Refund timelines: what to tell your customers

When you process a refund in Rebill, your customer won't see the money immediately. This article explains refund timelines so you can set correct expectations with your customers.

Understanding the refund process for card payments

Refunds happen in two stages:

Stage 1: Rebill processes the refund

• You click "Refund Payment" in the dashboard

• Rebill sends the refund instruction to the payment acquirer/processor (not directly to the card issuer)

• Payment state changes to Refunded

• This happens immediately or within 24 hours

Stage 2: The financial network credits the customer

• The acquirer forwards the refund through the card network (Visa, Mastercard, etc.)

• The card network routes it to the card issuer (customer's bank)

• The issuer processes it through their internal systems

• Money appears in the customer's account

• This takes 5-15 business days (cards).

Refund timelines by payment method

Credit and debit cards

Timeline: 5-15 business days after payment changes to Refunded

What it means:

• Most refunds appear in 5-7 business days

• Can take up to 15 business days depending on the card network and issuer

• This is entirely controlled by the financial network (acquirer → card network → issuer)

What to tell your customer: "Your refund has been processed. You should see the money in your account within 5-15 business days, depending on your bank. If it doesn't appear after 15 business days, please contact your bank with the refund confirmation."

Bank transfers (PIX, SPEI, PSE)

Timeline: Instant once payment changes to Refunded

What it means:

• PIX (Brazil): Instant, usually within minutes

• SPEI (Mexico): Instant once processed

• PSE (Colombia): Instant once processed

What to tell your customer: "Your refund has been processed and should appear in your account within the next few minutes."

What "business days" means

Business days = Monday through Friday, excluding:

• Weekends (Saturday & Sunday)

• Public holidays in the customer's country

• Bank holidays

Example: If a refund is processed on Friday, the 5-business-day countdown starts on Monday.

Common customer questions

"Why hasn't my refund arrived yet?"

When to check:

1. Count business days from the Refunded date (not from when they requested it)

2. Don't count weekends or holidays

3. Check the right account — refund goes to the same payment method used

What to tell them: "Refunds take 5-15 business days to appear after we process them. We processed your refund on [date], so it should arrive by [date + 15 business days]. If it doesn't appear by then, contact your bank."

"The payment says 'Refunded' but I don't see the money"

What's happening: This is normal. "Refunded" means Rebill sent the refund to the acquirer, who then forwards it through the card network to the customer's bank. This process takes 5-15 days.

What to tell them: "The refund has been processed and sent through the payment network. Your bank typically processes it within 5-15 business days. You'll see it in your account soon."

"Can you make my refund faster?"

Answer: No. Once Rebill processes the refund, the timeline is controlled by:

• Payment acquirer/processor

• Card networks (Visa, Mastercard)

• The customer's bank

• Banking system settlement times

What to tell them: "Unfortunately, we can't speed up the processing time. The refund has been sent through the payment network, and your bank will credit it within 5-15 business days."

"It's been more than 15 days, where's my refund?"

What to do:

1. Verify the payment shows Refunded state in your dashboard

2. Confirm the refund date

3. Request proof of refund from support@rebill.com

4. Share the proof with your customer

5. Tell customer to contact their bank with the proof

What to tell them: "We've confirmed the refund was processed on [date]. I'm sending you proof of the refund. Please share this with your bank so they can investigate why it hasn't appeared in your account."

How to request proof of refund

If your customer's refund hasn't arrived after 15 business days and their bank needs documentation:

Step 1: Contact Rebill support Email support@rebill.com with:

• Payment ID

• Customer's name

• Refund date

• Reason: "Customer's bank needs proof of refund"

Step 2: We'll provide documentation showing:

• Refund amount

• Date processed

• Transaction ID

• Destination payment method

Step 3: Share with your customer Forward the proof to your customer so they can provide it to their bank.

Setting correct expectations

Before processing the refund

Tell your customer:

• "The refund will be processed within 24 hours"

• "After that, the payment network and your bank need 5-15 business days to credit your account"

• "You'll receive an email confirmation once the refund is processed"

After processing the refund

Tell your customer:

• "Your refund has been processed on [date]"

• "You should see it in your account by [date + 15 business days]"

• "If it doesn't appear by then, contact your bank with the confirmation email"

Where to see refund status

In your dashboard

1. Go to Payments

2. Find the payment by using the search bar or advanced filters

3. Check the state:

   • Pending — Refund is being processed (up to 48 hours)

   • Refunded — Rebill has sent the refund to the acquirer

   • Partially Refunded — Part of the payment was refunded

What each state means for your customer

Refund notifications

Your customers receive email updates at these stages:

1. ✉ Refund processed — Rebill has sent the refund

2. ✉ When to expect funds — Reminder that the payment network and bank need 5-15 days

Make sure your customers check their spam folder if they don't see these emails.

Cross-border refunds

For cross-border payments, refund timelines are the same:

• Cards: 5-15 business days

• Bank transfers: Instant once processed

Additional cost: Cross-border refunds have a USD 2.00 fee charged to you (the merchant).