Visa (V) 10-Q 30 Jan 14 2014 Q1 Quarterly report Financial data

Document_and_Entity_Informatio

Document and Entity Information	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Jan. 24, 2014	Jan. 24, 2014	Jan. 24, 2014
		Class A	Class B	Class C
Entity Registrant Name	'VISA INC.	'	'	'
Entity Central Index Key	'0001403161	'	'	'
Current Fiscal Year End Date	'--09-30	'	'	'
Entity Filer Category	'Large Accelerated Filer	'	'	'
Document Type	'10-Q	'	'	'
Document Period End Date	31-Dec-13	'	'	'
Document Fiscal Year Focus	'2014	'	'	'
Document Fiscal Period Focus	'Q1	'	'	'
Amendment Flag	'false	'	'	'
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	'	504,306,404	245,513,385	26,047,808

CONSOLIDATED_BALANCE_SHEETS

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Assets	'	'
Cash and cash equivalents	$2,121	$2,186
Restricted cashblitigation escrow (Note 2)	49	49
Investment securities:	'	'
Trading	89	75
Available-for-sale	1,880	1,994
Income tax receivable	20	142
Settlement receivable	888	799
Accounts receivable	840	761
Customer collateral (Note 5)	886	866
Current portion of client incentives	235	282
Deferred tax assets	466	481
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	291	187
Total current assets	7,765	7,822
Investment securities, available-for-sale	3,040	2,760
Client incentives	98	89
Property, equipment and technology, net	1,746	1,732
Other assets	584	521
Intangible assets, net	11,334	11,351
Goodwill	11,681	11,681
Total assets	36,248	35,956
Liabilities	'	'
Accounts payable	101	184
Settlement payable	1,246	1,225
Customer collateral (Note 5)	886	866
Accrued compensation and benefits	337	523
Client incentives	864	919
Accrued liabilities (Note 6)	947	613
Accrued litigation (Note 11)	4	5
Total current liabilities	4,385	4,335
Deferred tax liabilities	4,160	4,149
Other liabilities (Note 6)	689	602
Total liabilities	9,234	9,086
Equity	'	'
Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value, 25 shares authorized and none issued	'	'
Additional paid-in capital	18,702	18,875
Accumulated income	8,269	7,974
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net:	'	'
Investment securities, available-for-sale	70	59
Defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans	-60	-60
Derivative instruments classified as cash flow hedges	34	23
Foreign currency translation adjustments	-1	-1
Total accumulated other comprehensive income, net	43	21
Total equity	27,014	26,870
Total liabilities and equity	36,248	35,956
Class A common stock	'	'
Equity	'	'
Common stock	'	'
Class B common stock	'	'
Equity	'	'
Common stock	'	'
Class C common stock	'	'
Equity	'	'
Common stock	'	'

CONSOLIDATED_BALANCE_SHEETS_Pa

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified
Preferred Stock	'	'
Preferred stock, par value	$0.00	$0.00
Preferred stock, shares authorized	25	25
Preferred stock, shares issued	0	0
Class A common stock	'	'
Common stock, par value	$0.00	$0.00
Common stock, shares authorized	2,001,622	2,001,622
Common stock, shares issued	505	508
Common stock, shares outstanding	505	508
Class B common stock	'	'
Common stock, par value	$0.00	$0.00
Common stock, shares authorized	622	622
Common stock, shares issued	245	245
Common stock, shares outstanding	245	245
Class C common stock	'	'
Common stock, par value	$0.00	$0.00
Common stock, shares authorized	1,097	1,097
Common stock, shares issued	26	27
Common stock, shares outstanding	26	27

CONSOLIDATED_STATEMENTS_OF_OPE

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Operating Revenues	'		'
Service revenues	$1,419		$1,300
Data processing revenues	1,264		1,115
International transaction revenues	891		805
Other revenues	180		179
Client incentives	-599		-553
Total operating revenues	3,155		2,846
Operating Expenses	'		'
Personnel	470		454
Marketing	186		193
Network and processing	132		110
Professional fees	75		88
Depreciation and amortization	107		92
General and administrative	108		106
Litigation provision (Note 11)	'		3
Total operating expenses	1,078		1,046
Operating income	2,077		1,800
Non-operating income	6		1
Income before income taxes	2,083		1,801
Income tax provision	676		508
Net income	$1,407		$1,293
Class A common stock	'		'
Earnings Per Share	'		'
Basic earnings per share (Note 8)	$2.21	[1]	$1.94	[1]
Basic weighted-average shares outstanding (Note 8)	505	[1]	531	[1]
Diluted earnings per share (Note 8)	$2.20	[1]	$1.93	[1]
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding (Note 8)	639	[1],[2]	669	[1],[2]
Class B common stock	'		'
Earnings Per Share	'		'
Basic earnings per share (Note 8)	$0.93	[1]	$0.82	[1]
Basic weighted-average shares outstanding (Note 8)	245	[1]	245	[1]
Diluted earnings per share (Note 8)	$0.93	[1]	$0.81	[1]
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding (Note 8)	245	[1]	245	[1]
Class C common stock	'		'
Earnings Per Share	'		'
Basic earnings per share (Note 8)	$2.21	[1]	$1.94	[1]
Basic weighted-average shares outstanding (Note 8)	27	[1]	30	[1]
Diluted earnings per share (Note 8)	$2.20	[1]	$1.93	[1]
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding (Note 8)	27	[1]	30	[1]
[1]	Figures in the table may not recalculate exactly due to rounding. Earnings per share is calculated based on whole numbers, not the rounded numbers presented.
[2]	Weighted-average diluted shares outstanding are calculated on an as-converted basis, and include incremental common stock equivalents, as calculated under the treasury stock method. The computation includes 2 million of common stock equivalents for the three months ended December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, because their effect would be dilutive. The calculation excludes less than 1 million of common stock equivalents for the three months ended DecemberB 31, 2013 and DecemberB 31, 2012 because their effect would have been anti-dilutive.

CONSOLIDATED_STATEMENTS_OF_COM

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Net income	$1,407	$1,293
Investment securities, available-for-sale:	'	'
Net unrealized gain	17	48
Income tax effect	-6	-17
Defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans:	'	'
Net unrealized actuarial gain and prior service credit	1	'
Amortization of actuarial (gain) loss and prior service credit realized in net income	-2	3
Income tax effect	1	-1
Derivative instruments classified as cash flow hedges:	'	'
Net unrealized gain	24	9
Income tax effect	-4	'
Reclassification adjustment for net gain realized in net income	-11	-11
Income tax effect	2	3
Other comprehensive income, net of tax	22	34
Comprehensive income	$1,429	$1,327

CONSOLIDATED_STATEMENTS_OF_CHA

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY (USD $)		Total		Class A common stock	Class B common stock	Class C common stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Income	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
In Millions, unless otherwise specified		USD ($)					USD ($)	USD ($)	USD ($)
Beginning Balance at Sep. 30, 2013		$26,870		'	'	'	$18,875	$7,974	$21
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2013		'		508	245	27	'	'	'
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]		'		'	'	'	'	'	'
Net income		1,407	[1],[2]	'	'	'	'	1,407	'
Other comprehensive income, net of tax		22		'	'	'	'	'	22
Comprehensive income		1,429		'	'	'	'	'	'
Issuance of restricted stock awards (in shares)	[3]	'		0	'	'	'	'	'
Conversion of class C common stock upon sale into public market (in shares)		'		-1	'	-1	'	'	'
Share-based compensation		45		'	'	'	45	'	'
Excess tax benefit for share-based compensation		54		'	'	'	54	'	'
Cash proceeds from exercise of stock options (in shares)		'		1	'	'	'	'	'
Cash proceeds from exercise of stock options		38		'	'	'	38	'	'
Restricted stock instruments settled in cash for taxes shares (in shares)	[4]	'		0	'	'	'	'	'
Restricted stock and performance shares settled in cash for taxes(2)	[4]	-77		'	'	'	-77	'	'
Cash dividends declared and paid, at a quarterly amount of $0.40 per as-converted share (Note 7)		-254		'	'	'	'	-254	'
Repurchase of class A common stock (Note 7) (in shares)		-5	[5]	-5	'	'	'	'	'
Repurchase of class A common stock (Note 7)		-1,091		'	'	'	-233	-858	'
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013		$27,014		'	'	'	$18,702	$8,269	$43
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013		'		505	245	26	'	'	'
[1]	Net income is allocated based on proportional ownership on an as-converted basis. The weighted-average number of shares of as-converted class B common stock used in the income allocation was 103 million for the three months ended December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012.
[2]	Figures in the table may not recalculate exactly due to rounding. Earnings per share is calculated based on whole numbers, not the rounded numbers presented.
[3]	Increase in class A common stock is less than 1 million shares.
[4]	Decrease in class A common stock is less than 1 million shares.
[5]	All shares repurchased in the open market have been retired and constitute authorized but unissued shares.

