-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001127602-10-028044.txt : 20101116
<SEC-HEADER>0001127602-10-028044.hdr.sgml : 20101116
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20101116163242
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001127602-10-028044
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20101115
FILED AS OF DATE:		20101116
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20101116

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MEYER ROBERT
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001170945

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-11277
		FILM NUMBER:		101196858

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1455 VALLEY ROAD
		CITY:			WAYNE
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			07470

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000714310
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS [6021]
		IRS NUMBER:				222477875
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NJ
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1455 VALLEY RD
		CITY:			WAYNE
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			07470
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9733053380

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1455 VALLEY RD
		CITY:			WAYNE
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			07470
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>form4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-11-15</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000714310</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>VLY</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001170945</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MEYER ROBERT</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1455 VALLEY ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WAYNE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>07470-</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <officerTitle>Executive Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
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            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
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            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-11-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
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                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1104</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <transactionDate>
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                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
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            <transactionCoding>
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                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>9596</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock (401k Plan)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
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            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
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                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option/NQ</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>13.13</value>
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            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-11-15</value>
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            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
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                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11977</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2011-11-15</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2020-11-15</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>11977</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11977</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option/NQ</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>17.03</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-11-27</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-11-27</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>13992</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>13992</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
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        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>14.43</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-11-28</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-11-28</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>21330</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
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            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>21330</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
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                    <value>D</value>
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        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
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            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>17.03</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-11-27</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-11-27</value>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
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                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>6323</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
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            <postTransactionAmounts>
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            <ownershipNature>
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        <derivativeHolding>
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            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>17.83</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
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            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-11-18</value>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
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            <postTransactionAmounts>
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            <ownershipNature>
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        <derivativeHolding>
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                <value>20.79</value>
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            <exerciseDate>
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            <expirationDate>
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                    <value>D</value>
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                <value>19.33</value>
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            <exerciseDate>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-11-14</value>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
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                    <value>D</value>
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        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options</value>
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            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>21.15</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2007-11-13</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2016-11-13</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>20056</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20056</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>16.15</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-02-12</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-02-12</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>19102</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>19102</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Valley National Bancorp declared a 5% dividend on April 14, 2010, to be issued May 21, 2010 to shareholders of record on May 7, 2010.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Payment of tax liability by withholding securities incident to the receipt or vesting of restricted stock award.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">ISOs granted under the Valley National Bancorp 2009 Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan, with three-year equal vesting, beginning at grant date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Restricted shares granted under the Valley National Bancorp 2009 Long Term Incentive Stock Plan, with three-year equal vesting, beginning at grant date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Holdings under the Valley 401K Plan has been updated to reflect reporting  person's balance in the Plan.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ ROBERT M. MEYER</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-11-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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