Field 127.PAN must support the field in AFT and OCT request messages, or their equivalent request message type for issuers that do not accept AFTs or OCTs.
Issuers that participate in the Real Time VAU service must notify Visa of each VAU primary account number (PAN) update when the cardholder has opted out of account information replacement during authorization processing. The cardholder opt out requirements of the Real Time VAU service extend to accounts used for AFTs and OCTs.
What is the acquirer impact of implementing Real Time VAU for OCT and AFT?
Visa Account Updater (VAU) acquirers/merchants or service providers that choose to participate in the Real Time VAU service will have the option to request account information replacement when originating AFTs and OCTs.
Which transactions are excluded from Real Time VAU?
Some transactions are excluded from Real Time Visa Account Updater (VAU).
These transactions are excluded:
Will Real Time VAU work in face-to-face environment?
No, this Visa Account Updater (VAU) service is exclusive to card-not-present (CNP) transactions.
Will Real Time VAU work with Account Verification transactions?
No, Real Time Visa Account Updater (VAU) is not to be used for any account verification transactions.
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