CONSOLIDATED_STATEMENTS_OF_CHA1

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY (Parenthetical) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013
	Class A common stock
	Maximum
Restricted stock instruments settled in cash for taxes shares (in shares)	1

CONSOLIDATED_STATEMENTS_OF_CAS

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Operating Activities	'	'
Net income	$1,407	$1,293
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:	'	'
Amortization of client incentives	599	553
Share-based compensation	45	48
Excess tax benefit for share-based compensation	-54	-50
Depreciation and amortization of property, equipment, technology and intangible assets	107	92
Deferred income taxes	19	1,622
Other	5	12
Change in operating assets and liabilities:	'	'
Income tax receivable	122	-1,162
Settlement receivable	-89	-405
Accounts receivable	-79	-78
Client incentives	-616	-453
Other assets	-199	-228
Accounts payable	-80	1
Settlement payable	21	353
Accrued and other liabilities	334	-38
Accrued litigation (Note 11)	-1	-4,384
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	1,541	-2,824
Investing Activities	'	'
Purchases of property, equipment, technology and intangible assets	-120	-100
Investment securities, available-for-sale:	'	'
Purchases	-754	-1,184
Proceeds from sales and maturities	600	418
Payments to Acquire Other Investments	-2	'
Proceeds from Sale and Maturity of Other Investments	'	1
Net cash used in investing activities	-276	-865
Financing Activities	'	'
Repurchase of class A common stock (Note 7)	-1,091	-1,253
Dividends paid (Note 7)	-254	-220
Payments from litigation escrow accountbretrospective responsibility plan (Note 11)	'	4,383
Cash proceeds from exercise of stock options	38	70
Restricted stock and performance shares settled in cash for taxes	-77	-64
Excess tax benefit for share-based compensation	54	50
Payment for earn-out related to PlaySpan acquisition	'	-12
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	'	-5
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	-1,330	2,949
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	-65	-740
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	2,186	2,074
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	2,121	1,334
Supplemental Disclosure	'	'
Income taxes paid, net of refunds	96	45
Non-cash accruals related to purchases of property, equipment, technology and intangible assets	$20	$33

Summary_of_Significant_Account

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]	'
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	'
	Note 1—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
	Organization. Visa Inc. (“Visa” or the “Company”) is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments in more than 200 countries and territories to fast, secure and reliable electronic payments. Visa and its wholly-owned consolidated subsidiaries, including Visa U.S.A. Inc. (“Visa U.S.A.”), Visa International Service Association (“Visa International”), Visa Worldwide Pte. Limited, Visa Canada Corporation, Inovant LLC and CyberSource Corporation (“CyberSource”), operate one of the world’s most advanced processing networks — VisaNet — which facilitates authorization, clearing and settlement of payment transactions worldwide. VisaNet also offers fraud protection for account holders and assured payment for merchants. Visa is not a bank and does not issue cards, extend credit or set rates and fees for account holders on Visa-branded cards and payment products. In most cases, account holder and merchant relationships belong to, and are managed by, Visa's financial institution clients. Visa provides a wide variety of payment solutions that support payment products that issuers can offer to their account holders: pay now with debit, pay ahead with prepaid or pay later with credit products. These services facilitate transactions on Visa's network among account holders, merchants, financial institutions and governments in mature and emerging markets globally.
	Consolidation and basis of presentation. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Visa and its consolidated entities and are presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The Company consolidates its majority-owned and controlled entities, including variable interest entities ("VIEs") for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. The Company’s investments in VIEs have not been material to its consolidated financial statements as of and for the periods presented. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation.
	The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements are presented in accordance with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") requirements for Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and, consequently, do not include all of the annual disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. Reference should be made to the Visa Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2013 for additional disclosures, including a summary of the Company’s significant accounting policies.
	In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include all normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the Company's financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods presented.
	Recently Issued and Adopted Accounting Pronouncements.
	In January 2013, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2013-01, which clarifies the scope of ASU 2011-11. As amended, ASU 2011-11 requires disclosure of the effect or potential effect of offsetting arrangements on a Company's financial position as well as enhanced disclosure of the rights of offset associated with a Company's recognized derivative instruments, including bifurcated embedded derivatives, repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements, and securities borrowing and lending transactions. The amended standard impacts presentation only. The Company adopted the standard effective October 1, 2013. The adoption did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.
	In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-02, which established the effective date for the requirement to report the effect of significant reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income on the respective line items in net income. The standard impacts presentation only and does not impact the underlying components of other comprehensive income or net income. The Company adopted the standard effective October 1, 2013. Beginning with fiscal 2014, the components related to pension and postretirement benefit plans are presented on the consolidated statements of comprehensive income. All prior period information has been reclassified to conform to current period presentation. The adoption did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.
	In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-04, which provides guidance for the recognition, measurement and disclosure of obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligation is fixed at the reporting date. The Company will adopt the standard effective October 1, 2014. The adoption is not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.
	In March 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-05, which clarifies the applicable guidance for the release of the cumulative translation adjustment into net income when a parent either sells a part or all of its investment in a foreign entity, or no longer holds a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary or group of assets that is a nonprofit activity or a business within a foreign entity. The Company will adopt the standard effective October 1, 2014. The adoption is not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.
	In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-11, which provides guidance for the financial statement presentation of an unrecognized tax benefit when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists. The Company will adopt the standard effective October 1, 2014. The adoption is not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

Retrospective_Responsibility_P

Retrospective Responsibility Plan	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Retrospective Responsibility Plan [Abstract]	'
Retrospective Responsibility Plan	'
	Note 2—Retrospective Responsibility Plan
	Under the terms of the retrospective responsibility plan, the Company maintains an escrow account from which settlements of, or judgments in, the covered litigation are paid. At December 31, 2013 and September 30, 2013, the balance of the escrow account was $49 million.
	On January 14, 2014, the court entered the final judgment order approving the settlement with the class plaintiffs in the interchange multidistrict litigation proceedings, which is subject to the adjudication of any appeals. Takedown payments of approximately $1.1 billion related to the opt-out merchants were received on January 27, 2014, and were deposited into the litigation escrow account. The deposit into the litigation escrow account, and a related increase in accrued litigation to address opt-out claims will be recorded in the second quarter of fiscal 2014. See Note 11—Legal Matters.
	The accrual related to the covered litigation could be either higher or lower than the litigation escrow account balance. The Company did not record an additional accrual for the covered litigation during the three months ended December 31, 2013.

