You’re paying for a subscription or booking a hotel, the balance drops, but the order isn’t confirmed. Or worse — the amount is charged twice. This isn’t always a glitch in the service or the card. Most often you’ve run into a hold — a temporary block of funds during authorization. Let’s break down how it works, what affects the release timeline, and what to do if your money is stuck.

What Is a Hold and Why It Happens

When you enter your card details, the merchant doesn’t charge you right away. First, they request authorization — a check that the card is valid and has enough funds. At that moment, the issuing bank places a hold on the required amount. That’s a hold.

The money doesn’t go to the merchant, but you can’t use it either. If the merchant confirms the transaction (captures the funds), the hold becomes a real charge. If not, the hold is released and the money returns to your balance. The catch is that the release timeline depends on many factors, and it’s not always short.

Why the Amount Gets Stuck: Main Reasons

  • Delayed confirmation from the merchant. Some services (especially hotels and car rentals) don’t rush the final charge. They keep the hold as a payment guarantee.
  • Technical glitch. The payment didn’t go through, but the authorization request was already sent. The bank blocked the amount, and the cancellation didn’t arrive.
  • Double authorization. You accidentally clicked “Pay” twice, or the service sent a repeat request. Both holds can be active at the same time.
  • Different currencies. If your card is in one currency and the payment is in another, the hold amount may differ from the final charge due to conversion. Sometimes this creates the illusion of a double charge.
  • Service specifics. Hotels and rentals often block more than the service cost — as a deposit for potential extra expenses.

How Long to Wait for a Refund

There’s no universal timeline — it depends on the merchant’s policy and your issuer. On average, a hold is released within a few hours to several business days. But there are nuances:

  • Regular purchases. If the transaction failed, the release often happens within 1–3 business days, but can stretch to 7–10.
  • Hotels and rentals. The deposit can be held for up to 30 days after checkout or car return — check the service’s terms for the exact period.
  • Subscriptions and streaming. When a trial period is canceled, the hold is usually released quickly, but if the service has already sent a charge request, you’ll have to wait for the transaction to complete.

Important: the timeline depends on when the merchant cancels the authorization. Until they do, the bank cannot release the funds on its own.

What to Do Step by Step

  1. Check the transaction status. Open your virtual card app or dashboard. If the transaction is “Authorization” or “Pending,” the hold is still active. If it’s “Charged,” the money went to the merchant, and a refund is only possible through order cancellation or a return.
  2. Contact the merchant. Message the support of the service where you made the payment. Ask if the payment is confirmed and when they plan to cancel the authorization. Often the issue is resolved at this stage.
  3. Don’t panic and don’t rush to cancel the card. If you reissue the card, the hold may not be released automatically — the link to the account remains. It’s better to wait for the release.
  4. If it drags on, contact the issuer’s support. Provide details: date, amount, merchant name. The issuer can request an authorization cancellation through the payment system, but the final decision rests with the merchant.
  5. Keep records. Save screenshots of transactions and support chats — this will speed up the investigation if the money doesn’t return.

Common Mistakes

  • Paying again. Seeing that the order isn’t confirmed, users try to pay again. As a result, two holds are active. Wait for the first one to be released.
  • Ignoring the service’s rules. Hotels and rental companies often specify deposit release timelines in the contract. Before contacting support, check the terms.
  • Trying to dispute via chatbot. A chargeback is a last resort, and it doesn’t speed up a hold release — it starts a separate procedure.

FAQ

Can I speed up the refund?

Only through the merchant. The faster they cancel the authorization, the faster the issuer releases the funds. Card support can’t influence this process directly.

What if the hold has been active for over a month?

Contact the issuer’s support and request a review. The merchant may not have canceled the authorization, and escalation through the payment system may be needed. Check the procedure with your service.

Will the money return if I remove the card from the service?

Removing the card from your dashboard doesn’t cancel the hold. The funds will still be released after the merchant cancels the authorization. The key is not to reissue the card until the situation is resolved.

Service and company names belong to their respective owners and are mentioned only to describe the payment scenario; VirtCardPay is not affiliated with them.

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Sources

This material is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice. Data and service terms may change, so check primary sources before making a payment or investment decision. Mentions of third-party brands and services do not imply official partnership, support, or endorsement by VirtCardPay; partner platforms are marked with a “Partner” badge.
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