An authorization hold (sometimes known as a “pre-authorization” or “pre-auth”) can happen when you make a purchase using your card. This hold locks the funds in a pending status until the merchant settles the transaction for the final amount. You may see a higher dollar amount pre-authorization for certain transaction types such as (but not limited to): paying for gas at the pump, booking a hotel or rental car reservation, or buying an airline ticket.
Transactions with a higher dollar amount pre-authorization will typically settle for the actual transaction amount within a few days. If the pre-authorized transaction was canceled or voided, the merchant will need to release or expire the funds. Once the funds are released or expired, they're available again for spending. While merchants can release a hold early, Visa® will automatically expire transaction types if they remain in a pending status on the account after the allotted time frame.
These are the standard pre-authorization hold timeframes set by Visa® for each transaction type where the transaction will either settle for the actual amount or expire if canceled or voided:
| Transaction Type | Hold Time Frames |
| Everyday purchases* and fuel | Expires after 5 calendar days from the transaction date shown in your app |
| Airline | Expires after 7 calendar days from the transaction date shown in your app |
| Hotel, car rental, and cruise | Expires after 30 calendar days from the transaction date shown in your app |
If you have any questions regarding your hold, reach out to the merchant. Varo is unable to release pending transactions due to Visa® rules.
*The following transactions may be subject to a 7 calendar day hold: Travel agencies and tour operators, Telecommunication Equipment Including Telephone Sales, Telecommunication Services including but not limited to prepaid phone services and recurring phone services, Wire Transfer Money Orders (V, D, G, X) Money Transfer (M), Construction Materials Not Elsewhere Classified, Wholesale Clubs, Discount Stores, Grocery Stores, Supermarkets, Children’s and Infants’ Wear Stores, Family Clothing Stores, Sports Apparel, and Riding Apparel Stores, Men’s and Women’s Clothing Stores, Electronics Sales, Eating Places and Restaurants, Fast Food Restaurants, Sporting Goods Stores, Book Stores, Clock, Jewelry, Watch and Silverware Stores, Leather Goods and Luggage Stores, Direct Marketing–Combination Catalog and Retail Merchant, Miscellaneous and Specialty Retail Stores, Government-Licensed Casinos (Online or Internet Gambling).