Ability to send payouts to our customers via Visa Direct API

[sapandesai]

Hi,

We have a website in our company where we capture card details from our customers and we would like to send some money onto the customer's designated debit / credit card.

In order to achieve this, we have been exploring the integration with Visa Direct API.

To that effect, I have following questions:

1. To achieve what I mentioned above, is Visa Direct (PushFundsTransactions POST) API the right API to integrate or is there an alternate API we should integrate?

2. Our customers are spread out globally this means our product needs to be able to send payouts to the customers globally (or atleast to as many countries in the local currencies as possible). Is this achievable through the Visa Direct API?

3. Is Visa Direct API production ready for us to integrate, test and push our product to live with its Visa Direct API integration?

4. What card types (Visa, Mastercard etc) are supported through Visa Direct API? We are keen to be able to send payouts to as many card types supporting both debit and credit cards.

Thanks.

[API_Products]

Hi @sapandesai,

Before moving forward with learning more about Visa Direct APIs, please review the Visa Direct documentation via this link - https://developer.visa.com/capabilities/visa_direct/docs

In particular, see the top few paragraphs that are shaded in yellow that discuss the requirements to use Visa Direct. After having read the documentation, if you meet those requirements, then please click through the link in those paragraphs to the Visa Direct Program Implementation Questionnaire, fill it out, and submit to the email address listed on that form.

Asides from that, please check our website for specific APIs relevant to your business case. https://developer.visa.com/

Since you are interested in payment methods, please navigate to the link below to the Payment Methods category to see if other payment APIs will be a good fit for your business case. In particular, you will want to see our CyberSource and Visa Checkout APIs, as well.

Documentation > API Docs > Payment Methods
https://developer.visa.com/docs

CyberSource Payments
https://developer.visa.com/capabilities/cybersource

Visa Checkout
https://developer.visa.com/capabilities/visa_checkout

Thank you,

Diana

[sapandesai]

Thanks.

However, this is a very standard response from you.

The way I see it, we are the consumers but these are your APIs. You are the seller, and the buyer (us) needs some help in deciding which product to go for.

Ofcourse we will sort out the eligibility requirements highlighted in the yellow box, but meanwhile I DID list out my requirements clearly. Can you please not come back to me with your recommendations and clear responses to my specific questions? Please do not point me to various URLs, I am not interested in those.

Just come back to me with specific answers to my specific questions please.

Thanks.

[API_Products]

Hello @sapandesai,

Please see my inline comments to your questions that I've provided below and let us know if you have additional questions.

"We have a website in our company where we capture card details from our customers and we would like to send some money onto the customer's designated debit / credit card. In order to achieve this, we have been exploring the integration with Visa Direct API.

To that effect, I have following questions:"

1. To achieve what I mentioned above, is Visa Direct (PushFundsTransactions POST) API the right API to integrate or is there an alternate API we should integrate?

Yes, Visa Direct could be a good fit for your business case if you meet the requirements to use this API. Visa Direct provides the capability to push funds (in the form of an Original Credit) to over one billion eligible Visa accounts.  This is amazing!

Originators can use Visa Direct APIs to push funds into a Visa account using any source of funds available to them, including a “pull” from a Visa account, a bank account, or cash.  Using Visa Direct APIs, consumer person-to-person money transfers and credit card payments can be well accomplished, and in addition to that, corporate and merchant disbursements can be made from personal computers, mobile phones, local bank branches, or ATMs. Visa Direct is a peer-to-peer payment platform and is capable of handling bill payments and money transfer between cards. This is why Visa Direct APIs are a popular choice among many developers today!

2. Our customers are spread out globally this means our product needs to be able to send payouts to the customers globally (or atleast to as many countries in the local currencies as possible). Is this achievable through the Visa Direct API?

Yes, Visa Direct APIs are capable of going global, therefore, it does meet your availability requirement because it is available in all regions. Please note, that there may be exceptions in sanctioned countries including Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria. Exceptions will also include up-to-date local regulations, as well. For more information on Visa Direct availability, please navigate to this link - https://developer.visa.com/capabilities/visa_direct/docs#availability

Visa Direct API does support international money transfer through Visa Direct. Visa supports all currencies that an acquiring bank can support. For example, if the transaction is originated in Brazil (Brazilian currency) funds pull will be in Brazilian currency and the acquirer will push funds to a Visa Issuer's account in the receiving card account's home currency (e.g. US Dollars). The Acquirer is responsible for the network conversion fees and the originator (this is you) will be responsible for incorporating that in your App.

