# Extract Passport Data

> Passport OCR API for any country: extract the passport number, names, nationality, dates, and MRZ in seconds, with ICAO 9303 validation. 20 free extractions.

The Extract Passport Data API lets you extract data from passports of any country programmatically. It uses artificial intelligence to process the images, extract every field on the data page, and validate the MRZ with the ICAO 9303 check digits.

This file is the service's complete plain-text reference, generated from the same content the site renders. The index is at https://extractpassportdata.com/llms.txt.

## Getting started

1. Create an account at https://extractpassportdata.com/register — it includes 20 free extractions, no card required.
2. Issue an API key at https://extractpassportdata.com/dashboard/api-keys (it starts with `pass_`).
3. Send the image to the extraction endpoint with an `X-API-Key` header.

## Endpoints

### POST https://extractpassportdata.com/api/v1/extract

Extracts data from an image of the passport data page.

| Field | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `image_front` | file / base64 / URL | Passport data page (required) |
| `image_back` | file / base64 / URL | Additional page (optional) |

```bash
curl -X POST https://extractpassportdata.com/api/v1/extract \
  -H "X-API-Key: pass_your_api_key" \
  -F "image_front=@passport.jpg" \
  -F "image_back=@passport_extra.jpg"
```

Response:

```json
{
  "success": true,
  "extraction_id": "clx1234567890",
  "data": {
    "passportNumber": "G12345678",
    "surname": "GOMEZ VELAZQUEZ",
    "givenNames": "MARGARITA",
    "nationality": "MEXICANA",
    "dateOfBirth": "05/07/1980",
    "sex": "F",
    "placeOfBirth": "COAHUILA",
    "dateOfIssue": "05/07/2023",
    "dateOfExpiry": "05/07/2033",
    "issuingCountry": "MEX",
    "issuingAuthority": "SRE",
    "personalNumber": "GOVM800705MCLRLR01",
    "mrzLine1": "P<MEXGOMEZ<VELAZQUEZ<<MARGARITA<<<<<<<<<<<<<",
    "mrzLine2": "G123456786MEX8007050F3307054<<<<<<<<<<<<<<08"
  },
  "tokens_remaining": 19,
  "upload_method": "multipart"
}
```

### GET https://extractpassportdata.com/api/v1/balance

Returns the token balance of the account the API key belongs to. Consumes no tokens.

```bash
curl https://extractpassportdata.com/api/v1/balance \
  -H "X-API-Key: pass_your_api_key"
```

## Extracted fields

We extract every field on the passport data page, including the complete machine-readable zone (MRZ).

| Field | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `passportNumber` | Passport number |
| `surname` | Surname(s) |
| `givenNames` | Given names |
| `nationality` | Nationality |
| `dateOfBirth` | Date of birth |
| `sex` | Sex |
| `placeOfBirth` | Place of birth |
| `dateOfIssue` | Date of issue |
| `dateOfExpiry` | Date of expiry |
| `issuingCountry` | Issuing country (ICAO code) |
| `issuingAuthority` | Issuing authority |
| `personalNumber` | Personal number (if present) |
| `mrzLine1` | MRZ line 1 |
| `mrzLine2` | MRZ line 2 |

## Pricing

Prepaid tokens: 1 token per extraction, no subscription, no expiry. A new account gets 20 free tokens.

| Tokens | Price | Per extraction |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 20 | $1 USD | $0.05 USD |
| 200 | $10 USD | $0.05 USD |
| 1,000 | $50 USD | $0.05 USD |
| 1,500 | $75 USD | $0.05 USD |
| 6,000 | $300 USD | $0.05 USD |

## Frequently asked questions

### What is Extract Passport Data?

Extract Passport Data is an AI-powered passport data-extraction service. You upload a photo of the passport data page and get the structured data back as JSON instantly, with the MRZ validated against the ICAO 9303 standard.

### Which countries are supported?

All of them. The machine-readable zone (MRZ) on passports follows the international ICAO 9303 standard, identical in every country. We process US, European, Latin American, Asian, and all other passports.

