Q: valid bank visa won't be accepted by apple pay

I have had the same problem since I got my iPhone 6 about a month ago. I try it a couple times a week, but every time I get "Invalid Card." The card that I am trying to add for Apple Pay is already added AND working on iTunes. The card is First Tennessee debit card. I have tried adding on IOS 8.2 and 8.3.

I have the exact same problem. DIdn't know if I should call first tennessee or apple. I have used this card with iTunes for years and no issues. I am thinking this is a first Tennessee issue?

It is very likely a bank issue.

I have a Citi Master Card that works just fine for purchases, but because it is "co-branded", it is not accepted by Apple Pay (even though other co-branded Citi Master Cards are accepted).

One of the folks above, @SamJ07, said he is using a debit card.  That fact may prove problematic for Apple Pay acceptance as well.  The FAQs for Apple Pay indicate an easier time using a credit card than a debit card.

Anyway, in all situations above, the bank should be able to answer your questions.

Current accepted card issuers...

Apple Pay participating issuers - Apple Support

Any luck in getting this resolved? I'm having the same issue with First Tennessee as well.

As provided in the link just above your post, First Tennessee is listed, so I suggest you contact the bank to ask them about their verification procedures.

It is a bank problem for sure and a frustrating one. Hopefully you guys have had better luck than me calling First Tennessee at their call center for support on this. What is interesting about mine is that apple pay WAS working on my iphone 6. When I got my apple watch, I attempted to add it but got the invalid card message. Then I realized that the card I had added to my apple pay account had a different expiration date (that card had got damaged to I requested the bank send me a new card) but the 16 digit number remained the same. The only change was the expiration date and security code. Since the expiration date had not expired on the original card I had registered with apple pay, I would use apple pay all day long on my iPhone. My first thought was ok it must be something buggy with the watch and First Tennessee. So I waited a few days and tried again. Still no luck. I then tried to enter the card on my iPad Air 2 and then got the same result with the message of , "Invalid Card". I then removed the card from my phone and attempted to re-add the card (using the current debit card I use daily) and still got the error message on my phone. So now I have no card added to my apple pay. I guarantee if I had the old expiration date and security code off the old card, I could have added it that way no problem.

So with that being said, I called the wonderful customer service at FTB. I gave the lady all my account information and then she says, "I need to ask you some background questions in addition to these to verify the account and do you have time for this today". My first thought was ok lady, if I didn't have time, why am I calling you. But I am polite so I just said yes. The problem is none of the crazy verification questions had anything to do with me. She asked me things like have you ever owned any of these cars (which I had never owned any). Then she asked me how old one of my cousins was (which honestly I had no clue his exact age, just his approximate age). She then began to ask me questions about people that I did NOT know. I asked her where they got these verification questions from. Her response was a 3rd party. When I asked which 3rd party, she said she had no idea and I had to go to the bank in person. I can't say how frustrated I am with this. It should be as easy as typing in the card information and being done. They should NOT have to verify anything on their end.....none of the other card issuers I have had to do this.In fact, taking a photo of their card doesn't even work.  When I activated my initial card with FTB and Apple Pay I just called and they activated it within minutes. That is great but that is really an unneeded extra step and for whatever reason that person didn't ask me all the irrelevant background questions.

If anyone has been able to get their card verified recently for apple pay, please let me know how you did it/who you contacted. I am going to call my local branch manager and see if she can help me. However I am not very hopeful.

I just called First Tennessee. They said that they are no longer able to help with this problem over the phone. They said due to certain security concerns with the watch that we need to go into the service center to have the card added. I asked him why and he said that in the financial center they can verify in person.

I'm having the same issue.  Just spoke to a customer service rep at 1st TN and he told me to call Apple.  I guess I will try going to a branch next week.  It sure would be nice to use Apple Pay with a 1st TN account.

So, after calling back to 1st TN and refusing to be told it was an Apple issue, I finally got to someone in the escalation department.  He said that this happens sometimes, and he gave me a new 3 digit security code to use instead of the one on the back of the card and it worked perfectly.

I did just realize that the new code given was exactly 1/2 of the original security code.  If someone else has this "invalid card" issue with First Tennessee, try dividing the 3-digit security code on the back in 1/2 and using that number.  I am curious to see if that works for someone else.

Actually it's the security code off your previous debit card. When you originally register your card with apple pay and get a new debit card (with a different expiration date but same 16 Digit Card number) it will only work using the original 3 digit security code you had when you registered your original card with Apple pay. The branch manager at my FTB helped me figure this out so I saved the security code in my notes so now I can add/remove my card from Apple pay without calling FTB. It's a flaw....you would think it would only work with your current issued card and security code but nope......only works with the originally 3 digit code on whatever the original card was you registered.

This is the answer. I talked with First Tennessee and eventually got to an escalation specialist after an exhaustive security procedure (which is a good thing). The specialist was familiar with the issue. He assigned a one time use CVC code and everything worked fine after that. You just have to be patient in working with the bank security questions; they are trying to protect you. This is a hassle but the specialist said it does happen from time to time.

It's not just First Tennessee. I have two B o A Visa cards. Apple Pay accepts one, but not the other. The reward systems are different so it is advantageous to use one sometimes and the other at other times.