Guide to Visa Inc. Agents AGENT VisaNet Processor Third Party Agent Client Acquiring VNP PF HRIPSP DCC ESO Client VNP acting as Service Provider ISO DCV Third Party VNP ISO-Merchant ICPIA ISO-Cardholder TPS ISO-ATM MS ISO-Prepaid CFS ISO-HR ACS Service Provider
Glossary Agent An entity that acts as a VisaNet Processor (VNP), Third Party Agent (TPA), or both. VisaNet Processor (VNP) An entity that is directly connected to VisaNet and provides authorization, clearing, or settlement services to merchants and/or clients. Full Name Client Acquiring VNP Client VNP acting as Service Provider Third Party VNP Definition Visa acquirers or client-owned VNPs that only process acquiring transactions for their merchants only and using BINs specifically licensed to them. Registration is not required. Visa clients or client-owned entities that are connected directly to VisaNet who provide issuer and/or acquirer card processing services to other Visa clients, merchants that are not acquired by them and/or others. Entities (non-visa clients) that are connected directly to VisaNet and provide issuer and/or acquirer card processing services to Visa clients, merchants and/or other service providers Third Party Agent (TPA) An entity that is not defined as a VisaNet Processor that provides payment-related services, directly or indirectly, to a Visa client and/or stores, transmits, or processes cardholder data. A TPA must be registered by all Visa clients utilizing their services, directly or indirectly. A Third Party Agent is exempt from the registration requirements specified in Third Party Agent Registration Requirements and the associated fees if it only provides services on behalf of its affiliates (including parents and subsidiaries) and those affiliates are Members that own and control at least 25% of the Third Party Agent. (Visa International Operating Regulations October 2012) Acronym Full Name Definition ISO- Merchant (ISO-M) ISO- Cardholder Organization - Merchant Organization - Agent provides specific services to client banks such as merchant solicitation, sales, customer service and merchant training (e.g. terminal, fraud, or card acceptance). Agent do not sign merchant agreements nor deposit transaction receipts or handle merchant s fund disbursement on client bank s behalf.
(ISO-C) Cardholder Agent provides specific services to client bank such as cardholder solicitation, customer service and card application processing. ISO-ATM ISO-Prepaid (ISO PP) Organization - ATM Organization - Prepaid Deploy, service and/or maintain ATMs, both hardware and software. Responsible for prepaid card sales and/or activation, solicitation of distributor/reseller entities (i.e. merchant, corporate clients, government entities, other businesses, etc.) Loading of prepaid cards on behalf of an issuer. Primary function of business. Prepaid program managers Contract with Issuer; design and run the program including customer service support. ISO-High Risk (ISO- HR) Organization High Risk Agent provides specific services such as merchant solicitation, sales, customer service, merchant transaction solicitation and/or customer training to high-brand risk merchants (e.g. terminal, fraud, or card acceptance) of the following Merchant Category Codes (MCC): 5962, 5966, 5967, 7995, 5912, 5122. PF HRIPSP Payment Facilitator High-Risk Internet Payment Service Providers An acquirer can contract with Payment Facilitators and direct merchants. Agent contracts with client bank to sign merchant agreement directly with sponsored merchants and provides payment services (stores, processes or transmits cardholder data) to the sponsored merchants with any Merchant Category Code (MCC) that is not of a high-brand risk merchant. Includes all commerce type aggregation, including face-to-face in addition to e-commerce merchant aggregation. Agent acts like a mini acquirer to acquire/fund sponsored merchants. Client bank will settle transactions directly to agent, in which the agent will then settle transactions to the merchants. An acquirer can contract with Payment Facilitators and direct merchants. Agent contracts with client bank to sign merchant agreement directly with sponsored merchants and provide payment services (stores, processes or transmits cardholder data) to the sponsored merchants of Merchant Category Codes (MCC): 5962, 5966, 5967, 7995, 5912, 5122 Includes all commerce type aggregation, including face-to-face in addition to e-commerce merchant aggregation.