Fair_Value_Measurements_and_In

Fair Value Measurements and Investments	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]	'
Fair Value Measurements and Investments	'
	Note 3—Fair Value Measurements and Investments
	Fair Value Measurements
	Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis
		Fair Value Measurements
		Using Inputs Considered as
		Level 1				Level 2				Level 3
		December 31,		September 30,		December 31,		September 30,		December 31,		September 30,
		2013		2013		2013		2013		2013		2013
		(in millions)
	Assets
	Cash equivalents and restricted cash:
	Money market funds	$	998	$	1,071
	Commercial paper					$	44	$	51
	Investment securities, trading:
	Equity securities	89		75
	Investment securities, available-for-sale:
	U.S. government-sponsored debt securities					2,743		2,704
	U.S. Treasury securities	1,670		1,673
	Equity securities	122		101
	Corporate debt securities					378		269
	Auction rate securities									$	7	$	7
	Prepaid and other current assets:
	Foreign exchange derivative instruments					34		23
	Total	$	2,879	$	2,920	$	3,199	$	3,047	$	7	$	7
	Liabilities
	Accrued liabilities:
	Visa Europe put option									$	145	$	145
	Foreign exchange derivative instruments					$	13	$	15
	Total	$	—	$	—	$	13	$	15	$	145	$	145
	There were no significant transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 assets during the three months ended December 31, 2013 and 2012.
	Level 1 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis. Money market funds, publicly-traded equity securities and U.S. Treasury securities are classified as Level 1 within the fair value hierarchy, as fair value is based on quoted prices in active markets.
	Level 2 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis. The fair value of U.S. government-sponsored debt securities and corporate debt securities, as provided by third-party pricing vendors, is based on quoted prices in active markets for similar, not identical, assets. The pricing data obtained from outside sources is reviewed internally for reasonableness, compared against benchmark quotes from independent pricing sources, then confirmed or revised accordingly. Commercial paper and foreign exchange derivative instruments are valued using inputs that are observable in the market or can be derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data. There were no substantive changes to the valuation techniques and related inputs used to measure fair value during the three months ended December 31, 2013.
	Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis. Auction rate securities are classified as Level 3 due to a lack of trading in active markets and a lack of observable inputs in measuring fair value. There were no substantive changes to the valuation techniques and related inputs used to measure fair value during the three months ended December 31, 2013.
	Visa Europe put option agreement. The Company has granted Visa Europe a perpetual put option, or the put option, which, if exercised, will require Visa Inc. to purchase all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of Visa Europe from its members. The put option provides a formula for determining the purchase price of the Visa Europe shares, which, subject to certain adjustments, applies Visa Inc.’s forward price-to-earnings multiple (as defined in the put option agreement), or the P/E ratio, at the time the option is exercised, to Visa Europe’s adjusted net income for the forward 12-month period (as defined in the put option agreement), or the adjusted sustainable income. The calculation of Visa Europe’s adjusted sustainable income under the terms of the put option agreement includes potentially material adjustments for cost synergies and other negotiated items. Upon exercise, the key inputs to this formula, including Visa Europe’s adjusted sustainable income, will be the result of negotiation between the Company and Visa Europe. The put option provides an arbitration mechanism in the event that the two parties are unable to agree on the ultimate purchase price.
	The fair value of the put option represents the value of Visa Europe’s option, which under certain conditions could obligate the Company to purchase its member equity interest for an amount above fair value. While the put option is in fact non-transferable, its fair value represents the Company’s estimate of the amount the Company would be required to pay a third-party market participant to transfer the potential obligation in an orderly transaction at the measurement date. The valuation of the put option therefore requires substantial judgment. The most subjective estimates applied in valuing the put option are the assumed probability that Visa Europe will elect to exercise its option and the estimated differential between the P/E ratio and the P/E ratio applicable to Visa Europe on a standalone basis at the time of exercise, or the P/E differential. The liability is classified within Level 3, as the assumed probability that Visa Europe will elect to exercise its option, the estimated P/E differential, and other inputs used to value the put option are unobservable.
	At December 31, 2013 and September 30, 2013, the Company determined the fair value of the put option to be $145 million. While $145 million represents the fair value of the put option at December 31, 2013, it does not represent the actual purchase price that the Company may be required to pay if the option is exercised, which could be several billion dollars or more. During the three months ended December 31, 2013, there were no changes to the valuation methodology used to estimate the fair value of the put option. At December 31, 2013, the key unobservable inputs included a 40% probability of exercise by Visa Europe at some point in the future and an estimated P/E differential of 1.9x. At December 31, 2013, the Company's spot P/E was 21.5x, and there was a differential of (1.3x) between this ratio and the estimated spot ratio applicable to Visa Europe. These ratios are for reference only and are not necessarily indicative of the ratio or differential that could be applicable if the put option were exercised at any point in the future. The use of an assumed probability of exercise that is 5% higher than the Company's estimate would have resulted in an increase of approximately $18 million in the value of the put option. An increase of 1.0x in the assumed P/E differential would have resulted in an increase of approximately $84 million in the value of the put option.
	The put option is exercisable at any time at the sole discretion of Visa Europe. As such, the put option liability is included in accrued liabilities on the Company's consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2013. Classification in current liabilities is not an indication of management’s expectation of exercise and simply reflects the fact that the obligation resulting from the exercise of the instrument could become payable within 12 months. Any non-cash changes in fair value are recorded in non-operating income on the consolidated statements of operations.
	A separate roll-forward of Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis is not presented as the primary activities during the three months ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 are already discussed above.
	Assets Measured at Fair Value on a Non-recurring Basis.
	Non-marketable equity investments and investments accounted for under the equity method. These investments are classified as Level 3 due to the absence of quoted market prices, the inherent lack of liquidity, and the fact that inputs used to measure fair value are unobservable and require management's judgment. When certain events or circumstances indicate that impairment may exist, the Company revalues the investments using various assumptions, including the financial metrics and ratios of comparable public companies. There were no
	events or circumstances that indicated these investments became impaired during the three months ended
	December 31, 2013 or 2012. At December 31, 2013, and September 30, 2013, these investments totaled $32 million and $30 million, respectively. These assets are classified in other assets on the consolidated balance sheets.
	Non-financial assets and liabilities. Long-lived assets such as goodwill, indefinite-lived intangible assets, finite-lived intangible assets, and property, equipment and technology are considered non-financial assets. The Company does not have any non-financial liabilities measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis. Finite-lived intangible assets primarily consist of customer relationships, tradenames and reseller relationships, all of which were obtained through acquisitions.
	If the Company were required to perform a quantitative assessment for impairment testing of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets, the fair values would generally be estimated using an income approach. As the assumptions employed to measure these assets on a non-recurring basis are based on management's judgment using internal and external data, these fair value determinations are classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy. There were no events or circumstances that indicated these assets became impaired during the three months ended December 31, 2013 or 2012.
	Other Financial Instruments Not Measured at Fair Value
	The following financial instruments are not measured at fair value on the Company's consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2013, but require disclosure of their fair values: time deposits recorded in prepaid expenses and other current assets, settlement receivable and payable, and customer collateral. The estimated fair value of such instruments at December 31, 2013, approximates their carrying value due to their generally short maturities. If measured at fair value in the financial statements, these financial instruments would be classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.
	Investments
	Available-for-sale investment securities
	The Company had $110 million in gross unrealized gains and $1 million in gross unrealized losses at December 31, 2013. There were $93 million gross unrealized gains and $1 million gross unrealized losses at September 30, 2013. The gross unrealized gains at December 31, 2013 and September 30, 2013 primarily relate to the Company's available-for-sale equity securities. A majority of the Company's available-for-sale investment securities with stated maturities are due within one to three years.

Pension_and_Other_Postretireme

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits	'
	Note 4—Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits
	The Company sponsors various qualified and non-qualified defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit plans that provide for retirement and medical benefits for substantially all employees residing in the United States.
	The components of net periodic benefit cost are as follows:
		Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
		Three Months Ended						Three Months Ended
		December 31,						December 31,
		2013			2012			2013			2012
		(in millions)
	Service cost	$	11		$	10		$	—		$	—
	Interest cost	10			9			—			—
	Expected return on assets	(17		)	(16		)	—			—
	Amortization of:
	Prior service credit	(2		)	(2		)	(1		)	(1		)
	Actuarial loss	—			7			—			—
	Settlement loss	1			—			—			—
	Total net periodic benefit cost	$	3		$	8		$	(1	)	$	(1	)

Settlement_Guarantee_Managemen

Settlement Guarantee Management	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Settlement Guarantee Management [Abstract]	'
Settlement Guarantee Management	'
	Note 5—Settlement Guarantee Management
	The indemnification for settlement losses that Visa provides to its financial institution clients creates settlement risk for the Company due to the difference in timing between the date of a payment transaction and the date of subsequent settlement. The exposure to settlement losses through Visa's settlement indemnification is accounted for as a settlement risk guarantee. The Company’s settlement exposure is limited to the amount of unsettled Visa payment transactions at any point in time. The Company requires certain financial institution clients that do not meet its credit standards to post collateral to offset potential loss from their estimated unsettled transactions. The Company’s estimated maximum settlement exposure was $53.2 billion at December 31, 2013, compared to $53.8 billion at September 30, 2013. Of these settlement exposure amounts, $3.0 billion at December 31, 2013 and September 30, 2013, was covered by collateral.
	The Company maintained collateral as follows:
		December 31,		September 30,
		2013		2013
		(in millions)
	Cash equivalents	$	886	$	866
	Pledged securities at market value	233		256
	Letters of credit	1,210		1,191
	Guarantees	1,416		1,411
	Total	$	3,745	$	3,724
	The total available collateral balances presented in the table above were greater than the settlement exposure covered by customer collateral held due to instances in which the available collateral exceeded the total settlement exposure for certain financial institutions at each date presented.
	The fair value of the settlement risk guarantee is estimated based on a proprietary probability-weighted model and was approximately $2 million at December 31, 2013 and $1 million at September 30, 2013. These amounts are reflected in accrued liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets.

Accrued_and_Other_Liabilities

Accrued and Other Liabilities	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Accrued and Other Liabilities [Abstract]	'
Accrued and Other Liabilities	'
	Note 6—Accrued and Other Liabilities
	Accrued liabilities consisted of the following:
		December 31,		September 30,
		2013		2013
		(in millions)
	Accrued operating expenses	$	153	$	182
	Visa Europe put option—(See Note 3—Fair Value Measurements and Investments)(1)	145		145
	Deferred revenue	72		60
	Accrued marketing and product expenses	22		27
	Accrued income taxes(2)	412		64
	Other	143		135
	Total	$	947	$	613
	Other non-current liabilities consisted of the following:
		December 31,		September 30,
		2013		2013
		(in millions)
	Accrued income taxes(3)	$	539	$	453
	Employee benefits	86		86
	Other	64		63
	Total	$	689	$	602
	-1	The put option is exercisable at any time at the sole discretion of Visa Europe with payment required 285 days thereafter. Classification in current liabilities is not an indication of management’s expectation of exercise and simply reflects the fact that the obligation resulting from the exercise of the instrument could become payable within 12 months.
	(2)	The increase in current accrued income taxes is primarily related to current income taxes accrued in the first quarter of fiscal 2014, but payable in the second quarter of fiscal 2014.
	(3)	The increase in non-current accrued income taxes is due to an increase in liabilities for uncertain tax positions.

