Guarantee Arrangements and Pledged Assets - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	36 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	24 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011 Visa Incorporation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Visa Incorporation [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Visa Incorporation [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Outstanding financial standby letters of credit	$ 5,100,000,000	$ 4,700,000,000	$ 4,700,000,000
Outstanding financial standby performance guarantees	3,000,000,000	3,100,000,000	3,100,000,000
Deferred fee on stand by letters of credit	43,000,000	44,000,000	44,000,000
Allowance for credit losses on unfunded standby letters of credit	21,000,000	22,000,000	22,000,000
Maximum time to resolve case	12 months
Minimum time to resolve case	3 months
Principal amount outstanding on loans sold to government sponsored entities	16,100,000,000	19,300,000,000	19,300,000,000
Principal amount outstanding on loans from our legacy broker channel	10,300,000,000	12,100,000,000	12,100,000,000
Mortgage repurchase liability	216,000,000
Liquidity facilities	1,500,000,000	677,000,000	677,000,000
Escrow account to fund future claims						3,000,000,000
Increased escrow account to fund future claims						4,100,000,000
Additional escrow account				2,000,000,000	2,000,000,000
Reduction in contingent liability			24,000,000
Reduction in litigation liabilities		$ 9,000,000