Agent acts like a mini acquirer to acquire/fund sponsored merchants. Client bank will settle transactions directly to agent, in which the agent will then settle transactions to the merchants. TPS Third Party Servicer The agent has a direct contractual relationship with client bank and stores, processes, or transmits Visa account numbers From a Third Party Agent (not defined as a VisaNet Processor) perspective, agent must be registered as a TPS. Example of Visa account numbers: PAN, CVV. Includes: Transaction or back-office related functions, payment transaction processing (such as authorization messages, clearing messages, batch transmissions and data capture), chargeback/exception item processing, fraud control, cardholder accounting, statement processing, remittance processing, data warehousing/capture, customer service, risk reporting/service, and/or loyalty programs. Note: Includes agent connected to VisaNet indirectly to transmit, process or store account data. Example: hosting. TPS-PIN ESO MS DCC Third Party Servicer - PIN Encryption Support Organization Merchant Servicer Dynamic Currency Conversion The agent has a direct contractual relationship with client bank and stores, processes, or transmits Visa PIN transactions. Example of PIN transaction information: PIN Data from ATM transactions, PIN@POS terminals. An agent that maintains a business relationship with a Plus/Interlink client that includes: Loading or injecting encryption keys into ATMs, terminals or PIN Pads and kiosks. Loading software into a terminal or ATM which will accept Visa branded cards. Merchant help desk support, including re-programming of terminal software. Agent using vendor supplied Remote Key Distribution techniques must ensure that such vendors are registered with Visa as ESOs. An agent that stores, processes, or transmits Visa account numbers on behalf of the client bank s merchant. A Merchant Servicer may not have contractual relationship with the client bank and provides specific merchant services (e.g. online shopping carts, payment gateways, hosting facilities, data storage, and authorization and/or clearing and settlement messages). Note: Payment Gateway - A system that provides electronic commerce services to merchants for the Authorization and Clearing of Electronic Commerce Transactions. The agent has a direct contractual relationship with client bank and provides currency conversion services (i.e. conversion of transaction cost to local currency when making payment in a foreign currency) to sponsored merchants at checkout
CFS Corporate Franchise Servicers An agent that provides Managed Services to franchisees. Managed services are provided over centralized or hosted network environments (owned or operated) that can affect the franchisee s cardholder data environment if accessed by unauthorized parties. Managed services include property management systems, inventory control systems, menu distribution systems, card payment processing services etc. DCV ICPIA ACS Service Provider Distribution Channel Vendor Instant Card Personalization Issuance Agent Access Control Server Service Provider Responsible for packaging, storage and shipping of pre-manufactured, commercially ready Visa Products (e.g. warehouses, wholesalers, card packagers, logistic companies). Pre-manufactured, commercially ready refers to non-personalized Visa products that have already been manufactured, encoded, and embossed/printed and are ready for sale or distribution to Cardholders. Performs instant card personalization and issuance for the issuer, generally a retailer or kiosk location. Instant Card Personalization and Issuance refers to the ability to instantly personalize Visa cards as the customer waits or to respond immediately to the request for an emergency replacement of a cardholder's lost or stolen card. Visa-approved entity operating the Enrollment Server and/or Access Control Server for providing 3-D Secure services to Visa issuers.
Mode of Registration Client Agent Type Method Visa Client Third Party Agent - Visa Membership Management (VMM) Visa Client Third Party VisaNet Processor (VNP) - Visa Membership Management (VMM) - VNP must complete Exhibit 5A form (VisaNet Letter of Agreement) and submit to the Client bank if it is a new VNP. - Client bank must attach Exhibit 5A within the VMM case. *For all forms from country: Russian Federation, please mail the signed and sealed original documents to: 71 Robinson Road, #09-01 Singapore 068895 Visa Client Client VisaNet Processor (VNP) acting as Service Provider - Client bank to complete Exhibit 5E form - VNP must complete Exhibit 5A form (VisaNet Letter of Agreement) and submit to the Client bank if it is a new VNP. - Client Bank must submit completed Exhibit 5A and 5E softcopy to agents@visa.com *For all forms from country: Russian Federation, please mail the signed and sealed original documents to: 71 Robinson Road, #09-01 Singapore 068895