Stockholders_Equity

Stockholders' Equity	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]	'
Stockholders' Equity	'
	Note 7—Stockholders' Equity
	The number of shares of each class and the number of shares of class A common stock on an as-converted basis at December 31, 2013, are as follows:
	(in millions, except conversion rate)	Shares Outstanding			Conversion Rate	As-converted Class A Common
					Into Class A	Stock(1)
					Common Stock
	Class A common stock	505			—	505
	Class B common stock	245			0.4206	103
	Class C common stock	26			1	26
	Total					634
	(1)	Figures in the table may not recalculate exactly due to rounding. As-converted class A common stock is calculated based on whole numbers, not the rounded numbers presented.
	Reduction in as-converted class A common stock. The following table presents share repurchases in the open market.
	(in millions, except per share data)		Three Months Ended December 31, 2013
	Shares repurchased in the open market (1)		5
	Weighted-average repurchase price per share		$	199.56
	Total cost		$	1,091
	(1)	All shares repurchased in the open market have been retired and constitute authorized but unissued shares.
	In October 2013, the Company’s board of directors authorized a new $5.0 billion share repurchase program. As of December 31, 2013, the program had remaining authorized funds of $4.2 billion. All share repurchase programs authorized prior to October 2013 have been completed.
	Dividends. In January 2014, the Company’s board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.40 per share of class A common stock (determined in the case of class B and class C common stock on an as-converted basis), which will be paid on March 4, 2014, to all holders of record of the Company's class A, B and C common stock as of February 14, 2014. The Company declared and paid $254 million in dividends during the three months ended December 31, 2013.

Earnings_Per_Share

Earnings Per Share	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]	'
Earnings Per Share	'
	Note 8—Earnings Per Share
	The following table presents earnings per share for the three months ended December 31, 2013.(1)
		Basic Earnings Per Share					Diluted Earnings Per Share
		(in millions, except per share data)
		Income		Weighted-	Earnings per		Income		Weighted-		Earnings per
		Allocation		Average	Share =font>		Allocation		Average		Share =font>
		(A)(2)		Shares	(A)/(B)		(A)(2)		Shares		(A)/(B)
				Outstanding (B)					Outstanding (B)
	Class A common stock	$	1,115	505	$	2.21	$	1,407	639	(3)	$	2.2
	Class B common stock	228		245	$	0.93	$	228	245		$	0.93
	Class C common stock	59		27	$	2.21	$	59	27		$	2.2
	Participating securities(4)	5		Not presented	Not presented		$	5	Not presented		Not presented
	Net income	$	1,407
	The following table presents earnings per share for the three months ended December 31, 2012.(1)
		Basic Earnings Per Share					Diluted Earnings Per Share
		(in millions, except per share data)
		Income		Weighted-	Earnings per		Income		Weighted-		Earnings per
		Allocation		Average	Share =font>		Allocation		Average		Share =font>
		(A)(2)		Shares	(A)/(B)		(A)(2)		Shares		(A)/(B)
				Outstanding (B)					Outstanding (B)
	Class A common stock	$	1,031	531	$	1.94	$	1,293	669	(3)	$	1.93
	Class B common stock	200		245	$	0.82	$	200	245		$	0.81
	Class C common stock	57		30	$	1.94	$	57	30		$	1.93
	Participating securities(4)	5		Not presented	Not presented		$	5	Not presented		Not presented
	Net income	$	1,293
	(1)	Figures in the table may not recalculate exactly due to rounding. Earnings per share is calculated based on whole numbers, not the rounded numbers presented.
	(2)	Net income is allocated based on proportional ownership on an as-converted basis. The weighted-average number of shares of as-converted class B common stock used in the income allocation was 103 million for the three months ended December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012.
	(3)	Weighted-average diluted shares outstanding are calculated on an as-converted basis, and include incremental common stock equivalents, as calculated under the treasury stock method. The computation includes 2 million of common stock equivalents for the three months ended December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, because their effect would be dilutive. The calculation excludes less than 1 million of common stock equivalents for the three months ended December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 because their effect would have been anti-dilutive.
	(4)	Participating securities are unvested share-based payment awards that contain non-forfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents, such as the Company's restricted stock awards, restricted stock units and earned performance-based shares.

Sharebased_Compensation

Share-based Compensation	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]	'
Share-based Compensation	'
	Note 9—Share-based Compensation
	The Company granted the following equity awards to employees and non-employee directors under the 2007 Equity Incentive Compensation Plan during the three months ended December 31, 2013:
		Granted	Weighted-Average		Weighted-Average
			Grant Date Fair		Exercise Price
			Value
	Non-qualified stock options	315,226	$	43.41	$	197.39
	Restricted stock awards ("RSAs")	494,621	$	197.39
	Restricted stock units ("RSUs")	221,103	$	197.39
	Performance-based shares(1)	278,451	$	225.46
	(1)	Represents the maximum number of performance-based shares which could be earned.
	The Company’s non-qualified stock options, RSAs and RSUs are equity awards with service-only conditions and are accordingly expensed on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. The Company's performance-based shares are equity awards with service, market and performance conditions that are accounted for using the graded-vesting method. Compensation cost is recorded net of estimated forfeitures, which are adjusted as appropriate.

Income_Taxes

Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Income Taxes	'
	Note 10—Income Taxes
	The effective income tax rates were 32% and 28% for the three months ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The effective tax rate for the three months ended December 31, 2013 differs from the effective tax rate in the same period in the previous fiscal year mainly due to the absence of a $76 million tax benefit recognized in the first quarter of fiscal 2013, as a result of new guidance issued by the state of California regarding apportionment rules for years prior to fiscal 2012.
	During the three months ended December 31, 2013, the Company's gross unrecognized tax benefits increased by $47 million, $45 million of which would favorably impact our effective income tax rate if recognized. The increase in gross unrecognized tax benefits is primarily due to potential audit exposure related to various tax positions across several jurisdictions. During the three months ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, the Company accrued $2 million of interest and no penalties related to uncertain tax positions.