3. Is Visa Direct API production ready for us to integrate, test and push our product to live with its Visa Direct API integration?

I am excited to tell you that, development in the sandbox is self-service, so you can review the API functionality and APIs at any time. We have sandbox testing and API Explorer available for you to start testing code.

You can access sandbox testing by navigating to the product API of your choice, in your case, please visit Visa Direct, then follow the steps below to locate our Sandbox Code Explorer.

Steps to Start Using Sandbox Code Explorer

1. Navigate to API Browser and choose an API that best fits your business case - https://developer.visa.com/apibrowser
2. From the main API page click on 'View Docs'
3. On the API documentation page, on the right side of the browser click on 'API Reference'
4. On the API Reference page navigate to the right side of the browser and you will find the Code Explorer. Please use the Code Explorer to see the Request and Sample Response.

Besides that, please also take a look at our API Explorer. API Explorer lets you choose the Product API, Endpoint and Method to see the Request and Response. Here is the link to API Explorer - https://developer.visa.com/apiexplorer

Important: Visa Direct could be a good fit for your business case, however, please know that Visa Direct APIs are a bit more complicated in the sense that you will have to meet its requirements before going into production and if you do not meet its requirements then you will not be able to implement this API into your business project.

You should also have an existing relationship with a bank of any financial institution for the settlement of transaction. You need to contact a local financial institution of payment processing companies and we surely do not have any preference. In addition to using Visa Direct APIs in production, you will need to partner with an Acquirer and procure an acquiring bin from them, as well, as have PCI/DSS Compliance.

There's some other requirements and steps that you may need to follow but please do review the Visa Direct Program Implementation Questionnaire first before you move forward. You will be able to find the questionnaire via this link - https://developer.visa.com/capabilities/visa_direct/docs

4. What card types (Visa, Mastercard etc) are supported through Visa Direct API? We are keen to be able to send payouts to as many card types supporting both debit and credit cards.

You'll be interested to know that Visa Direct is able to make push request to any type of card switches like Mastercards, American Express, VISA, etc. For pull requests, you can use Visa Push Payments Gateway Service (PPGS) in the US currently it's enabled for Maestro and Accel networks, and it is actively integrating with other networks.

Thanks,

Diana

[sapandesai]

Hi Diana,

Thanks for your response. This was much better and more helpful. I have few follow up questions:

1. In your responses, you keep stressing the point about using Visa Direct APIs to push funds into a Visa account. But to be clear, we can push funds into any type of card such American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Discover etc and not just Visa account, is that correct?

2. In your response, you mentioned about using any source of funds to pull not only from a Visa account but from a bank account or cash. How the option of cash can work in this instance?

3. You also mentioned that "merchant disbursements can be made from personal computers, mobile phones, local bank branches, or ATMs" - how exactly disbursements can be made from an ATM using the Visa Direct API?

4. You mentioned, "For pull requests, you can use Visa Push Payments Gateway Service (PPGS) in the US currently it's enabled for Maestro and Accel networks, and it is actively integrating with other networks." - this point is bot very clear. Could you please elaborate further?

Thanks.

[API_Products]

Hi @sapandesai,

Please confirm that you meet the Visa Direct requirements and have submitted the Visa Direct Program Implementation Questionnaire to the email address listed on that form.

Thanks,

Diana

[sapandesai]

Hi Diana,

We are yet to kick off the process of filling the questionnaire which we will do once we are satisfied that Visa Direct does fit all of our requirements.

So please for now just respond to my queries from my previous message.

Thanks.

[sapandesai]

Hi Diana,

Please understand that filling out the questionnaire and concluding that we as an organisation DO meet the Visa Direct requirements is a long drawn process and requires me (a humble Tech Lead on a software team) to engage with quite a few stakeholders. 

In the meantime, for me to be able to present a viable solution to the direct credit problem that the business wants to solve through our website, I need to be able to have a full picture of the abilities of this API.

Given the above, I hope you are able to get back to me on my previous set of questions (which I asked following your responses to my original set of questions) that would really help me progress this further with my business stakeholders quickly.

Thanks.

