Visa · Chargeback reason codes
Visa 13.6 chargeback: Credit Not Processed explained
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Visa reason code 13.6, Credit Not Processed, means the cardholder holds a credit or voided receipt from you, but the refund was never processed. The bank waits 15 days from the credit receipt date, then has 120 days to file, up to 540 days. Answer with proof the refund was issued (date, amount and reference) or a disclosed policy showing no refund was due. It does not apply to fraud claims.
- Category
- Consumer dispute
- Time limit for the bank to file
- 120 days from the credit receipt date, max 540 days; after a 15-day wait
- Time limit to respond
- Your processor's deadline (on Stripe usually 7–21 days); under Visa rules the acquirer files a Dispute Response within 30 days of the dispute processing date
- Typical evidence
- Refund date, amount and reference (ARN); refund policy
- Can it be prevented?
- Yes: refund promptly and tell the customer when
- Who usually wins
- The merchant with proof the refund was sent
What PlatformDTC does
For a "refund not received" dispute, PlatformDTC reads the refund history from Stripe: if the money was already returned it sends each refund's amount, date and acquirer reference number (ARN) and asks the bank not to pay twice; if not, it quotes the store's published refund policy. With "Answer a chargeback automatically" switched on, it sends the response to the bank for you before the deadline.
What it means
You gave the cardholder a credit receipt or voided the sale, but the money did not reach the card.
Why customers file it
A refund was promised but not issued, it was issued but has not posted yet, or the customer expected more than your policy allows.
Evidence that wins
Under Visa rules every response can also show that you already refunded and the bank ignored it, that the dispute is invalid, or that the cardholder withdrew it.
- Proof of the refund: date, amount, method and acquirer reference number
- Your refund policy as disclosed before purchase, if no refund was due
How to prevent it
- Refund as soon as you agree to one
- Tell customers how long refunds take to appear
- Email the refund confirmation with the amount
For developers
On Stripe the dispute object arrives with reason "credit_not_processed" and the card network's own code in payment_method_details.card.network_reason_code; listen for charge.dispute.created and read evidence_details.due_by for the deadline.
Consumer Dispute (category 13) disputes have a Dispute Response stage: the acquirer answers within 30 days, then the issuer may pre-arbitrate within 30 days of that response.
Frequently asked questions
- What if I already refunded?
- Send the refund date, amount and acquirer reference number (ARN). Visa lets you answer any dispute with a refund the issuer did not account for.
- How long must the bank wait?
- 15 days from the date on the credit receipt before filing a 13.6.
Sources
Related
- 13.7 — The cardholder cancelled or returned the order and no refund was given.
- 12.6 — The cardholder says they were charged twice, or already paid another way.
- 13.8 — A pushed credit (Original Credit Transaction) was refused by the recipient or not allowed by law.
- 13.9 — An ATM dispensed no cash or only part of it. Applies to ATM operators only.
- 10.1 — A counterfeit chip card was used in person at a terminal that did not read the chip.
- 10.2 — A lost or stolen PIN chip card was used in person without the PIN being checked.
- 10.3 — The cardholder denies an in-person purchase where the card number was typed in, not read.