We understand how frustrating it can be to wait for a refund especially when you’ve already confirmed that the doctor or NowServing has processed it.
Many patients contact us after a few weeks because their bank says the refund hasn’t appeared yet. This article explains why that happens and what you can expect.
How card refunds actually work
When you pay with a debit or credit card, the money doesn’t go directly from your bank to the doctor. Instead, it passes through several steps:
Your bank (BPI, BDO, Metrobank, or whichever issued your card)
The card network (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, etc.)
The payment processor
NowServing / the merchant
When a refund is issued, the process goes in reverse. Since several parties are involved, refunds aren’t instant.
Once we process your refund:
The amount is sent back through the card network.
Your bank receives it.
The bank posts it to your account or card.
At this point, the money is no longer held by NowServing, so the timing depends on your bank’s internal processes.
Why refunds can take time to reflect
Even after the refund is sent, it may take some time to appear in your account because of:
Bank processing times
Debit cards: usually 5–10 banking days
Credit cards: usually 7–15 banking days
Some banks may take longer, so we generally advise up to 30–45 days
We usually advise allowing 30–45 banking days for card refunds to reflect.
While many refunds appear sooner, processing times ultimately depend on your bank. In some cases, posting delays may take significantly longer and we’ve seen instances where it can take a few months.
Credit card billing cycles
Refunds may appear only after your next statement is generated.
Or it may be posted as a credit a few days later. This is normal.
Pending vs. posted transactions
Banks first show pending transactions (not final yet)
Only posted transactions are finalized, which is when the refund appears in your balance
For example, if you paid for a booking and it was canceled the same day (like with a BPI credit card), the refund may be almost immediate and already show on your statement.
However, if the refund is processed a few days later, it may no longer reflect instantly. Instead, it may follow your card’s billing cycle and standard bank processing time before it appears on your account.
Why the bank may say they haven’t received the refund yet
Sometimes:
The refund is still moving through the card network.
The bank has received it but hasn’t posted it yet.
Their support team can’t see it until it’s fully processed.
So it’s possible that:
NowServing confirms the refund has been processed, and
The bank says it’s not yet visible
Both can be true at the same time because of delays between systems.
What you should do if you’re waiting for a refund
- Check the refund date we provided.
- Wait for the standard processing time (up to 45 banking days or longer).
- If it still hasn’t appeared, contact your bank with:
Refund amount
Refund date
Last 4 digits of your card
Your bank is the best party to trace the refund once it leaves our system.
Important reminders
Refund timelines are set by banks and card networks, not by NowServing.
We cannot speed up the bank’s posting process.
Most refunds appear within the standard processing window.
