How to resolve 'Apple Pay services currently unavailable' error after merging Apple Card accounts?

Question

jdaigle1983 Author

Level 1

4 points

How to resolve 'Apple Pay services currently unavailable' error after merging Apple Card accounts?

When my wife merged her Apple Card account with mine and became a co-owner she lost her Apple Card and all virtual capabilities. She has spent hours and hours on calls with Apple and Goldman Sach’s calls. I’m losing all % back money and it’s super inconvenient. There is no resolution in sight. The message she receives is “Apple Pay services currently unavailable, please try again later” when she tries to add the merged card to her Apple Wallet on any device. Looks like others have had this issue. I haven't been able to find any resolutions. She has deleted her cards from the Wallet and deleted the Wallet app, tried logging out of AppleID and back in on her phone, and done a full factory reset. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iPhone 15 Pro

Posted on Apr 2, 2025 9:04 AM

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Answer 1

Jeff Donald

Level 8

36,796 points

Apr 2, 2025 9:11 AM in response to jdaigle1983

Do you or your wife use a VPN, antivirus software, malware blockers etc?

Are you both currently in the US? Are both iPhones updated to 18.4, released just two days ago? Are both iPhones set for US region?

Do you share the same Apple ID? Do either you or your wife have cards on other Apple devices?

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Answer 2

jdaigle1983 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 2, 2025 9:46 AM in response to Jeff Donald

Hi Jeff, no we are not using any VPN, or anything like that. We have tried to do this from several different WiFi networks, work, home, cafe, etc. and also cell data. Same results. We are both in the US, both have latest 18.4 as of yesterday, and both phones are set regionally to US. We have independent AppleID's, and we have been iPhone users since early 2000's. Neither of us had the Apple Card linked to any other devices.

We both signed up for the Apple Card individually 3 days ago, and our accounts were working fine. We found out we could merge them into one account, which made sense for a myriad of reasons, so I invited my wife to be a co-owner on my account which initiated the merging process. I sent the invite, she accepted it, I then had to accept the new merged account offer on my device. I did so, and my account showed the new increased credit limit within an hour (previous to the merge we both had different limits). Her device pulled her Apple Card out of her wallet, and when she looks at her previous cards in the wallet, her card shows up with the same increased limit as mine. When she tries to add it back into her wallet, it gives a message stating "Apple Pay services currently unavailable".

I have tried everything without any success. If she logs into the Apple Card on a PC browser, it shows the correct merged balance and credit limit along with the transactions I have made with my card. It's like her account is active and working, but just won't link to her wallet.

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Answer 3

Jeff Donald

Level 8

36,796 points

Apr 2, 2025 12:37 PM in response to jdaigle1983

I’ve seen this before. It’s documented in prior posts from years ago (June/July 2022) if memory serves me correct. The issue then was accounts were merged too soon. It’s not noted in the documentation on Apple side. Not sure if Apple Card Supervisors have it in their book.

Does you wife have the Apple Card on any other devices, Apple Watch, iPad, Mac etc.? How about you?

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Answer 4

jdaigle1983 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 2, 2025 1:11 PM in response to Jeff Donald

Thanks Jeff, that helps at least give me some direction for my sanity.

I do have the Apple Card on my phone and my watch, my wife doesn’t have it on any devices due to the issue that is preventing that.

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Answer 5

Jeff Donald

Level 8

36,796 points

Apr 2, 2025 1:34 PM in response to jdaigle1983

Please ask your wife to check any devices she has to make sure the card is not in the Wallet app.

Once the card is out of any Wallets. It’ll take 10 to 11 days for it to be removed from Previous Cards. Once removed from there we can move forward.

Also check both iPhones for an invitation that’s still in the Wallet or Apple Account. Does your wife have her Apple Cash account setup and identity verified?