IdScanly / Passport OCR
Passport OCR API for structured passport data
Turn passport photos into fields your application can use. IdScanly reads supported passport data pages and returns structured identity information for registration, onboarding and guest check-in.
Use extracted names, document numbers and dates to prepare records for review. Available MRZ information adds machine-readable data alongside information read from the visible page.
Synthetic data — an illustration of extraction, for review.
DEMO<<EXAMPLE<<0000
000000<<000000<<00- Name
- Alex Example
- Document number
- DEMO-0001
- Expiry date
- 2030-01-01
What is a passport OCR API?
A passport OCR API reads text from a passport image and organizes the result into named fields. Your application receives usable values instead of leaving the information inside an uploaded photo or asking someone to type every detail again.
IdScanly provides the document-reading component. Your software handles the customer journey, the destination record and any checks needed before the information is accepted.
Passport information you can extract
The available result depends on the passport and the quality of the submitted image.
| Information | Examples of available data |
|---|---|
| Holder details | Full name and available name components |
| Birth details | Date of birth and place of birth where supported |
| Nationality | Nationality shown on the document |
| Passport reference | Document type and passport number |
| Issuing information | Issuing country, authority and issue date where available |
| Validity | Expiry date |
| Machine-readable information | Available MRZ data and checksum validation results |
These are field examples, not a fixed output limit. A passport may contain information outside its MRZ, and not every passport presents the same fields.
Read the visible page and the MRZ
The machine-readable zone contains a standardized representation of selected passport information. The visible data page can contain additional details and a different presentation of a person's name.
IdScanly combines available OCR and MRZ information in its extraction workflow. Your application can use the returned fields to prepare a record while preserving the distinction between reading document data and verifying a person.
For more detail, see MRZ reading and checksum validation.
Give a retake a useful role
A reflection may cover the passport number while the name remains readable. A second photo may reveal the number more clearly.
Keep those images in the same document session. Information available from different views can contribute to the merged result. Supported capture feedback can also help your interface request a clearer image when the photo needs attention.
Your application supplies the capture screen and shows the next step to the user.
Use passport data in your business workflow
- Guest registration: prepare identity fields for a hotel check-in record.
- Customer onboarding: populate an application and let the customer or your team confirm the details.
- Visitor registration: prepare the relevant identity information for a planned visit.
- Rental administration: supply reviewed identity fields to a renter or tenant record.
Explore hotel check-in, customer onboarding or visitor registration.
Review the fields that matter
Compare the extracted result with the document before committing important details. Confidence scores help your workflow prioritize review, while capture feedback can identify supported reasons to request another photo.
Pay particular attention to names, passport numbers and dates. How your application handles a missing or uncertain value should reflect the record you are creating.
Passport OCR questions
Can the API read a photo taken on a phone?
You can submit a phone photo in a supported image format. Keep the complete data page visible and the text readable. Glare, blur and cropped areas can affect the available result.
Does passport OCR only read the MRZ?
IdScanly also reads supported information from the visible document. Available fields depend on the passport and image, and can extend beyond the data encoded in the MRZ.
Can I submit a clearer photo of the same passport?
Yes. Add the retake to the same document session so that available evidence can contribute to one merged result.
Does reading a passport verify its authenticity?
OCR extracts information. Authenticity assessment and verification of the person presenting the passport require separate capabilities and review.
How can I check a particular passport version?
Try the live demo or contact us with the issuing country, document version and fields you need. See document coverage for how to assess suitability.
See what IdScanly reads from your passport documents
Try a representative document image and review the returned fields. For production access, tell us which passports your customers use and where the extracted information needs to go.