Legal_Matters

Legal Matters	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Legal Matters [Abstract]	'
Legal Matters	'
	Note 11—Legal Matters
	The Company is party to various legal and regulatory proceedings. Some of these proceedings involve complex claims that are subject to substantial uncertainties and unascertainable damages. Accordingly, except as disclosed, the Company has not established reserves or ranges of possible loss related to these proceedings, as at this time in the proceedings, the matters do not relate to a probable loss and/or the amount or range of losses are not reasonably estimable. Although the Company believes that it has strong defenses for the litigation and regulatory proceedings described below, it could, in the future, incur judgments or fines or enter into settlements of claims that could have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows. From time to time, the Company may engage in settlement discussions or mediations with respect to one or more of its outstanding litigation matters, either on its own behalf or collectively with other parties.
	The litigation accrual is an estimate and is based on management’s understanding of its litigation profile, the specifics of each case, advice of counsel to the extent appropriate and management’s best estimate of incurred loss as of the balance sheet date.
	The following table summarizes activity related to accrued litigation.
		2013			2012
		(in millions)
	Balance at October 1	$	5		$	4,386
	Provision for unsettled matters	—			3
	Payment on unsettled matters(1)	—			(4,033		)
	Payment on settled matters	(1		)	(351		)
	Balance at December 31	$	4		$	5
	(1)	In fiscal 2013, the Company paid approximately $4.0 billion from the litigation escrow account into a settlement fund established pursuant to the definitive class settlement agreement in the interchange multidistrict litigation. Under the settlement agreement, if class members opt-out (“opt-out merchants”) of the damages portion of the class settlement, the defendants are entitled to receive payments of no more than 25% of the original cash payments made into the settlement fund, based on the percentage of payment card sales volume for a defined period attributable to merchants who opted out (the "takedown payments"). On January 14, 2014, the court entered the final judgment order approving the settlement with the class plaintiffs in the interchange multidistrict litigation proceedings, which is subject to the adjudication of any appeals. Takedown payments of approximately $1.1 billion were received on January 27, 2014, and deposited into the Company’s litigation escrow account. The deposit into the litigation escrow account, and a related increase in accrued litigation to address opt-out claims will be recorded in the second quarter of fiscal 2014. See further discussion below.
	Covered Litigation
	Visa Inc., Visa U.S.A. and Visa International are parties to certain legal proceedings that are covered by the retrospective responsibility plan, which the Company refers to as the covered litigation. See Note 2—Retrospective Responsibility Plan. An accrual for the covered litigation and a charge to the litigation provision are recorded when loss is deemed to be probable and reasonably estimable. In making this determination, the Company evaluates available information, including but not limited to, actions taken by the litigation committee.
	Interchange Multidistrict Litigation (MDL)
	On December 13, 2013, the district court issued a memorandum and order approving the Settlement Agreement with the class plaintiffs. On January 14, 2014, the court entered the final judgment order approving the settlement. A number of objectors to the settlement have appealed from that order. Until the appeals are finally adjudicated, no assurance can be provided that the Company will be able to resolve the class plaintiffs' claims as contemplated by the Settlement Agreement. On January 27, 2014, Visa's portion of the takedown payments related to the opt-out merchants, which was calculated to be approximately $1.1 billion, was deposited into the litigation escrow account.
	Interchange Opt-out Litigation
	Beginning in May 2013, more than 25 opt-out cases have been filed by hundreds of merchants in various federal district courts, generally pursuing damages claims on allegations similar to those raised in MDL 1720. A similar case has been filed by a merchant in Texas state court. A number of the cases also include allegations that Visa has monopolized, attempted to monopolize, and/or conspired to monopolize debit card-related market segments, and one of the cases seeks an injunction against the fixed acquirer network fee. The cases name as defendants Visa Inc., Visa U.S.A., Visa International, MasterCard Incorporated, and MasterCard International Incorporated, although some also include certain U.S. financial institutions as defendants. All of the cases originally filed in federal court either were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and have been assigned to the judge presiding over MDL 1720, or have been transferred by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation for inclusion in MDL 1720. Visa removed the Texas state court case to federal court and sought to transfer it to MDL 1720, but the federal court remanded the case to Texas state court before the case could be transferred to MDL 1720. Cases that are transferred to or otherwise included in MDL 1720 will be covered litigation for purposes of the retrospective responsibility plan. See Note 2—Retrospective Responsibility Plan.
	On January 14, 2014, Visa filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York against The Home Depot, Inc. and Home Depot U.S.A., Inc. seeking a declaration that, from January 1, 2004 to November 27, 2012, the time period for which opt-outs may seek damages under the MDL class settlement, Visa's conduct in, among other things, continuing to set default interchange rates, maintaining its "honor all cards" rule, enforcing certain rules relating to merchants, and restructuring itself, did not violate federal or state antitrust laws. The case has been assigned to the same district court judge presiding over MDL 1720.
	Consumer Interchange Litigation
	On December 16, 2013, a putative class action was filed in federal district court in California against certain financial institutions alleging that they conspired to fix interchange fees and imposed other alleged restraints on competition. The complaint was filed on behalf of four named plaintiffs and an alleged class of all Visa and MasterCard payment cardholders in the United States since January 1, 2000. Although no Visa entity is named as a defendant, the complaint identifies Visa U.S.A., MasterCard, and certain non-defendant financial institutions as co-conspirators, and plaintiffs assert that they may seek leave to amend the complaint to add the co-conspirators as defendants. Plaintiffs seek injunctive relief, attorneys’ fees, and treble damages allegedly to compensate the purported class for more than $54.0 billion dollars in purported overcharges imposed on them each year by defendants and their alleged co-conspirators. Defendants sought to transfer the case to MDL 1720, but the Clerk of the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation declined to transfer the case to MDL 1720.
	Other Litigation
	Vale Canjeable
	On December 9, 2013, the Constitutional Chamber reversed the Commercial Chamber’s judgment and issued a final decision. The Constitutional Chamber ruled that the “Vale” mark is distinctive and Visa’s mark, “Visa Vale” infringed the plaintiff’s mark, but the plaintiff suffered no damages as a result of the infringement. The ruling permits the plaintiff to seek its costs from the defendants in relation to certain appeals filed by the defendants.
	European Competition Proceedings
	U.K. Merchant Litigation. Since November 2013, Visa Inc., Visa International, and Visa Europe have been put on notice of additional claims on behalf of approximately 12 merchants. Some merchants have filed claims while some merchants have not yet filed; instead, those merchants have entered into standstill agreements with Visa Europe, Visa Inc., and Visa International related to the claims. In general, the claims relate to interchange rates in Europe, and seek damages for alleged anti-competitive conduct relating to U.K. domestic, Irish domestic, and intra-European Economic Area (EEA) interchange fees for credit and debit cards. The amount of interchange being challenged could be substantial; among the remedies sought in one filed claim is a demand for compensatory damages estimated by the plaintiffs at approximately $145 million. However, the full scope of the claims is not yet known because some claims remain unfiled.
	Visa Europe is obligated to indemnify Visa Inc. and Visa International in connection with the European Competition Proceedings, in our opinion, including payment of any fines that may be imposed. However, Visa Europe has expressed an "initial" view that it is not obligated to indemnify Visa Inc. or Visa International for any claim in the European Competition Proceedings, including claims asserted in both the European Commission matter and the U.K. Merchant Litigation. Visa Inc. continues to firmly believe that Visa Europe is obligated to indemnify for all such claims, and has been in discussions with Visa Europe to resolve this issue. While the parties are not currently in non-binding arbitration, both parties have initiated the executive engagement aspect of the dispute resolution procedure contemplated by the Framework Agreement to resolve their dispute regarding this indemnification issue.
	U.S. ATM Access Fee Litigation
	On December 19, 2013, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia denied plaintiffs’ motions for leave to file amended complaints in the National ATM Council class action and the consumer class actions, and denied plaintiffs’ motions for an order altering or amending the court's February 13, 2013 judgment. On January 10, 2014, plaintiffs in the National ATM Council class action and the consumer class actions filed notices of appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Subsequent_Events

Subsequent Events	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Subsequent Events [Abstract]	'
Subsequent Events	'
	Note 12—Subsequent Events
	Interchange Multidistrict Litigation. On January 14, 2014, the court entered the final judgment order approving the settlement with the class plaintiffs in the interchange multidistrict litigation proceedings, which is subject to the adjudication of any appeals. Takedown payments of approximately $1.1 billion related to the opt-out merchants were received on January 27, 2014, and deposited into the Company’s litigation escrow account. The deposit into the litigation escrow account, and a related increase in accrued litigation to address opt-out claims will be recorded in the second quarter of fiscal 2014. See Note 11—Legal Matters.
	Credit facility renewal. On January 29, 2014, the Company, Visa International Service Association and Visa U.S.A. Inc. (collectively, the "Borrowers") entered into a 364-day, unsecured $3.0 billion revolving credit facility (the “Credit Facility”) with Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent and the lenders party thereto. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., acted as syndication agent in connection with the Credit Facility; Bank of China, Los Angeles Branch, Barclays Bank plc, Citibank, N.A., Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Standard Chartered Bank, The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., U.S. Bank National Association and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, acted as Documentation Agents; and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Bank of China, Los Angeles Branch, Barclays Bank plc, Citibank, N.A., Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Standard Chartered Bank, The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., U.S. Bank National Association and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, acted as joint lead arrangers and joint book runners. The Credit Facility, which expires on January 28, 2015, replaced the Company’s prior $3.0 billion credit facility, which was to expire on January 30, 2014, and which the Borrowers terminated on January 29, 2014.
	The Credit Facility provides the Borrowers with a borrowing capacity of up to $3.0 billion. Borrowings under the Credit Facility are available for general corporate purposes. Interest on the borrowings under the Credit Facility would be charged at the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) or an alternative base rate, in each case plus applicable margins that fluctuate based on the applicable rating of senior unsecured long-term debt securities of the Company. The Borrowers have agreed to pay a commitment fee which will fluctuate based on such applicable rating of the Company.
	Other material terms are:
	•	a financial covenant which requires the Company to maintain a Consolidated Indebtedness to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio (as defined in the Credit Facility) of not greater than 3.75 to 1.00;
	•	customary restrictive covenants, which limit the Borrowers' ability to, among other things, create certain liens, effect fundamental changes to their business, or merge or dispose of substantially all of their assets, subject in each case to customary exceptions and amounts;
	•	customary events of default, upon the occurrence of which, after any applicable grace period, the requisite lenders will have the ability to accelerate all outstanding loans thereunder and terminate the commitments; and
	•	other customary and standard terms and conditions.
	The Borrowers currently have no borrowings under the Credit Facility. The participating lenders in the Credit Facility include certain holders of the Company’s class B and class C common stock, certain of the Borrowers' customers, and their affiliates.

