# Visa Payment Account Reference Inquiry

## available for use by

- Issuer Banks
- Acquirer Banks
- Merchants

## Regional Availability

- N. America
- Asia-Pacific
- Europe
- CEMEA
- LAC

## Fees & Terms

Product terms located at end of the page.

### Retrieve the PAR numeric linked to a Primary Account Number

PAR Inquiry delivers the capability to retrieve the PAR numeric linked to a Primary Account Number (PAN) in real time. The input to PAR Inquiry is either one PAN or one affiliated Token to a PAN.

PAR usage and data structure was introduced by the [EMVCo](https://www.emvco.com/) specifications organization as a non-payment and non-PAI numeric to provide a Client a PCI compliant method for managing card holder activity and programs (e.g., Loyalty).

### Key Features of PAR

### PAR, Designed for Today and Tomorrow

Introduction of a unique PAR allows all participants in the payments chain to have a single, non-sensitive reference value assigned to a payment account, re-enabling monitoring and tracking of all activity related to that underlying payment account.

### Improved Data Security

PAR allows for the removal of sensitive PAN Data from multiple systems so there is no need to de-sensitize payment details that is currently used for non-payment related purposes.

### Operational Efficiencies

One PAR for life of account to tie together all physical and virtual versions of the “card”.

## Why Use It?

**Retrieve currently assigned PARS**

The PAR API allows issuers, and non issuers to retrieve PAR values for the Tokens and or PANS that exist in their respective ecosystem.

## How Does It Work?

**PAR Inquiry for Issuers**

PAR Inquiry for Issuer allows an Issuer to retrieve the PAR numeric for a PAN or affiliated Token only registered to that Issuer. Issuers using PAR Inquiry for Issuers must provide their own Issuer PCR/station for configuration in the certification and production environments.

**PAR Inquiry for Non Issuers**

PAR Inquiry allows a Merchant or Acquirer to retrieve the PAR numeric for **any** PAN or affiliated Token.

## APIs Included

### PAR Inquiry for Issuers

### PAR Inquiry for Non Issuer

PAR Inquiry API allows a Merchant or Acquirer to retrieve the PAR numeric for any PAN or affiliated Token.