Visa Payment Account Reference Inquiry

available for use by

Issuer Banks

Acquirer Banks

Merchants

Regional Availability

View Details
  • N. America
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • CEMEA
  • LAC

Fees & Terms

Product terms located at end of the page.

Retrieve the PAR numeric linked to a Primary Account Number

PAR Inquiry delivers the capability to retrieve the PAR numeric linked to a Primary Account Number (PAN) in real time. The input to PAR Inquiry is either one PAN or one affiliated Token to a PAN.

PAR usage and data structure was introduced by the EMVCo specifications organization as a non-payment and non-PAI numeric to provide a Client a PCI compliant method for managing card holder activity and programs (e.g., Loyalty).  

Key Features of PAR

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PAR, Designed for Today and Tomorrow

Introduction of a unique PAR allows all participants in the payments chain to have a single, non-sensitive reference value assigned to a payment account, re-enabling monitoring and tracking of all activity related to that underlying payment account.

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Improved Data Security

PAR allows for the removal of sensitive PAN Data from multiple systems so there is no need to de-sensitize payment details that is currently used for non-payment related purposes.  

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Operational Efficiencies

One PAR for life of account to tie together all physical and virtual versions of the “card”.

Why Use It?

Retrieve currently assigned PARS

The PAR API allows issuers, and non issuers to retrieve PAR values for the Tokens and or PANS that exist in their respective ecosystem.

How Does It Work?

PAR Inquiry delivers the capability to retrieve the PAR numeric linked to a Primary Account Number (PAN) in real time.  The input to PAR Inquiry is either one PAN or one affiliated Token to a PAN.

PAR Inquiry for Issuers

PAR Inquiry for Issuer allows an Issuer to retrieve the PAR numeric for a PAN or affiliated Token only registered to that Issuer. Issuers using PAR Inquiry for Issuers must provide their own Issuer PCR/station for configuration in the certification and production environments.

PAR Inquiry for Non Issuers 

PAR Inquiry allows a Merchant or Acquirer to retrieve the PAR numeric for any PAN or affiliated Token.

 

APIs Included

PAR Inquiry for Issuers

PAR Inquiry for Issuer allows an Issuer to retrieve the PAR numeric for a PAN or affiliated Token only registered to that Issuer. Issuers using PAR Inquiry for Issuers must provide their own Issuer PCR/station for configuration in the certification and production environments.

PAR Inquiry for Non Issuer

PAR Inquiry API allows a Merchant or Acquirer to retrieve the PAR numeric for any PAN or affiliated Token.

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