Visa Gives VARs More Time For QIR Certification
Don’t wait, however; the RSPA member discount for the course and exam ends February 29.
VISA updated its policy issued in October requiring Payment Card Industry (PCI) Qualified Integrators and Reseller (QIR) certification to give acquirers, merchants, and VARs more time to comply. Level 4 merchants still need to use PCI QIRs, but resellers now have until January 31, 2017, to become certified.
The original policy required newly boarded Level 4 merchants to use only PCI QIR certified resellers and integrators beginning in March of this year. The updated policy states, effective March 31, 2016, acquirers must communicate to all Level 4 merchants that as of January 31, 2017, they must use only PCI QIR certified professionals for point of sale application and terminal installation and integration. Also, as of January 31, 2017, all Level 4 merchants using third parties for POS application and terminal installation and integration must use only PCI QIR professionals.
Although this affords some breathing room to merchants and VARs just coming out of a busy holiday shopping season and year-end activities, there is still a reason for VARs to act now to work toward PCI QIR certification.
The Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA) announced a significantly discounted rate for the certification at RetailNOW in August, and time is running out for RSPA members to pay only $75 per candidate for the course and exam for PCI QIR certification. The regular price for the course and exam is $395 per candidate. In an update to RSPA members, President and CEO Kelly Funk points out that as long as members register by the deadline, they can take advantage of discounted pricing and still have 90 days to complete the training and exam for certification.UPDATE 1/29/2016: RSPA has been able to extend the deadline for its members to take the QIR course and exam at the discounted price to Feb. 29. For more information, visit http://www.gorspa.org/professional/.
For information on joining RSPA to take advantage of discounted certification as well as many other member benefits, visit http://www.gorspa.org/join-now/