SAN FRANCISCO, March 11, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) today announced a commitment to help the people of Japan following the devastating earthquake and tsunami.

In conjunction with its clients, Visa will waive interchange fees on donations made through April 30, 2011 to a select group of major U.S.- and Canada-based charities that are providing support to relief efforts. Eligible charities are:

United States

• American Red Cross
• AmeriCares
• Habitat for Humanity
• Mercy Corps
• Oxfam America
• Save the Children
• US Fund for UNICEF
• World Vision

Canada

• Canadian Red Cross
• CARE Canada
• Oxfam Canada
• Oxfam-Quebec
• Save the Children Canada
• UNICEF Canada
• World Vision Canada

Additionally, Visa will donate the revenue it generates from eligible contributions to the crisis through April 30, 2011 directly to the Red Cross.

Visa also is making a philanthropic donation in support of the relief efforts.

About Visa

Visa 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 digital currency. Underpinning digital currency is one of the world's most advanced processing networks - VisaNet - that is capable of handling more than 20,000 transaction messages a second, with fraud protection for consumers and guaranteed payment for merchants. Visa is not a bank and does not issue cards, extend credit or set rates and fees for consumers.Visa's innovations, however, enable its financial institution customers to offer consumers more choices: pay now with debit, ahead of time with prepaid or later with credit products. For more information, visit http://www.corporate.visa.com/.

SOURCE Visa Inc.