[API_Products]

Hi @sapandesai,

Please know it will be more helpful to you if you fill out the Visa Direct Implementation Questionnaire because, if you meet the requirements and submit the form, it will provide confirmation that you will be able to use this API, whereas, if you continue to learn more about Visa Direct and do not meet the requirements you will not be able to use this API. It's highly suggested that you review the requirements beforehand and submit the questionnaire. Hope this helps!

Asides from that please see my inline comments.

1. In your responses, you keep stressing the point about using Visa Direct APIs to push funds into a Visa account. But to be clear, we can push funds into any type of card such American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Discover etc and not just Visa account, is that correct?

You can send a Visa Personal Payment through over 100 financial institutions in 20 countries to over a billion enabled Visa cardholders. Just enter the recipient’s 16 digit Visa card number and the amount and the funds will be credited to the recipient’s Visa credit, debit or prepaid card. It's currently used to push funds to just Visa, and is listed as the trusted source of secure payments and transactions today.

How does Visa Direct Work?

1. Access the service through Netbanking, mobile or ATM.
2. Enter the recipient’s 16 digit Visa card number and the amount you want to send.
3. The money will be received into the recipient Visa credit, debit or prepaid card.
4. Recipient can use the received funds at any Visa merchant or ATM. When sent to a Visa credit card, the received amount is offset against the outstanding balance.

2. In your response, you mentioned about using any source of funds to pull not only from a Visa account but from a bank account or cash. How the option of cash can work in this instance?

What's really great about being able to pull funds from a bank account or cash, is that you can walk into a financial institution (bank) with cash and have it go towards the Visa cardholder or use your bank account for this type of transaction, as well.

3. You also mentioned that "merchant disbursements can be made from personal computers, mobile phones, local bank branches, or ATMs" - how exactly disbursements can be made from an ATM using the Visa Direct API?

You can send money to a Visa card using your phone, the Internet, bank branch or an ATM/kiosk by accessing your Visa account or bank account or getting cash from the ATM. You can then push it through an originating bank which then goes through the Visa network to the recipient issuer. The recipient issuer then sends it to a Visa account such as a credit/debit/prepaid card.

4. You mentioned, "For pull requests, you can use Visa Push Payments Gateway Service (PPGS) in the US currently it's enabled for Maestro and Accel networks, and it is actively integrating with other networks." - this point is bot very clear. Could you please elaborate further?

Visa Direct Funds Transfer API pulls funds from a sender’s Visa account (this is usually to fund a push payment to a recipient’s account) by initiating an Account Funding Transaction (AFT). Then it can be followed by a push payment to a recipient’s Visa account that initiates an Original Credit Transaction (OCT). Push payment is a standalone capability and can be used either in conjunction with a pull payment (if the source of funds is a Visa card) or independently (if the source of funds is not a Visa card).

The AFT is used to pull funds from Visa accounts for the purposes of funding other non-merchant accounts. For example, this will include loading or topping up prepaid card accounts, moving funds into another financial account such as a Certificate of Deposit or Individual Retirement Account, acting as the funding source of person-to-person payments, or to load a third-party digital wallet.

You can learn more here - https://developer.visa.com/capabilities/visa_direct/docs#using_the_funds_transfer_api_to_pull__funds

For additional information on Maestro and Accel networks please see the Network ID and Sharing Group Code section within this link - https://developer.visa.com/guides/request_response_codes

Please also see Visa Direct > API Reference at https://developer.visa.com/capabilities/visa_direct/reference#visa_direct__funds_transfer__v1__pullf...

Thanks,

Diana

[sapandesai]

Hi Diana,

Thanks for your responses. However, this is now getting very confusing to me.

On the one hand you earlier mentioned the below:

"You'll be interested to know that Visa Direct is able to make push request to any type of card switches like Mastercards, American Express, VISA, etc"

And now you are saying,

"It's currently used to push funds to just Visa".

Giving mixed signals basically. So let me just list out questions to which your yes / no answers will suffice:

1. Can we use Visa Direct PushFundsTransactions POST API (or any other relevant Visa Direct API) to send payouts from our website to the below listed card types (both debit / credit type of cards) of customers across the world in any currencies?

Visa
American Express
Mastercard
Maestro
Discover

Or we can currently only send payments to Visa cards and no other card types are supported at this stage through Visa Direct API?

2. Is there any possibility to jump on a call for 30 minutes to quickly discuss few additional questions I have at all? Feels like a call will be much easier to resolve all my outstanding questions / clarifications rather than having back and forth over this channel.

3. Once I fill out the questionaire, what happens next?

Thanks.