Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Organization

Organization. Visa Inc. (“Visa” or the “Company”) is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments around the world to fast, secure and reliable electronic payments. Visa and its wholly-owned consolidated subsidiaries, including Visa U.S.A. Inc. (“Visa U.S.A.”), Visa International Service Association (“Visa International”), Visa Worldwide Pte. Limited, Visa Canada Corporation, Inovant LLC, and CyberSource Corporation (“CyberSource”), operate one of the world’s most advanced processing networks. The Company provides its clients with payment processing platforms that encompass consumer credit, debit, prepaid and commercial payments, and facilitates global commerce through the transfer of value and information among financial institutions, merchants, consumers, businesses and government entities. The Company is not a bank and does not issue cards, extend credit, or collect, assess or set cardholder fees or interest charges.

Consolidation and basis of presentation

Consolidation and basis of presentation. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Visa and its consolidated entities and are presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The Company consolidates its majority-owned and controlled entities, including variable interest entities ("VIEs") for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. The Company’s investments in VIEs have not been material to its consolidated financial statements as of and for the periods presented. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation.

Beginning with the first quarter of fiscal 2013, income tax receivable is presented separately on the consolidated balance sheets. Previously, it had been included in the prepaid expenses and other current assets line. The Company also combined the interest income (expense), investment income and other lines on the consolidated statements of operations into one line entitled, "Non-operating income." All prior period information has been reclassified to conform to current period presentation.

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements are presented in accordance with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") requirements for Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and, consequently, do not include all of the annual disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. Reference should be made to the Visa Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2012 for additional disclosures, including a summary of the Company’s significant accounting policies.

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include all normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the Company's financial position, results of operation and cash flows for the interim periods presented.

Recently adopted accounting pronouncements

Recently issued and adopted accounting pronouncements. In June 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standard Update ("ASU") 2011-05, which impacts the presentation of comprehensive income. The guidance requires components of other comprehensive income to be presented with net income to arrive at total comprehensive income. This ASU impacts presentation only and does not impact the underlying components of other comprehensive income or net income. In December 2011, the FASB issued an amendment to ASU 2011-05, which deferred the requirement to report the effect of significant reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income on the respective line items in net income. All other components of ASU 2011-05 were adopted effective October 1, 2012. The adoption did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In July 2012, the FASB issued ASU 2012-02, which allows an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform a quantitative impairment test for indefinite-lived intangible assets. The Company adopted ASU 2012-02 effective October 1, 2012, and applied the new guidance in its annual impairment review of indefinite-lived intangible assets as of February 1, 2013. See Note 3—Fair Value Measurements and Investments. The adoption did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.