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Fair Value Measurements and Investments - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
 3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Visa Europe put option $ 145us-gaap_LiabilitiesRelatedToInvestmentContractsFairValueDisclosure [1] $ 145us-gaap_LiabilitiesRelatedToInvestmentContractsFairValueDisclosure [1]
Probability of exercise by Visa Europe 40.00%v_ProbabilityOfExerciseByVisaEurope  
P/E differential at the time of exercise 1.9x  
P/E differential at the time of exercise, ratio 190.00%v_AssumedPriceToEarningsDifferentialAtTimeOfExerciseRatio  
Spot price to earnings 21.7x  
Spot price to earnings, ratio 2170.00%v_SpotPriceToEarningsRatio  
Incremental price to earnings differential compared to estimate 1.0x  
Incremental price to earnings differential compared to estimate, ratio 100.00%v_IncrementalPriceToEarningsDifferentialComparedToEstimateRatio  
Incremental probability of exercise by Visa Europe 5.00%v_IncrementalProbabilityOfExerciseByVisaEurope  
Increase in put option value due to increase in probability of exercise 18v_IncreaseInPutOptionValueDueToIncreaseInProbabilityOfExercise  
Incremental assumed price to earnings differential at time of exercise 1.0x  
Incremental P/E differential at time of exercise, ratio 100.00%v_IncrementalAssumedPriceToEarningsDifferentialAtTimeOfExerciseRatio  
Increase in put option value due to increase in price to earnings differential 84v_IncreaseInPutOptionValueDueToIncreaseInPriceToEarningsDifferential  
Non-marketable equity investments 32us-gaap_OtherInvestmentNotReadilyMarketableFairValue 35us-gaap_OtherInvestmentNotReadilyMarketableFairValue
Available-for-sale securities, gross unrealized gains 19us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainBeforeTax 48us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainBeforeTax
Available-for-sale debt securities, accumulated gross unrealized loss, before tax 3us-gaap_AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedLossBeforeTax  
Available-for-sale securities, gross unrealized losses   0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedLossBeforeTax
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring    
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Visa Europe put option $ 145us-gaap_LiabilitiesRelatedToInvestmentContractsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember		  
[1] The put option is exercisable at any time at the sole discretion of Visa Europe with payment required 285 days thereafter. Classification in current liabilities is not an indication of management’s expectation of exercise and simply reflects the fact that the obligation resulting from the exercise of the instrument could become payable within 12 months. The fair value of the put option does not represent the actual purchase price that the Company may be required to pay if the option is exercised, which would likely be in excess of $10 billion.