What is the ISA fee?
The International Service Assessment (ISA) fee, also known as the Visa International Service Assessment fee, is a fee imposed by Visa, on transactions involving international cards. This fee is typically charged when a customer uses a Visa card to merchants outside of Malaysia.
Example:
Card | Merchant | ISA Charge |
| Swipey Visa Card | Malaysia | None |
| Swipey Visa Card | Singapore | 1% |
The ISA fee is a small percentage of the transaction amount, and it is intended to cover the costs associated with processing international transactions and providing currency conversion services. The exact amount of the fee can vary depending on several factors, including the type of Visa card being used and the merchant's agreement with their payment processor. This is applied to payments made through the Physical and Virtual Swipey Visa Cards, for both online and in-person transactions. Charges are standard practice for all bank and non-bank institutions.
It's important to note that the ISA fee is separate from any currency conversion fees that may apply when a transaction involves a currency conversion.
The fee is currently being charged at 1% by Visa. In the event of a refund, the ISA charge will not be refunded, as it is a processing fee charged by Visa.