Summary_of_Significant_Account1

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]	'
Organization	'
	Organization. Visa Inc. (“Visa” or the “Company”) is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments in more than 200 countries and territories to fast, secure and reliable electronic payments. Visa and its wholly-owned consolidated subsidiaries, including Visa U.S.A. Inc. (“Visa U.S.A.”), Visa International Service Association (“Visa International”), Visa Worldwide Pte. Limited, Visa Canada Corporation, Inovant LLC and CyberSource Corporation (“CyberSource”), operate one of the world’s most advanced processing networks
Consolidation and basis of presentation	'
	Consolidation and basis of presentation. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Visa and its consolidated entities and are presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The Company consolidates its majority-owned and controlled entities, including variable interest entities ("VIEs") for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. The Company’s investments in VIEs have not been material to its consolidated financial statements as of and for the periods presented. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation.
	The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements are presented in accordance with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") requirements for Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and, consequently, do not include all of the annual disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. Reference should be made to the Visa Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2013 for additional disclosures, including a summary of the Company’s significant accounting policies.
	In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include all normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the Company's financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods presented.
Recently adopted accounting pronouncements	'
	Recently Issued and Adopted Accounting Pronouncements.
	In January 2013, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2013-01, which clarifies the scope of ASU 2011-11. As amended, ASU 2011-11 requires disclosure of the effect or potential effect of offsetting arrangements on a Company's financial position as well as enhanced disclosure of the rights of offset associated with a Company's recognized derivative instruments, including bifurcated embedded derivatives, repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements, and securities borrowing and lending transactions. The amended standard impacts presentation only. The Company adopted the standard effective October 1, 2013. The adoption did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.
	In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-02, which established the effective date for the requirement to report the effect of significant reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income on the respective line items in net income. The standard impacts presentation only and does not impact the underlying components of other comprehensive income or net income. The Company adopted the standard effective October 1, 2013. Beginning with fiscal 2014, the components related to pension and postretirement benefit plans are presented on the consolidated statements of comprehensive income. All prior period information has been reclassified to conform to current period presentation. The adoption did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.
	In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-04, which provides guidance for the recognition, measurement and disclosure of obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligation is fixed at the reporting date. The Company will adopt the standard effective October 1, 2014. The adoption is not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.
	In March 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-05, which clarifies the applicable guidance for the release of the cumulative translation adjustment into net income when a parent either sells a part or all of its investment in a foreign entity, or no longer holds a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary or group of assets that is a nonprofit activity or a business within a foreign entity. The Company will adopt the standard effective October 1, 2014. The adoption is not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.
	In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-11, which provides guidance for the financial statement presentation of an unrecognized tax benefit when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists. The Company will adopt the standard effective October 1, 2014. The adoption is not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

Fair_Value_Measurements_and_In1

Fair Value Measurements and Investments (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]	'
Schedule of Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis	'
	Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis
		Fair Value Measurements
		Using Inputs Considered as
		Level 1				Level 2				Level 3
		December 31,		September 30,		December 31,		September 30,		December 31,		September 30,
		2013		2013		2013		2013		2013		2013
		(in millions)
	Assets
	Cash equivalents and restricted cash:
	Money market funds	$	998	$	1,071
	Commercial paper					$	44	$	51
	Investment securities, trading:
	Equity securities	89		75
	Investment securities, available-for-sale:
	U.S. government-sponsored debt securities					2,743		2,704
	U.S. Treasury securities	1,670		1,673
	Equity securities	122		101
	Corporate debt securities					378		269
	Auction rate securities									$	7	$	7
	Prepaid and other current assets:
	Foreign exchange derivative instruments					34		23
	Total	$	2,879	$	2,920	$	3,199	$	3,047	$	7	$	7
	Liabilities
	Accrued liabilities:
	Visa Europe put option									$	145	$	145
	Foreign exchange derivative instruments					$	13	$	15
	Total	$	—	$	—	$	13	$	15	$	145	$	145

Pension_and_Other_Postretireme1

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Schedule of Defined Benefit Plans Disclosures	'
	The components of net periodic benefit cost are as follows:
		Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
		Three Months Ended						Three Months Ended
		December 31,						December 31,
		2013			2012			2013			2012
		(in millions)
	Service cost	$	11		$	10		$	—		$	—
	Interest cost	10			9			—			—
	Expected return on assets	(17		)	(16		)	—			—
	Amortization of:
	Prior service credit	(2		)	(2		)	(1		)	(1		)
	Actuarial loss	—			7			—			—
	Settlement loss	1			—			—			—
	Total net periodic benefit cost	$	3		$	8		$	(1	)	$	(1	)

Settlement_Guarantee_Managemen1

Settlement Guarantee Management (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Settlement Guarantee Management [Abstract]	'
Schedule of Customer Collateral	'
	The Company maintained collateral as follows:
		December 31,		September 30,
		2013		2013
		(in millions)
	Cash equivalents	$	886	$	866
	Pledged securities at market value	233		256
	Letters of credit	1,210		1,191
	Guarantees	1,416		1,411
	Total	$	3,745	$	3,724

Accrued_and_Other_Liabilities_

Accrued and Other Liabilities (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Accrued and Other Liabilities [Abstract]	'
Accrued Liabilities, Table	'
	Accrued liabilities consisted of the following:
		December 31,		September 30,
		2013		2013
		(in millions)
	Accrued operating expenses	$	153	$	182
	Visa Europe put option—(See Note 3—Fair Value Measurements and Investments)(1)	145		145
	Deferred revenue	72		60
	Accrued marketing and product expenses	22		27
	Accrued income taxes(2)	412		64
	Other	143		135
	Total	$	947	$	613
Other Noncurrent Liabilities, Table	'
	Other non-current liabilities consisted of the following:
		December 31,		September 30,
		2013		2013
		(in millions)
	Accrued income taxes(3)	$	539	$	453
	Employee benefits	86		86
	Other	64		63
	Total	$	689	$	602
	-1	The put option is exercisable at any time at the sole discretion of Visa Europe with payment required 285 days thereafter. Classification in current liabilities is not an indication of management’s expectation of exercise and simply reflects the fact that the obligation resulting from the exercise of the instrument could become payable within 12 months.
	(2)	The increase in current accrued income taxes is primarily related to current income taxes accrued in the first quarter of fiscal 2014, but payable in the second quarter of fiscal 2014.
	(3)	The increase in non-current accrued income taxes is due to an increase in liabilities for uncertain tax positions.

Stockholders_Equity_Tables

Stockholders' Equity (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]	'
Schedule of Stock by Class	'
	The number of shares of each class and the number of shares of class A common stock on an as-converted basis at December 31, 2013, are as follows:
	(in millions, except conversion rate)	Shares Outstanding			Conversion Rate	As-converted Class A Common
					Into Class A	Stock(1)
					Common Stock
	Class A common stock	505			—	505
	Class B common stock	245			0.4206	103
	Class C common stock	26			1	26
	Total					634
	(1)	Figures in the table may not recalculate exactly due to rounding. As-converted class A common stock is calculated based on whole numbers, not the rounded numbers presented.
Share Repurchase Program Disclosure	'
	The following table presents share repurchases in the open market.
	(in millions, except per share data)		Three Months Ended December 31, 2013
	Shares repurchased in the open market (1)		5
	Weighted-average repurchase price per share		$	199.56
	Total cost		$	1,091
	(1)	All shares repurchased in the open market have been retired and constitute authorized but unissued shares.

Earnings_Per_Share_Tables

Earnings Per Share (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]	'
Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted	'
	The following table presents earnings per share for the three months ended December 31, 2013.(1)
		Basic Earnings Per Share					Diluted Earnings Per Share
		(in millions, except per share data)
		Income		Weighted-	Earnings per		Income		Weighted-		Earnings per
		Allocation		Average	Share =font>		Allocation		Average		Share =font>
		(A)(2)		Shares	(A)/(B)		(A)(2)		Shares		(A)/(B)
				Outstanding (B)					Outstanding (B)
	Class A common stock	$	1,115	505	$	2.21	$	1,407	639	(3)	$	2.2
	Class B common stock	228		245	$	0.93	$	228	245		$	0.93
	Class C common stock	59		27	$	2.21	$	59	27		$	2.2
	Participating securities(4)	5		Not presented	Not presented		$	5	Not presented		Not presented
	Net income	$	1,407
	The following table presents earnings per share for the three months ended December 31, 2012.(1)
		Basic Earnings Per Share					Diluted Earnings Per Share
		(in millions, except per share data)
		Income		Weighted-	Earnings per		Income		Weighted-		Earnings per
		Allocation		Average	Share =font>		Allocation		Average		Share =font>
		(A)(2)		Shares	(A)/(B)		(A)(2)		Shares		(A)/(B)
				Outstanding (B)					Outstanding (B)
	Class A common stock	$	1,031	531	$	1.94	$	1,293	669	(3)	$	1.93
	Class B common stock	200		245	$	0.82	$	200	245		$	0.81
	Class C common stock	57		30	$	1.94	$	57	30		$	1.93
	Participating securities(4)	5		Not presented	Not presented		$	5	Not presented		Not presented
	Net income	$	1,293
	(1)	Figures in the table may not recalculate exactly due to rounding. Earnings per share is calculated based on whole numbers, not the rounded numbers presented.
	(2)	Net income is allocated based on proportional ownership on an as-converted basis. The weighted-average number of shares of as-converted class B common stock used in the income allocation was 103 million for the three months ended December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012.
	(3)	Weighted-average diluted shares outstanding are calculated on an as-converted basis, and include incremental common stock equivalents, as calculated under the treasury stock method. The computation includes 2 million of common stock equivalents for the three months ended December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, because their effect would be dilutive. The calculation excludes less than 1 million of common stock equivalents for the three months ended December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 because their effect would have been anti-dilutive.
	(4)	Participating securities are unvested share-based payment awards that contain non-forfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents, such as the Company's restricted stock awards, restricted stock units and earned performance-based shares.

