Built by Us - ISV Plugin Version Lifecycle and Support Policy

Overview

This policy defines how Visa Acceptance for SMB ISV plugin versions are released, supported, and retired. It outlines versioning standards, fix delivery, support scope, platform and dependency requirements, merchant responsibilities, and lifecycle expectations to ensure clarity, predictability, and sustainable support.

Policy Status and Non-Contractual Nature

This policy is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contractual commitment, service level agreement, warranty, or guarantee. This policy does not modify, amend, or supplement any agreement between Visa (or its affiliates) and any merchant, issuer, partner, or ISV. In the event of any conflict, the applicable executed agreement shall control.

Versioning Standards

Visa Acceptance for SMB ISV integrations follow one of these versioning schemes, depending on the integration and release model. Version identifiers are provided for informational purposes only and do not guarantee compatibility, stability, or continuity of functionality across versions.

Calendar Versioning (CalVer)

Calendar Versioning reflects release timing rather than semantic meaning:

YY.RELEASE.PATCH

A change in the year component reflects a new calendar year only.

Year changes do not imply breaking or major changes.

Release and patch increments represent enhancements and fixes.

CalVer is used for integrations that do not require explicit signaling of breaking changes.

Semantic Versioning (SemVer)

Semantic Versioning is used when release semantics must be explicit.

MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH

MAJOR
— Backward-incompatible changes or migrations.

MINOR
— Backward-compatible enhancements.

PATCH
— Bug fixes or security fixes.

Integrations may transition from CalVer to SemVer when breaking changes are introduced.

Major Version Releases

Breaking or backward-incompatible changes are released using semantic versioning (SemVer). When an integration transitions from CalVer to SemVer, the first SemVer release represents a major lifecycle change and CalVer becomes the previous major release.

CalVer integrations do not use year changes to indicate breaking changes.

Supported Versions

Only the latest supported version line of each integration is fully supported, subject to Visa's discretion and the terms of the applicable agreement.

Merchants may continue using older versions at their discretion, with limited support until the applicable end-of-life (EOL).

Support assumes required external dependencies and configurations are completed.

Merchants are encouraged to remain on the latest available release within the supported version line.

Fix Delivery and Backporting

Bug fixes and security fixes are delivered through new releases of the supported version line. Fixes are not backported to earlier releases.

We may provide patch details at our discretion to merchants who choose to remain on a previous release so they may apply changes themselves. Providing patch details does not constitute support, maintenance, or an obligation to remediate issues for that version.

Limited Support for Previous Major Versions (SemVer Only)

When an integration transitions to a new major version under Semantic Versioning, the immediately preceding major version enters a limited support period of six (6) months, starting from the release date of the succeeding major version. Limited support timelines are based on release dates, not installation dates. Limited support periods are indicative only and may be shortened, extended, or terminated by Visa at its discretion.

At the end of the six-month limited support period, the version is considered end-of-life.

Limited Support Definition

During limited support:

Critical security fixes may be provided at our discretion.

No enhancements or new features are provided.

No non-security bug fixes are provided.

No configuration or UI changes are provided.

No parity with newer major versions is maintained.

End-of-Life (EOL)

After the limited support period ends:

The version is considered end-of-life.

No fixes, updates, or support are provided.

Merchants should upgrade or migrate to a supported version.

Visa has no obligation to continue supporting any version beyond its designated end-of-life, regardless of merchant deployment status or business impact.

Platform and Dependency Support

ISV integrations are supported only on platform versions, frameworks, and runtime environments that are actively supported by their respective providers.

When a platform provider ends regular or extended support for a specific version, ISV integrations installed on that version are no longer supported. This includes, but is not limited to:

E-commerce platforms.

Programming languages and runtimes.

Required databases or infrastructure dependencies.

Support is not extended beyond these end-of-support dates, regardless of plugin version. Any extended, paid, or bespoke support arrangements agreed directly between a merchant and a platform or dependency provider do not extend or modify our support timelines or end-of-life dates. Visa is not responsible for monitoring, notifying, or coordinating end-of-support timelines for third-party platforms, dependencies, or infrastructure.

Mandated Platform and Scheme Changes

ISV integrations operate within the requirements of the Visa Acceptance for SMB platform and any applicable brands using the platform. Where mandated changes are introduced by Visa Acceptance for SMB, card schemes, or regulatory bodies—including security, compliance, or encryption requirements—existing integration versions may be required to change to remain compliant.

In such cases, older integration versions may transition to limited support or end-of-life earlier than the timelines defined in this policy, without liability. Merchants are responsible for implementing required updates to remain compliant and continue processing transactions.

External Dependencies and Configuration Responsibility

Some integrations rely on external systems or platforms for configuration and operation.

External configuration is the responsibility of the merchant.

Integrations do not manage, store, or migrate external configuration.

Issues caused by missing or incomplete external configuration are not considered integration defects.

Version support applies only to integration behavior and documented API functionality.

Upstream Product Dependencies

ISV integrations may rely on upstream products, services, or APIs provided by Visa Acceptance for SMB or third parties. We maintain compatibility with supported versions of these products; however, we do not control their release schedules, feature changes, or behavioral updates. Changes introduced by upstream products may impact integration behavior.

Issues resulting from upstream product changes are not considered defects in the integration itself. Support may be limited to general guidance only, mitigation, or coordination with the relevant product team where appropriate. Visa does not guarantee resolution, timelines, or outcomes for issues arising from upstream product changes.

Merchant Responsibility and Suitability

Merchants are responsible for determining whether an ISV integration is suitable for their business requirements, technical environment, infrastructure, and compliance obligations.

Integrations are provided as is
and are intended to support documented, supported configurations only. We are not responsible for ensuring compatibility with merchant-specific workflows, customizations, infrastructure, or third-party systems.

To the extent permitted by law and subject to the applicable executed agreement, Visa disclaims all liability arising from or related to the use, or reliance on an integration, including but not limited to operational disruption, data loss, or business interruption.

Customization Disclaimer

ISV integrations are designed to support standard, documented workflows. Merchants are free to customize, extend, or adapt integrations to meet their specific business processes or operational requirements. Visa has no obligation to support, maintain, or remediate issues arising from customized implementations, including where such customizations are necessary for a merchant's internal business processes.

Therefore:

Support is provided only for documented, supported configurations.

Customizations may impact the ability to diagnose or resolve issues.

Support for customized implementations may be limited or provided on a best-effort basis.

Troubleshooting Requirement

Support may request that customizations, extensions, or self-applied patches be temporarily disabled or bypassed to assist with troubleshooting and issue reproduction.

Support Scope Summary

This table is provided for general reference only and does not constitute a commitment, guarantee, or service level agreement.

Scenario	Support Level
Supported version line on supported platform	Full support
Previous major version (within 6 months)	Security fixes only
End-of-life versions	Not supported
Unsupported platform or runtime	Not supported
Missing external configuration	Not supported
Customized or patched versions	Best effort only

Policy Changes

This policy may be updated, amended, or withdrawn at any time in Visa's discretion. Continued use of an integration after a policy update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy. Nothing in this policy creates any rights in favor of any third party or limits Visa's rights under applicable agreements or law.