PIN Debit Transactions

PIN debit transactions begin when the customer presents a PIN debit card at the payment terminal.

Figure:

PIN Debit Transaction Flow
Diagram of the PIN Debit transaction flow.
  1. The customer swipes the card through a magnetic card reader, inserts the card into the EMV terminal (contact), or taps the card against an EMV scanner (contactless) on the terminal.
  2. The customer chooses to process the card as a debit card or a credit card.
    IMPORTANT
    Issuer regulations require that you present the customer with the choice to use their debit card as a debit or credit card.
  3. If the customer chooses the debit card option, you request the PIN debit purchase service. The transaction is routed through the debit card networks.
    PIN debit transactions are
    full-financial transactions
    ; they are single message transactions that include an authorization and capture. As such, you do not need to request a separate capture as you would with a credit card transaction.
    If the PIN debit purchase service fails, you can attempt to process the card as a credit card.
  4. If the customer chooses the credit card option, or if the card cannot be used for a PIN debit purchase, process the transaction as a credit card sale, requesting the authorization and capture services together. The transaction is routed through the credit card networks.
    Refer to the
    Payments Developer Guide for the REST API | Visa Platform Connect
     for information about using credit card services to process debit card transactions.
  5. If you need to refund a PIN debit purchase, use the PIN debit credit service.
  6. To reverse a PIN debit purchase or PIN debit credit, use the PIN debit reversal service.
    IMPORTANT
    To request a PIN debit reversal, you must submit the request within one hour of the request that you are reversing.