Sharebased_Compensation_Tables

Share-based Compensation (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]	'
Disclosure of Share-based Compensation Arrangements by Share-based Payment Award	'
	The Company granted the following equity awards to employees and non-employee directors under the 2007 Equity Incentive Compensation Plan during the three months ended December 31, 2013:
		Granted	Weighted-Average		Weighted-Average
			Grant Date Fair		Exercise Price
			Value
	Non-qualified stock options	315,226	$	43.41	$	197.39
	Restricted stock awards ("RSAs")	494,621	$	197.39
	Restricted stock units ("RSUs")	221,103	$	197.39
	Performance-based shares(1)	278,451	$	225.46
	(1)	Represents the maximum number of performance-based shares which could be earned.

Legal_Matters_Tables

Legal Matters (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Legal Matters [Abstract]	'
Schedule of Loss Contingencies by Contingency	'
	The following table summarizes activity related to accrued litigation.
		2013			2012
		(in millions)
	Balance at October 1	$	5		$	4,386
	Provision for unsettled matters	—			3
	Payment on unsettled matters(1)	—			(4,033		)
	Payment on settled matters	(1		)	(351		)
	Balance at December 31	$	4		$	5
	(1)	In fiscal 2013, the Company paid approximately $4.0 billion from the litigation escrow account into a settlement fund established pursuant to the definitive class settlement agreement in the interchange multidistrict litigation. Under the settlement agreement, if class members opt-out (“opt-out merchants”) of the damages portion of the class settlement, the defendants are entitled to receive payments of no more than 25% of the original cash payments made into the settlement fund, based on the percentage of payment card sales volume for a defined period attributable to merchants who opted out (the "takedown payments"). On January 14, 2014, the court entered the final judgment order approving the settlement with the class plaintiffs in the interchange multidistrict litigation proceedings, which is subject to the adjudication of any appeals. Takedown payments of approximately $1.1 billion were received on January 27, 2014, and deposited into the Company’s litigation escrow account. The deposit into the litigation escrow account, and a related increase in accrued litigation to address opt-out claims will be recorded in the second quarter of fiscal 2014. See further discussion below.

Retrospective_Responsibility_P1

Retrospective Responsibility Plan Changes in the Escrow Account (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jan. 27, 2014
			Class plaintiffs
			Subsequent Event
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents Items [Line Items]	'	'	'
Escrow account balance	$49,000,000	$49,000,000	'
Adjustment to payments for litigation	'	'	$1,100,000,000

Fair_Value_Measurements_and_In2

Fair Value Measurements and Investments - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013		Sep. 30, 2013
Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items]	'		'
Visa Europe put option	$145	[1]	$145	[1]
Probability of exercise by Visa Europe	40.00%		'
P/E differential at the time of exercise	'1.9x		'
P/E differential at the time of exercise, ratio	190.00%		'
Spot price to earnings	'21.5x		'
Spot price to earnings, ratio	2150.00%		'
Incremental price to earnings differential compared to estimate	'(1.3x)		'
Incremental price to earnings differential compared to estimate, ratio	-130.00%		'
Incremental probability of exercise by Visa Europe	5.00%		'
Increase in put option value due to increase in probability of exercise	18		'
Incremental assumed price to earnings differential at time of exercise	'1.0x		'
Incremental P/E differential at time of exercise, ratio	100.00%		'
Increase in put option value due to increase in price to earnings differential	84		'
Available-for-sale securities, gross unrealized gains	110		93
Available-for-sale securities, gross unrealized losses	1		1
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring	'		'
Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items]	'		'
Visa Europe put option	145		145
Non Marketable Equity Investments	'		'
Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items]	'		'
Non-marketable equity investments	$32		$30
[1]	The put option is exercisable at any time at the sole discretion of Visa Europe with payment required 285 days thereafter. Classification in current liabilities is not an indication of managementbs expectation of exercise and simply reflects the fact that the obligation resulting from the exercise of the instrument could become payable within 12 months.

Assets_and_Liabilities_Measure

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2013		Sep. 30, 2013
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Accrued liabilities	'		'
Visa Europe put option	$145	[1]	$145	[1]
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring	'		'
Accrued liabilities	'		'
Visa Europe put option	145		145
Level 1 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring	'		'
Prepaid and other current assets:	'		'
Fair value, total assets	2,879		2,920
Accrued liabilities	'		'
Fair value, total liabilities	0		0
Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring	'		'
Prepaid and other current assets:	'		'
Fair value, total assets	3,199		3,047
Accrued liabilities	'		'
Fair value, total liabilities	13		15
Level 3 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring	'		'
Prepaid and other current assets:	'		'
Fair value, total assets	7		7
Accrued liabilities	'		'
Fair value, total liabilities	145		145
Visa Europe put option | Level 3 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring	'		'
Accrued liabilities	'		'
Visa Europe put option	145		145
Foreign exchange derivative instruments | Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring	'		'
Accrued liabilities	'		'
Foreign exchange derivative instruments	13		15
Money market funds | Level 1 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring	'		'
Cash equivalents and restricted cash:	'		'
Cash equivalents and restricted cash:	998		1,071
Commercial paper | Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring	'		'
Cash equivalents and restricted cash:	'		'
Cash equivalents and restricted cash:	44		51
Equity securities | Level 1 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring	'		'
Investment securities:	'		'
Trading securities	89		75
Available-for-sale securities	122		101
U.S. government-sponsored debt securities | Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring	'		'
Investment securities:	'		'
Available-for-sale securities	2,743		2,704
U.S. Treasury securities | Level 1 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring	'		'
Investment securities:	'		'
Available-for-sale securities	1,670		1,673
Corporate Debt Securities | Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring	'		'
Investment securities:	'		'
Available-for-sale securities	378		269
Auction rate securities | Level 3 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring	'		'
Investment securities:	'		'
Available-for-sale securities	7		7
Foreign exchange derivative instruments | Level 2 | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring	'		'
Prepaid and other current assets:	'		'
Prepaid and other current assets:	$34		$23
[1]	The put option is exercisable at any time at the sole discretion of Visa Europe with payment required 285 days thereafter. Classification in current liabilities is not an indication of managementbs expectation of exercise and simply reflects the fact that the obligation resulting from the exercise of the instrument could become payable within 12 months.

Components_of_Net_Periodic_Ben

Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Pension Benefits	'	'
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]	'	'
Service cost	$11	$10
Interest cost	10	9
Expected return on assets	-17	-16
Amortization of:	'	'
Prior service credit	-2	-2
Actuarial loss	'	7
Settlement loss	1	'
Total net periodic benefit cost	3	8
Other Postretirement Benefits	'	'
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]	'	'
Service cost	'	'
Interest cost	'	'
Expected return on assets	'	'
Amortization of:	'	'
Prior service credit	-1	-1
Actuarial loss	'	'
Settlement loss	0	0
Total net periodic benefit cost	($1)	($1)

Settlement_Guarantee_Managemen2

Settlement Guarantee Management - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013
Settlement Guarantee Management [Abstract]	'	'
Estimated maximum settlement exposure	$53,200,000,000	$53,800,000,000
Covered settlement exposure	3,000,000,000	'
Estimated probability-weighted value of the guarantee	$2,000,000	$1,000,000

Collateral_Detail

Collateral (Detail) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Settlement Guarantee Management [Abstract]	'	'
Cash equivalents	$886	$866
Pledged securities at market value	233	256
Letters of credit	1,210	1,191
Guarantees	1,416	1,411
Total	$3,745	$3,724

Accrued_Liabilities_Details

Accrued Liabilities (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013		Sep. 30, 2013
Accrued and Other Liabilities [Abstract]	'		'
Accrued operating expenses	$153		$182
Visa Europe put option	145	[1]	145	[1]
Deferred revenue	72		60
Accrued marketing and product expenses	22		27
Accrued income taxes	412	[2]	64	[2]
Other	143		135
Total	$947		$613
Maximum number of days within which the Company is required to purchase the shares of Visa Europe put option	'285 days		'
[1]	The put option is exercisable at any time at the sole discretion of Visa Europe with payment required 285 days thereafter. Classification in current liabilities is not an indication of managementbs expectation of exercise and simply reflects the fact that the obligation resulting from the exercise of the instrument could become payable within 12 months.
[2]	The increase in current accrued income taxes is primarily related to current income taxes accrued in the first quarter of fiscal 2014, but payable in the second quarter of fiscal 2014.

Other_LongTerm_Liabilities_Det

Other Long-Term Liabilities (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2013		Sep. 30, 2013
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Accrued and Other Liabilities [Abstract]	'		'
Accrued income Taxes	$539	[1]	$453	[1]
Employee benefits	86		86
Other	64		63
Total	$689		$602
[1]	The increase in non-current accrued income taxes is due to an increase in liabilities for uncertain tax positions.

