Passport scanner API
Passport scanning allows you to accept identity credentials from customers around the world.
It is available inside our off-the-shelf passport scanning software and via SDK and DIVE API.
Passport scanning software
Readable fields from a passport
Passports use a machine readable zone (MRZ) to store data. MRZs are highly standardized and contain only limited data, but can still be used to verify age and identity.
- First name
- Last name
- Middle name / middle initial
- Country of issue
- Nationality
- Date of birth
- Age
- Sex / gender
- Passport number
- Expiration date
How passport scanning works
Developers for thousands of global organizations use our passport scanning tools, including APIs and SDKs, to reliably read passports.
1
Scan the passport
Our ID scanning technology will autofocus on the MRZ for a crisp, rapid scan. It does not use OCR.
2
MRZ converts to raw data
Our technology turns the MRZ data into a consumable text string.
3
Parse the data
Import and classify the passport data and sort it into the correct text fields inside your app.
iOS passport scanning integration
How do I add passport scanning to my iOS application?
Our ID scanning SDK for iOS will allow you to turn the built-in camera on an iPhone or iPad into an ID scanner, capable of reading 2D barcodes on IDs and passport MRZs. You will need to use both our camera scanning SDK (to allow the camera to read IDs) and the ID parsing SDK (to convert the MRZ into readable data).
Can I use this SDK inside a web-based application?
If you are scanning IDs in-browser or inside a web app, we recommend our DIVE API, which provides a near turnkey solution that can be embedded inside your existing workflows, and reads passports natively.
Android passport scanning integration
How do I add passport scanning to my Android application?
In order to receive a License Key for our Android ID Scanning SDK send an email to support@idscan.net with the Package Name. Please be sure to provide your order number in the email once ready to upgrade from trial to production mode.
Can I use this SDK inside a web-based application?
If you are scanning IDs in-browser or inside a web app, we recommend our DIVE API, which provides a near turnkey solution that can be embedded inside your existing workflows.
What are the differences between the iOS SDK and the Android SDK?
There are no notable differences. If you are building an application on both platforms they will work very similarly.
Passport scanning software
Using passport scanning hardware
What hardware can I use to scan passports?
Windows-based passport scanning requires use of a flatbed scanner with a window large enough to accept passports.
In order to read both IDs and passports you will need to utilize a flatbed scanner such as the QS2000, AT10K, or TS200. These scanners have windows large enough to read passport MRZ and capture images of the passport. They are also capable of reading drivers licenses and state ID cards.
The Thales CR100 and CR100M can read passport MRZ with a swipe, but are not capable of reading drivers licenses and ID cards with a 2D barcode.
What are the benefits of using a dedicated scanner vs. a mobile device?
Specialty passport scanners come with a host of benefits.
- Dedicated hardware is high performant and designed for high volume environments.
- Some passport scanners such as the AT10K can read the RFID chips embedded in modern passports.
- Specialty passport scanners can perform ID authentication.
- Dedicated passport scanners are capable of performing image capture, which allows you to ingest an image of the passport or individual alongside the scanned data.
- Dedicated passport scanners provide increased legitimacy, as many customers do not want to have their passport scanned by what they perceive is a personal device.
Compare passport scanners
Any of the below passport scanning devices are fully compatible with VeriScan, ParseLink, and our passport scanning API and SDKs.
 |  |  |  |  | |
| ID scanner make/model | Thales QS2000 | Unitech SwiftScan | Thales AT9K | Thales AT10000 | Thales CR100 |
| Scans all North American IDs | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Scans global passport books | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scans global passport cards and other MRZ documents | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Detect expired IDs & passports | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Age verification (18+, 21+) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Optical character recognition (OCR) for parsing of data not stored in the MRZ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Image capture | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Dimensions | 7.3″ x 6.0 x 5.2″ | 5.1″ x 5.7″ x 2.7″ | 4.3″ x 2.3″ x 2.2″ | 7.1″ x 4.53″ 2.8″ | 3.8″ x 1.3″ x 1.8″ |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs | 2.2 lbs | 2.4 lbs | 4.5 lbs | 4 oz. |
| Time per scan | 6.7 seconds | 0.6 seconds | 1.9 seconds | 2.1 seconds | 0.8 seconds |
| Manufacturing location | China | China | South Korea | South Korea | |
Benefits of passport scanning
Passport scanning saves time, saves manpower, reduces errors, and allows you to operate as a global business.
Reduce typos
Eliminate typos by parsing passport data directly from the scanned passport with 100% accuracy.
Compliance requirements
Meet compliance requirements for many business types that require digital passport scanning.
Easy logging, tracking
Save and export visitor logs which show a full history of each scanned passport so you have a detailed audit log of all customers
Catch fakes
Reduce fraud by detecting suspicious and fraudulent identity documents electronically.
ID & passport scanning FAQ
How does passport scanning work?
ID scanning uses a camera or an auto-focus laser to instantly read data stored in the symbology of an passport. This data is turned into a raw text string where it can be examined and parsed into software systems.
Does passport scanning use OCR?
Some passport scanning applications attempt to ingest data on the front of the passport using optical character recognition (OCR), however reading the data stored in the machine readable zone (MRZ) results in far greater accuracy and faster scan time.
What type of camera is needed for passport scanning?
It is recommended that you use a camera that is at least 5 Megapixels or higher. Most mobile phone camera exceed the required standard.
Are there differences between scanning an ID and a passport?
There are several small differences. The barcode is on the back of an ID, so it will need to be flipped over, while the MRZ is exposed directly under the text on the first page of the passport. Passport MRZs also store quite a bit less data.
What is the difference between passport scanning and passport parsing?
The passport scanning SDK will essentially turn a mobile device into a scanning device. It is ideal for use cases where specialty scanning hardware cannot be used and users will be scanning passports with their phone or tablet. Passport parsing takes the information captured in the passport scan and turns it into digestible data that can be used in form fields or a database.
Which types of passports can you scan?
Our technology is capable of scanning all global passports and passport cards. Any document with a machine readable zone (MRZ) can be scanned. We also are compatible with a limited number of non-barcode documents.
Identity verification developer tools
All of our identity verification and passport scanning tools can be licensed via SDK and API. They allow businesses of all sizes to integrate ID and passport scanning, face matching, third party checks, and more.
ID parsing
Learn more about ID parsing and turning data from a scanned ID into raw text strings.
Digital Identity Verification Engine (DIVE)
Remote identity proofing including ID validation, face match, and third party checks.
ID authentication
Take your ID scanning to the next level with ultraviolet and infrared forensic document analysis.
Best-in-class passport scanning
It’s right in the name of our business. We scan millions of IDs and passports every month and offer deluxe passport scanning products and MRZ reader APIs.
