Request for Information - International ACH Transactions (IAT) and Related Topics
Nacha is seeking information from the industry on four additional topics related to International ACH Transactions (IATs).
- IAT Data Quality
- Additional Addenda Records
- Additional Indicator
- Communication of Changes
A Request for Information (RFI) is not a proposal to amend the Nacha Operating Rules. The purposes of the RFI are to gather information related to the improvement of IAT resources, socialize potential changes to the Nacha Operating Guidelines, and determine whether there is any potential need for additional rulemaking.
Nacha requests that industry stakeholders provide comments and perspectives on the topic, its scope, and the potential benefits and impacts of various options by May 30, 2025.
Please review the survey questions prior to beginning your response so that you can gather information and comments from all impacted areas of your organization before responding to the questions. You can download the materials on the left side of the page and respond online (surveymonkey link).
Download materials: Executive summary, Presentation, ACH Participant survey.
Nacha has a video which takes a detailed look at all four topics in the Request for Information. You can watch it on Nacha’s YouTube channel.
Details
IAT Data Quality
Nacha is seeking information from ACH Network Participants pertaining to IAT data quality concerns.
- Potential issues include populated data that is either not the correct information for that field or data that is formatted incorrectly, as well as data that is partially accurate/in the correct format.
- Nacha is seeking information related to specific formatting issues users may be experiencing, from an originating and receiving perspective, in order to provide education and guidance on these issues via mapping examples.
Additionally, Nacha is reviewing IAT guidelines to address missing data elements. The current language addresses one missing data element per field.
- Current logic may need to be updated to be more processing-friendly.
- More than one missing element is not addressed.
Additional IAT Addenda Records and Formats
Nacha is seeking additional information from the industry on any needs for additional IAT addenda records:
- Mandatory addenda records
- Optional-use formatted addenda records
Respondents are requested to provide any specific needs they have identified for addenda records that would either be used in every IAT entry (mandatory) or as needed/desired (optional).
Additional IAT Indicators
Nacha is seeking additional information from the industry on any needs for additional or specific code indicators for use in the IAT record formats.
- Respondents are requested to provide any specific needs they have identified for an indicator, as well as any comments related to the use case.
Communication of IAT-Related Changes
The Nacha Operating Rules provide mechanisms for communicating when an ACH Entry has been incorrectly coded through the Notification of Change (NOC) and return processes.
- Nacha has heard anecdotally that some RDFIs have established routing number/account number schemes for ease of identifying international pass-through accounts, and/or communicating changes to ODFIs and Originators via alternative methods, such as fax or secured email.
This RFI seeks to learn more about how IAT related changes are communicated to determine if additional guidance and/or functionality are needed to the NOC or return processes to more easily facilitate the necessary exchange of information for IAT compliance.