Number_of_Shares_of_Class_A_Co

Number of Shares of Class A Common Shares Outstanding on an As-Converted Basis (Detail)	Dec. 31, 2013		Sep. 30, 2013
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Schedule of Common Stock as Converted [Line Items]	'		'
As-converted Class A Common Stock	634	[1]	'
Class A common stock	'		'
Schedule of Common Stock as Converted [Line Items]	'		'
Shares Outstanding	505		508
Conversion Rate Into Class A Common Stock	'		'
As-converted Class A Common Stock	505	[1]	'
Class B common stock	'		'
Schedule of Common Stock as Converted [Line Items]	'		'
Shares Outstanding	245		245
Conversion Rate Into Class A Common Stock	0.4206		'
As-converted Class A Common Stock	103	[1]	'
Class C common stock	'		'
Schedule of Common Stock as Converted [Line Items]	'		'
Shares Outstanding	26		27
Conversion Rate Into Class A Common Stock	1		'
As-converted Class A Common Stock	26	[1]	'
[1]	Figures in the table may not recalculate exactly due to rounding. As-converted class A common stock is calculated based on whole numbers, not the rounded numbers presented.

Share_Repurchases_in_the_Open_

Share Repurchases in the Open Market (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]	'
Shares repurchased in the open market	5	[1]
Weighted-average repurchase price per share	$199.56
Total cost	$1,091
[1]	All shares repurchased in the open market have been retired and constitute authorized but unissued shares.

Stockholders_Equity_Additional

Stockholders' Equity - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Jan. 30, 2014
Stockholders' Equity Note [Line Items]	'	'	'
Stock Repurchase Remaining Authorized Amount	'	$4,200,000,000	'
Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount	5,000,000,000	'	'
Dividends Payable, Amount Per Share (in USD per Share)	'	'	$0.40
Dividends, Cash	'	$254,000,000	'
Subsequent Event	'	'	'
Stockholders' Equity Note [Line Items]	'	'	'
Dividends Payable, Amount Per Share (in USD per Share)	'	'	$0.40

Basic_and_Diluted_Earnings_Per

Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted, by Common Class [Line Items]	'		'
Net loss attributable to Visa Inc.	$1,407	[1],[2]	$1,293	[1],[2]
Class A common stock	'		'
Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted, by Common Class [Line Items]	'		'
Income Allocation (A)	1,115	[1],[2]	1,031	[1],[2]
Weighted- Average Shares Outstanding (B)	505	[2]	531	[2]
Earnings per Share (A)/(B)	$2.21	[2]	$1.94	[2]
Income Allocation (A)	1,407	[1],[2]	1,293	[1],[2]
Weighted- Average Shares Outstanding (B)	639	[2],[3]	669	[2],[3]
Earnings per Share (A)/(B)	$2.20	[2]	$1.93	[2]
Class B common stock	'		'
Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted, by Common Class [Line Items]	'		'
Income Allocation (A)	228	[1],[2]	200	[1],[2]
Weighted- Average Shares Outstanding (B)	245	[2]	245	[2]
Earnings per Share (A)/(B)	$0.93	[2]	$0.82	[2]
Income Allocation (A)	228	[1],[2]	200	[1],[2]
Weighted- Average Shares Outstanding (B)	245	[2]	245	[2]
Earnings per Share (A)/(B)	$0.93	[2]	$0.81	[2]
Class C common stock	'		'
Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted, by Common Class [Line Items]	'		'
Income Allocation (A)	59	[1],[2]	57	[1],[2]
Weighted- Average Shares Outstanding (B)	27	[2]	30	[2]
Earnings per Share (A)/(B)	$2.21	[2]	$1.94	[2]
Income Allocation (A)	59	[1],[2]	57	[1],[2]
Weighted- Average Shares Outstanding (B)	27	[2]	30	[2]
Earnings per Share (A)/(B)	$2.20	[2]	$1.93	[2]
Participating securities	'		'
Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted, by Common Class [Line Items]	'		'
Income Allocation (A)	5	[1],[2],[4]	5	[1],[2],[4]
Income Allocation (A)	$5	[1],[2],[4]	$5	[1],[2],[4]
[1]	Net income is allocated based on proportional ownership on an as-converted basis. The weighted-average number of shares of as-converted class B common stock used in the income allocation was 103 million for the three months ended December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012.
[2]	Figures in the table may not recalculate exactly due to rounding. Earnings per share is calculated based on whole numbers, not the rounded numbers presented.
[3]	Weighted-average diluted shares outstanding are calculated on an as-converted basis, and include incremental common stock equivalents, as calculated under the treasury stock method. The computation includes 2 million of common stock equivalents for the three months ended December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, because their effect would be dilutive. The calculation excludes less than 1 million of common stock equivalents for the three months ended DecemberB 31, 2013 and DecemberB 31, 2012 because their effect would have been anti-dilutive.
[4]	Participating securities are unvested share-based payment awards that contain non-forfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents, such as the Company's restricted stock awards, restricted stock units and earned performance-based shares.

Basic_and_Diluted_Earnings_Per1

Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share (Parenthetical) (Detail)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted, by Common Class [Line Items]	'	'
Stock options included in the computation of diluted shares outstanding	2	2
Stock Options | Maximum	'	'
Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted, by Common Class [Line Items]	'	'
Stock options excluded from computation of average dilutive shares outstanding	1	1
Class B common stock	'	'
Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted, by Common Class [Line Items]	'	'
Weighted-average as-converted class B common stock used in income allocation	103	103

Awards_Granted_to_Company_Empl

Awards Granted to Company Employees and Non-employee Directors Under the 2007 Equity Incentive Compensation Plan (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Non-qualified stock options	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'
Granted	315,226
Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value	$43.41
Weighted-Average Exercise Price	$197.39
Restricted stock awards (RSAs)	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'
Granted	494,621
Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value	$197.39
Restricted stock units (RSUs)	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'
Granted	221,103
Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value	$197.39
Performance-based shares	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'
Granted	278,451	[1]
Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value	$225.46	[1]
[1]	Represents the maximum number of performance-based shares which could be earned.

Income_Taxes_Additional_Inform

Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]	'	'
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Percent	32.00%	28.00%
Tax benefit recognized related to CA apportionment rules	'	($76)
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Period Increase (Decrease)	47	'
Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Would Impact Effective Tax Rate, Period Increase (Decrease)	45	'
Increase (decrease) In Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Penalties On Income Taxes Accrued	$2	$2

Legal_Matters_Additional_Infor

Legal Matters - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jan. 27, 2014	Dec. 16, 2013
		Class plaintiffs	Class plaintiffs	Interchage Litigation
			Subsequent Event
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Payments on litigation matters	'	$4,033,000,000	'	'
Adjustment to payments for litigation	'	'	1,100,000,000	'
Damages sought by plaintiff from all defendant parties	'	'	'	54,000,000,000
Estimated compensatory damages	$145,000,000	'	'	'

Accrued_Litigation_for_Both_Co

Accrued Litigation for Both Covered and Non-Covered Litigation (Detail) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
In Millions, unless otherwise specified					Unsettled		Unsettled		Settled	Settled
Loss Contingency Accrual [Roll Forward]	'	'	'	'	'		'		'	'
Balance at October 1	$4	$5	$5	$4,386	'		'		'	'
Provision for unsettled matters	'	'	'	'	'		3		'	'
Litigation Settlement Interest	'	'	'	'	0	[1]	-4,033	[1]	'	'
Loss Contingency Accrual, Payments	'	'	'	'	'		'		-1	-351
Balance at December 31	$4	$5	$5	$4,386	'		'		'	'
[1]	In fiscal 2013, the Company paid approximately $4.0 billion from the litigation escrow account into a settlement fund established pursuant to the definitive class settlement agreement in the interchange multidistrict litigation. Under the settlement agreement, if class members opt-out (bopt-out merchantsb) of the damages portion of the class settlement, the defendants are entitled to receive payments of no more than 25% of the original cash payments made into the settlement fund, based on the percentage of payment card sales volume for a defined period attributable to merchants who opted out (the "takedown payments"). On January 14, 2014, the court entered the final judgment order approving the settlement with the class plaintiffs in the interchange multidistrict litigation proceedings, which is subject to the adjudication of any appeals. Takedown payments of approximately $1.1 billion were received on January 27, 2014, and deposited into the Companybs litigation escrow account. The deposit into the litigation escrow account, and a related increase in accrued litigation to address opt-out claims will be recorded in the second quarter of fiscal 2014. See further discussion below.

Subsequent_Events_Details

Subsequent Events (Details) (Subsequent Event, USD $)	0 Months Ended			0 Months Ended
	Jan. 29, 2014	Jan. 28, 2014	Jan. 29, 2014	Jan. 27, 2014
	Revolving Credit Facility	Revolving Credit Facility	Revolving Credit Facility	Class plaintiffs
			Maximum
Subsequent Event [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Adjustment to payments for litigation	'	'	'	$1,100,000,000
Credit facility term	'364 days	'	'	'
Credit facility maximum borrowing capacity	$3,000,000,000	$3,000,000,000	'	'
Covenant, Consolidated Indebtedness to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio	'	'	3.75	'