Approval Services provides a single point of contact for vendors, test laboratories and Visa personnel to facilitate communication between all participants in the chip product testing and approval process.
Approval Services oversees the testing of products to ensure compliance to Visa specifications and requirements.
The approval process consists of the following main stages:
If a product successfully passes all testing Approval Services issues an Approval Letter and the product is listed in its Approved Products Lists. The lists can be found at the bottom of this page.
Approval Services accepts all chip card form factors for testing such as ID1 Cards, Mini Cards, Fobs, and Stickers, as well as wearables and IoT products with a static contactless chip.
Find out moreTo reduce duplicate testing for vendors, Visa’s approval process utilizes testing and certification programs offered by EMVCo.
Find out moreApproval Services oversees testing of mobile proximity payment products that will be used to conduct Visa “payWave” payment transactions to ensure that they comply with Visa, GlobalPlatform and EMVCo specifications and requirements.
Find out moreThe process for wearables and IoT products is owned and managed by the Visa Ready Program rather than Approval Services. Please contact the Visa Ready Program for information about their process.
Find out moreApproval Services provides a single point of contact for vendors, test laboratories and Visa personnel to facilitate communication between all participants in the chip product testing and approval process.
Approval Services oversees the testing of products to ensure compliance to Visa specifications and requirements.
The approval process consists of the following main stages:
If a product successfully passes all testing Approval Services issues an Approval Letter and the product is listed in its Approved Products Lists. The lists can be found at the bottom of this page.
Approval Services accepts all chip card form factors for testing such as ID1 Cards, Mini Cards, Fobs, and Stickers, as well as wearables and IoT products with a static contactless chip.
Find out moreTo reduce duplicate testing for vendors, Visa’s approval process utilizes testing and certification programs offered by EMVCo.
Find out moreApproval Services oversees testing of mobile proximity payment products that will be used to conduct Visa “payWave” payment transactions to ensure that they comply with Visa, GlobalPlatform and EMVCo specifications and requirements.
Find out moreThe process for wearables and IoT products is owned and managed by the Visa Ready Program rather than Approval Services. Please contact the Visa Ready Program for information about their process.
Find out moreTo reduce duplicate testing for vendors, Visa’s type approval process utilizes testing and certification programs offered by EMVCo and GlobalPlatform.
Visa supports and recognizes the following EMVCo certification programs
Chip cards must have the chip, and secure elements must have the platform, certified by EMVCo.
Terminals supporting contact chip must have the contact level 1 interface and contact level 2 kernel tested and approved by EMVCo. Contactless terminals must obtain a contactless level 1 approval from EMVCo as part of Visa’s approval requirements.
Visa requires handsets and other NFC consumer devices to obtain a contactless level 1 approval from EMVCo.
Details about Visa’s testing requirements can be found in the applicable product submission document in the library.
Visa supports and recognizes GlobalPlatform’s (GP) certification programs for platform functional testing for cards and secure elements. Visa only accepts official GP test results performed by a GP-qualified laboratory. Self-testing results are not accepted as proof of specification compliance. Please contact GlobalPlatform directly to arrange testing.
To reduce duplicate testing for vendors, Visa’s type approval process utilizes testing and certification programs offered by EMVCo and GlobalPlatform.
Visa supports and recognizes the following EMVCo certification programs
Chip cards must have the chip, and secure elements must have the platform, certified by EMVCo.
Terminals supporting contact chip must have the contact level 1 interface and contact level 2 kernel tested and approved by EMVCo. Contactless terminals must obtain a contactless level 1 approval from EMVCo as part of Visa’s approval requirements.
Visa requires handsets and other NFC consumer devices to obtain a contactless level 1 approval from EMVCo.
Details about Visa’s testing requirements can be found in the applicable product submission document in the library.
Visa supports and recognizes GlobalPlatform’s (GP) certification programs for platform functional testing for cards and secure elements. Visa only accepts official GP test results performed by a GP-qualified laboratory. Self-testing results are not accepted as proof of specification compliance. Please contact GlobalPlatform directly to arrange testing.
Chip card product or terminal manufacturers seeking Visa certification of their products need to register as a technology partner, license Visa’s technology and software (as required), and execute Approval Services agreements.
The process is slightly different for manufacturers of wearables and IoT products (see the Visa Ready Program page for more information).
Chip card product or terminal manufacturers seeking Visa certification of their products need to software (as required), and execute Approval Services agreements.
The process is slightly different for manufacturers of wearables and IoT products (see the Visa Ready Program page for more information).
The Visa Technology Partner program facilitates the licensing of Visa-developed software; Visa Secure Debit/Credit for cards and static chip wearables, and Visa Mobile Payment Application for mobile and tokenized wearable products.
The license provides access to additional documentation product manufacturers will need, both on Visa Technology Partner as well as this site.
Approval Services publishes a list of approved applets that are available.
Product manufacturers should work with their customers and Visa regional representatives to determine which applet to use for their products. Visa Chip Bulletins 16 and 39, published in this site's library (requires log in), defines sunset criteria when products using an applet may no longer be used for product submissions or extending the product’s approval period. Applets that are sunset are no longer obtainable.
Product manufacturers with a valid software license can get an approved applet by contacting Approval Services. Applet documentation can be found in the library on this site.
Contact Approval Services to obtain test applets (VMPA and HCE) for EMVCo Mobile Product Level 1 Testing.
The Visa Technology Partner website facilitates the licensing of Visa-developed software; Visa Secure Debit/Credit for cards and static chip wearables, and Visa Mobile Payment Application for mobile and tokenized wearable products.
The license provides access to additional documentation product manufacturers will need, both on Visa Technology Partner as well as this site.
Approval Services publishes a list of approved applets that are available.
Product manufacturers should work with their customers and Visa regional representatives to determine which applet to use for their products. Visa Chip Bulletins 16 and 39, published on Visa Technology Partner and in this site's library (both require log in), defines sunset criteria when products using an applet may no longer be used for product submissions or extending the product’s approval period. Applets that are sunset are no longer obtainable.
Product manufacturers with a valid software license can get an approved applet by contacting Approval Services. Applet documentation can be found in the library on this site.
Contact Approval Services to obtain test applets (VMPA and HCE) for EMVCo Mobile Product Level 1 Testing.