What Visa reason code 13.6 means
The issuer files 13.6 when a cardholder presents a credit voucher, a refund confirmation, a return receipt or a written promise of credit, and no matching credit shows on their statement. It is a consumer dispute, not a fraud claim, so the cardholder admits they made the purchase. The question is only whether money is owed back. Many 13.6 cases come from timing, where a refund was issued but had not posted yet when the cardholder called the bank.
Typical triggers for a 13.6 chargeback
-
A refund issued a few days earlier that the cardholder has not seen on their statement yet.
-
A return received by your warehouse but never processed in your store backend.
-
A support agent who promised a refund in writing and nobody followed through.
-
A partial refund where the cardholder expected the full amount.
Time limits for Visa 13.6
The cardholder typically has 120 days from the date they expected the credit, and Visa rules usually ask them to wait about 15 days after the return or cancellation before disputing, unless the credit document shows no date. Your response window is set by your processor and is often 7 to 21 days. In Stripe the evidence due date sits on the dispute itself.
Evidence that wins a 13.6 dispute
-
The refund record with its date, amount and the card it went to, plus the acquirer reference number (ARN) so the issuer can trace it.
-
Proof the refund was issued before the dispute, which in many cases makes the chargeback invalid.
-
Your refund and return policy, with proof the cardholder accepted it at checkout.
-
Return records showing the item never arrived, arrived late, or arrived used or damaged outside the policy.
-
Support conversations showing no refund was promised, or that the promise had conditions the cardholder did not meet.
What to avoid when you respond
-
Do not issue a second refund after the dispute opens. The disputed funds are already withdrawn and you pay twice.
-
Do not argue the refund is on its way. Send the record of what was actually processed.
-
Do not leave out the ARN when you did refund. Without it the issuer often cannot match the credit.
How to prevent Visa 13.6 chargebacks
-
Send a refund confirmation email with the amount, date and ARN as soon as the credit is processed.
-
Tell customers refunds typically take 5 to 10 business days to appear.
-
Watch chargeback alerts so you can resolve a refund question before it becomes a dispute.
How 13.6 appears in Stripe
Stripe shows Visa 13.6 disputes with the reason credit_not_processed, and the network reason code field on the dispute carries 13.6. NoChargeback finds any refund on the charge, adds its date and reference, attaches your refund policy and the customer's acceptance of it, and fills the matching Stripe evidence fields. See Stripe chargeback protection.
Rebuttal letter opening for Visa 13.6
We are responding to the dispute filed under Visa reason code 13.6. The cardholder is not owed the credit claimed. A refund for the eligible amount was processed before the dispute date, and the remaining amount was outside the return policy the cardholder accepted at checkout. The refund record, its reference number and the accepted policy are attached below.
Can a merchant win a Visa 13.6 chargeback?
Yes. You win when you show the refund was already processed, with its date and reference number, or when the cardholder was not entitled to a credit under the policy they accepted.
What if I already refunded the customer?
Submit the refund record and its reference number as evidence. If the credit was processed before the dispute, the issuer usually reverses the chargeback. Do not refund again.
How long must a cardholder wait before filing 13.6?
Visa rules typically ask the cardholder to wait about 15 days after returning the item or cancelling before they dispute, unless the credit document has no date. Rules change, so check your processor's guidance.