### What is the MRZ and why does it matter?

The MRZ (Machine Readable Zone) is the two 44-character lines at the bottom of the passport data page. It includes check digits that let us mathematically verify the reading was correct. We validate those digits on every extraction: if they do not add up, the token is refunded instead of delivering questionable data.

### How does the token system work?

Each extraction consumes 1 token. Tokens never expire and you can buy packs as you need them. When you sign up you get 20 free tokens to try the service with no commitment.

### What payment methods do you accept?

We accept credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express). All payments are processed securely through Stripe.

### Is it safe to upload passport images?

Yes, completely. Images are processed securely over SSL/TLS and deleted automatically after processing. We do not store the original images or share your data with third parties.

### Do you have an API for integration?

Yes, we offer a full REST API you can easily integrate into your applications. You can create multiple API keys from your dashboard and consult our detailed documentation.

### What happens if an extraction fails?

If an extraction fails because of a system error, or if the MRZ cannot be read clearly enough to validate its check digits, the token is automatically refunded to your account.

## Guides

- [The US Passport: Fields, Versions and How to Read It](https://extractpassportdata.com/blog/us-passport-fields-and-versions): The US passport data page: its fields, how the name is encoded in the MRZ, why the passport card uses a different MRZ format, and what e-passports change.
- [Automating Hotel Guest Check-in by Scanning the Passport](https://extractpassportdata.com/blog/hotel-guest-check-in-passport-scanning): How to cut international guest registration to seconds by reading the passport: what to capture, how to integrate with your PMS, and how to design the flow.
- [How to Choose a Passport OCR API: 9 Evaluation Criteria](https://extractpassportdata.com/blog/choosing-a-passport-ocr-api): How to choose a passport reading API: MRZ validation, failure behaviour, data retention, pricing model, and how to test each before you commit.
- [MRZ Formats: TD1, TD2 and TD3 (Differences and Detection)](https://extractpassportdata.com/blog/mrz-formats-td1-td2-td3): The ICAO 9303 MRZ formats TD1, TD2 and TD3: how many lines each has, which documents use them, where the fields differ, and how to detect the format.
- [How to Check Passport Validity (and the Six-Month Rule)](https://extractpassportdata.com/blog/how-to-check-passport-validity): How to check automatically whether a passport is valid, why many countries require six months of remaining validity, and how to use the MRZ expiry date.
- [Common Passport Scanning Errors (and How to Avoid Them)](https://extractpassportdata.com/blog/common-passport-scanning-errors): The real reasons automated passport reading fails — glare on the laminate, a cropped MRZ, insufficient resolution — and how to fix each one at capture time.
- [Passport KYC: Automating Identity Verification in the US](https://extractpassportdata.com/blog/passport-kyc-identity-verification): How to build a customer identification file from a passport: what data to capture, how to keep auditable evidence of the read, and what to automate.
- [How to Integrate a Passport OCR API (Complete Guide with Code)](https://extractpassportdata.com/blog/integrate-passport-ocr-api): Step-by-step integration of a passport data extraction API: the four image upload methods, every error code, and examples in JavaScript, Python and PHP.
- [ICAO 9303 Check Digits: How They're Calculated (with Code)](https://extractpassportdata.com/blog/icao-9303-check-digits-explained): The 7-3-1 MRZ check digit algorithm step by step, with the arithmetic on a real passport, the blind spot nobody mentions, and JavaScript and Python code.
- [How to Read a Passport MRZ Line by Line (Position Map)](https://extractpassportdata.com/blog/how-to-read-the-mrz-line-by-line): A map of all 88 MRZ positions on a passport: what every character holds, how names and dates are encoded, and how to decode one by hand.
- [How to Extract Passport Data Automatically (OCR + MRZ)](https://extractpassportdata.com/blog/how-to-extract-passport-data-automatically): A complete guide to extracting data from passports of any country with OCR: what the MRZ is, how ICAO 9303 check digits work, and how to integrate it via API.