Allowance for Credit Losses - Summary of Activity in Allowance for Loan Losses (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	$ 102,353	$ 113,617
Loans charged-off	(1,666)	(14,239)
Charged-off loans recovered	1,944	2,382
Net (charge-offs) recoveries	278	(11,857)
Provision for loan losses	0vly_ProvisionForLoanLosses	4,949vly_ProvisionForLoanLosses
Ending balance	102,631	106,709
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	43,676	51,551
Loans charged-off	(753)	(8,614)
Charged-off loans recovered	1,051	544
Net (charge-offs) recoveries	298	(8,070)
Provision for loan losses	919	6,451
Ending balance	44,893	49,932
Commercial Real Estate [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	42,840	42,343
Loans charged-off	(150)	(4,490)
Charged-off loans recovered	460	1,337
Net (charge-offs) recoveries	310	(3,153)
Provision for loan losses	(1,494)	(808)
Ending balance	41,656	38,382
Residential Mortgage [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	5,093	7,786
Loans charged-off	(49)	(63)
Charged-off loans recovered	114	79
Net (charge-offs) recoveries	65	16
Provision for loan losses	(1,066)	(823)
Ending balance	4,092	6,979
Consumer [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	5,179	4,359
Loans charged-off	(714)	(1,072)
Charged-off loans recovered	319	422
Net (charge-offs) recoveries	(395)	(650)
Provision for loan losses	188	398
Ending balance	4,972	4,107
Unallocated [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Beginning balance	5,565	7,578
Loans charged-off	0	0
Charged-off loans recovered	0	0
Net (charge-offs) recoveries	0	0
Provision for loan losses	1,453	(269)
Ending balance	$ 7,018	$ 7,309

Amount, after recoveries, of loans and leases that have been written-off.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossesWriteoffsNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A valuation allowance for financing receivables that are expected to be uncollectible.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 11B

-Subparagraph (c)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49124121&loc=SL6953423-111524

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLosses
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of recovery of financing receivables doubtful of collection that were previously charged off.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 11B

-Subparagraph (c)(4)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49124121&loc=SL6953423-111524

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesRecovery
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of direct write-downs of financing receivables charged against the allowance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 11B

-Subparagraph (c)(3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49124121&loc=SL6953423-111524

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesWriteOffs
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Provision charged for the period based on estimated losses to be realized from loans held for investment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vly_ProvisionForLoanLosses
Namespace Prefix:	vly_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_CommercialPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_CommercialRealEstatePortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_ConsumerPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_UnallocatedFinancingReceivablesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: