Visa: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Visa Inc. is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and traces its origin to September 18, 1958, when Bank of America launched the BankAmericard credit card program in Fresno, California. Bank of America began licensing the program to other financial institutions in 1966. By 1970 control had passed to the issuing banks, which established National BankAmericard under Dee Hock as president and chief executive, and the organization was renamed Visa in 1976.

Visa expanded internationally in 1974 and introduced the debit card in 1975. In 2007 its regional businesses around the world were merged to form Visa Inc., and the company went public in 2008 in one of the largest initial public offerings on record. It is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker V and is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 100, and the S&P 500. Ryan McInerney serves as chief executive officer. An important point for candidates to understand about the business model is that Visa does not issue cards, extend credit to consumers, or set consumer rates and fees. It provides financial institutions with Visa-branded payment products, and those institutions offer credit, debit, prepaid, and cash access programs to their own customers.

At the center of the business is VisaNet, the company's directly operated processing network. Nearly all Visa transactions worldwide run through one of four secure data centers, located in Ashburn, Virginia, and Highlands Ranch, Colorado, in the United States, plus London, England, and Singapore. Those facilities are built to operate independently of one another and of external utilities if necessary. In 2025 the network processed 257.5 billion transactions worth 14.2 trillion dollars, and the company serves clients in more than 200 countries and territories. Visa reported 34,100 employees in 2025.

The workforce skews heavily technical and analytical. Common role families include software and network engineering, site reliability and infrastructure, data science and analytics, cybersecurity, fraud and risk management, product management, client services and implementation, consulting and account management, finance, legal and regulatory compliance, and corporate functions. The company maintains offices around the world in addition to its California operations, including a substantial presence in Foster City, California.

Company culture and employee programs:

Working in payments means working inside a regulated, security-conscious environment. Employees routinely handle or build systems around sensitive financial data, and access controls, security training, and compliance obligations are a normal part of the job rather than an afterthought. The company operates internship and early-career programs alongside experienced hiring, and roles range from deeply specialized technical positions to client-facing commercial work. Compensation structures, equity eligibility, and benefits vary by level, function, and country, so candidates should confirm details with their recruiter.

Yes. Employers in the financial services and payment technology industry, including Visa, are legally permitted to conduct pre-employment background checks on job candidates as long as they follow applicable federal, state, and local law. In the United States, employment screening obtained through a consumer reporting agency is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which sets requirements for candidate disclosure, written authorization, and the adverse action process. Several states, including California, add their own notice and consent requirements and limit how criminal history and credit information may be used. Outside the United States, local employment and data protection law applies.

Visa is generally reported to conduct background checks as part of its hiring process. That is consistent with standard practice across financial services and payment technology, where employees may have access to payment systems, cardholder data, financial records, or critical infrastructure. The specific components of a Visa background check may vary by role, by the sensitivity of the systems and data involved, and by the country or state where the position is based.

Steps differ by function and level, but large technology and financial services employers tend to follow a recognizable sequence. Candidates apply online through the company's careers site or are contacted by a recruiter, and an initial recruiter screen establishes background, motivation, and compensation expectations. Technical candidates typically complete one or more skills assessments or coding interviews, followed by a panel or loop covering technical depth, system design, and collaboration. Business and client-facing candidates usually complete a similar series of interviews weighted toward case discussion and stakeholder scenarios. Candidates who receive a conditional offer are generally asked to consent to a background check before a start date is confirmed, with onboarding and compliance training following once pre-employment steps are complete.

Turnaround depends on which searches are ordered, how responsive courts, schools, and previous employers are, and how many jurisdictions a candidate's history spans. Many employment background checks return within a few business days. Reports that require manual county court retrieval, education verification from a registrar, or international records for candidates who have lived or worked abroad often take longer. Candidates who want more detail on what drives these timelines can review background check turnaround times.

The employer decides which searches to include. For a financial services or payment technology role, a background check may cover some or all of the following:

Candidates should read the disclosure and authorization documents provided during hiring to see exactly which searches apply to their position.

The lookback period depends on the search type and on the law of the state where the candidate lives or worked. Under the FCRA, consumer reporting agencies are generally restricted from reporting most adverse information older than seven years, with exceptions that include criminal convictions and positions above certain salary thresholds. California and several other states apply stricter limits, and some states sharply restrict the use of credit history in hiring. Employment and education verification are not subject to the same seven-year framing, since they confirm facts a candidate has asserted rather than report adverse information.

Visa does not publish a detailed public policy on applicants with felony records, and decisions of this kind are typically made case by case. Common considerations include the nature and seriousness of the offense, how much time has passed, evidence of rehabilitation, and how the record relates to the responsibilities of the specific role, which in payments frequently involve access to financial systems or sensitive data. Many states and cities have enacted "ban-the-box" laws that limit when an employer may ask about criminal history during the application process. Candidates are encouraged to complete applications honestly and to be prepared to discuss their background if it is raised.

Candidates are typically asked to sign a written disclosure and authorization form before any background check begins. Applicants should be prepared to supply accurate personal information, including full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number for United States positions, and address history, along with employer names, titles, and dates, and details of degrees claimed. Candidates who have lived or worked outside the United States may be asked for additional information to support international searches. Accurate and complete details help keep searches in the correct jurisdictions and reduce avoidable delays.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act is the United States federal law that governs how consumer reporting agencies collect, assemble, and share background check information. Under the FCRA, an employer must obtain written consent before ordering a report, must provide the candidate with a copy of the report and a summary of rights before taking adverse action based on it, and must allow a reasonable opportunity to dispute inaccurate information before making a final decision. For a fuller explanation of how the FCRA and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidance apply to employment screening, see this introduction to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Positions that touch cardholder data, payment infrastructure, or regulated financial processes often carry screening requirements beyond a standard criminal search. Payment industry security standards and client or regulatory obligations commonly drive additional steps, which may include deeper employment and education verification, sanctions and watchlist screening, and, where state law permits, a review of credit history. Some roles also require ongoing rather than one-time screening, meaning an employee may be re-screened periodically during employment. Requirements differ by role, by the systems a position can access, and by country, so candidates should treat the disclosures provided for their specific offer as the authoritative description.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Visa may see and helps you identify potential inaccuracies before they affect your job application. In one secure report you can review:

Create your report in minutes at Checkr Personal Background Checks. To showcase verified credentials proactively, build a free Checkr Profile you can share with recruiters, hiring managers, or potential employers.

Check your report status in the Candidate Portal. Or, visit the Checkr Help Center for FAQs, dispute steps, and to contact support.

The resources and information provided here are for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Always consult your own counsel for up-to-date legal advice and guidance related to your practices, needs, and compliance with applicable laws.