Stripe Connect | Direct Charges | Node.js: No such PaymentMethod: 'pm_card_visa'

Question

I am trying to make a direct payment with Stripe Connect via React Native. I included my Node.js backend function that creates the paymentIntent. These are the guides on the Stripe Docs I where following:

Creating PaymentIntent:

1: https://stripe.com/docs/payments/accept-a-payment?platform=react-native

Stripe Connect Create Direct Charge:

2: https://stripe.com/docs/connect/direct-charges

After following these two guides I got the error customer doesn't exist (customerID). Ok, so as far as I know this makes sense since I created a customer on the platform lvl and tried to use that customer to create the paymentIntent for the connected account that doesn't have that customer. So I researched further and found this:

Cloning Customers across accounts:

3: https://stripe.com/docs/connect/cloning-customers-across-accounts

This is exactly what I wan't since I am building a platform app where I don't wont the customer to reenter payment information every time.

If your platform uses the Payment Methods API, you must create a PaymentMethod from that customer

I am not sure but I think I need to do that? Ok, so I go to this link...

https://stripe.com/docs/payments/payment-methods/connect#cloning-payment-methods

Now, the say here: Create a PaymentMethod using the API or code a fixed test ID before making this request.

After clicking on the "fixed test ID" you get to this page:

https://stripe.com/docs/testing#cards

There is the test paymentMethod: "pm_card_visa". I use it, it doesn't work. Thats my problem. Please have a look at my commented code below to completely understand my problem.

app.post('/payment-sheet', async (req, res) => {
  // Use an existing Customer ID if this is a returning customer.
  const customer = await stripe.customers.create();
  console.log("CUSTOMER_ID", customer.id);

  const paymentMethod = await stripe.paymentMethods.create({
    type: 'card',
    card: {
      number: '4242424242424242',
      exp_month: 4,
      exp_year: 2023,
      cvc: '314',
    },
  });
  console.log("PAYMENT_METHOD_ID", customer.id);

  const clonedPaymentMethod = await stripe.paymentMethods.create({
    customer: customer.id,
    payment_method: paymentMethod.id,
  }, {
    stripeAccount: 'acct_1Ks7wyQ7pYORq1ll',
  });
  console.log("CLONED_PAYMENT_METHOD_ID", paymentMethod.id);

  const clonedCustomer = await stripe.customers.create({
    paymentMethod: clonedPaymentMethod.id,
  }, {
    stripeAccount: 'acct_1Ks7wyQ7pYORq1ll',
  });
  console.log("CLONED_CUSTOMER_ID", customer.id);

  const paymentIntent = await stripe.paymentIntents.create({
    amount: 1099,
    customer: clonedCustomer.id,
    paymentMethod: clonedPaymentMethod.id,
    currency: 'eur',
    automatic_payment_methods: {
      enabled: true,
    },
  }, {
    stripeAccount: 'acct_1Ks7wyQ7pYORq1ll',
  });

  res.json({
    paymentIntent: paymentIntent.client_secret,
    ephemeralKey: ephemeralKey.secret,
    customer: customer.id,
    publishableKey: 'pk_test_51If3LbLceO********************9xxLypLlBm24BXiP5FsLsb9TgNOwmHGCYYPKZsDoU000J8jVZmF'
  });
});

Answer 1

Test Cards are only available in the US. https://stripe.com/docs/testing#cards If you're not in the US you can't use the test cards and have to use. Use the international card that fits your country: https://stripe.com/docs/testing?numbers-or-method-or-token=payment-methods#international-cards

Answer 2

This is the code I got it working with in the end. I needed to create a payment method for the platform customer first before cloning it.

app.post('/payment-sheet', async (req, res) => {
  // Use an existing Customer ID if this is a returning customer.
  const customer = await stripe.customers.create();
  console.log("CUSTOMER_ID", customer.id);

  const paymentMethod = await stripe.paymentMethods.create({
    type: 'card',
    card: {
      number: '4242424242424242',
      exp_month: 4,
      exp_year: 2023,
      cvc: '314',
    },
  });
  console.log("PAYMENT_METHOD_ID", customer.id);

  const clonedPaymentMethod = await stripe.paymentMethods.create({
    customer: customer.id,
    payment_method: paymentMethod.id,
  }, {
    stripeAccount: 'acct_1Ks7wyQ7pYORq1ll',
  });
  console.log("CLONED_PAYMENT_METHOD_ID", paymentMethod.id);

  const clonedCustomer = await stripe.customers.create({
    payment_method: clonedPaymentMethod.id,
  }, {
    stripeAccount: 'acct_1Ks7wyQ7pYORq1ll',
  });
  console.log("CLONED_CUSTOMER_ID", customer.id);

  const ephemeralKey = await stripe.ephemeralKeys.create({
    customer: clonedCustomer.id
  }, {
      apiVersion: '2020-08-27',
      stripeAccount: 'acct_1Ks7wyQ7pYORq1ll',
    },
  );
  console.log("EPHEMERAL_KEY", ephemeralKey.secret);

  const paymentIntent = await stripe.paymentIntents.create({
    amount: 1099,
    customer: clonedCustomer.id,
    payment_method: clonedPaymentMethod.id,
    currency: 'eur',
    automatic_payment_methods: {
      enabled: true,
    },
  }, {
    stripeAccount: 'acct_1Ks7wyQ7pYORq1ll',
  });

  res.json({
    paymentIntent: paymentIntent.client_secret,
    ephemeralKey: ephemeralKey.secret,
    customer: clonedCustomer.id,
    publishableKey: 'pk_test_51If3LbLceOiP5FsLsb9Tg********************NOwmHGCYYPKZsDoU000J8jVZmF'
  });
});