VMSS removal through Mollie

Why Mollie adds merchants to the VMSS list

Mollie is a European payment service provider licensed and regulated in the Netherlands, primarily serving small and medium-sized businesses across Europe. Despite its more accessible model, Mollie is subject to the same Visa programme obligations as larger acquirers and must report merchants to VMSS when specific thresholds are breached. Common listing reasons include:

• Excessive disputes — dispute ratios crossing Visa's programme thresholds, which can occur quickly for smaller merchants with limited transaction volumes (VMSS code 22).
• Excessive fraud — fraud-to-sales ratios detected through Mollie's risk monitoring (VMSS code 21).
• Violation of agreement — breaches of Mollie's terms of service or Visa's operating rules (VMSS code 30).
• Illegal transactions — processing payments for products or services outside Mollie's acceptable use policy (VMSS code 24).

Mollie's account termination notification will typically reference the reason. For full VMSS code definitions, see our VMSS reason codes page.

What Mollie's risk team looks for

Mollie's risk team is more directly accessible than those of larger global acquirers, but the substance of a removal request must still meet Visa's programme standards. A credible submission needs to address:

• Root cause — a clear, specific explanation of what caused the listing. For Mollie merchants, this often relates to product-market fit issues, fulfilment problems, or misconfigured fraud controls.
• Corrective actions — specific changes implemented since termination: improved fraud controls, revised product descriptions, updated fulfilment processes, or changes to business model.
• Evidence — documentation supporting the changes: updated policies, improved metrics, or operational changes relevant to the VMSS reason code.
• No recurrence — a credible explanation of the structural or operational changes that prevent the root cause from recurring.

Only Mollie, as the acquirer that listed you, can submit a removal request to Visa. Direct communication with Mollie's risk team is more feasible than at some larger acquirers, but the quality and specificity of the request still determines the outcome.

How to submit a VMSS removal request to Mollie

The process is:

1. Confirm that Mollie was the acquirer that terminated your account and submitted the VMSS listing.
2. Identify the VMSS reason code from your account termination notice or Mollie's account closure email.
3. Prepare a structured removal request covering root cause, corrective actions, and evidence.
4. Contact Mollie's risk or compliance team directly — Mollie's support structure allows for more direct communication than larger acquirers, but the request should still be written formally and addressed to their risk department.
5. Follow up if you do not receive a substantive response within a reasonable timeframe.

We help you build and submit that request. Our questionnaire gathers the specific facts of your situation, and we draft a tailored letter suited to Mollie's process and the relevant VMSS reason code. Start your removal request.

Frequently asked questions

Can Mollie remove me from the VMSS list?

Yes — if Mollie submitted the listing, only Mollie can request removal from Visa. Visa does not remove VMSS listings on direct merchant request.

What does Mollie need to review a VMSS removal request?

A clear root cause explanation, specific corrective actions with evidence, and a credible no-recurrence argument. Despite Mollie's accessible support model, the substance of the request must meet Visa's programme standards.

How long does Mollie take to review?

Generally shorter than large global acquirers — a few weeks to a couple of months. A specific, well-structured request that addresses the VMSS reason code directly tends to be reviewed more efficiently.