Verifying a person’s identity is necessary in a multitude of sectors to avoid fraud and impersonation.
The 1995 version of the CNI is still the most widely used document for proving identity. So how do you check a French identity card online to make sure it’s genuine?
Find out in this article!
We also have an article on the biometric/electronic identity card (after 2021), which you can find at this address.
Professionals, do you need to integrate proof of identity validation into one of your business processes, including all European identity cards and global passports? Discover our API with web application to validate the authenticity of an identity document in less than 10s!
Small structures and individuals, do you simply need to verify one or more proof of identity via a web application? Discover our identity web suite!
Check 1: general appearance of the French identity card
The first step in checking an ID card when you have access to the original document is its overall appearance: it must show no trace of cutting, peeling, modification or rectification of any kind.
Pay particular attention to the level and around the photo.
Care should also be taken to ensure that the “RF” stamps in the middle of the edges of the ID card are present.
Control 2: read, cross-reference and verify the numbers and information on the online ID card
The second step in verifying a French identity card online is to check the consistency of the information on the document.
Card number
The card number can be found in two different places: at the top of the front panel, and in the second line of the MRZ strip.
Both must be identical:
Initials on photo
The initials of the CNI holder can be found in the top right-hand corner of the photo:
Date of birth
Here again, the cardholder’s date of birth can be found in two separate places: in the middle of the front of the card, and at the end of the second MRZ line in YYMMDD format:
Last name and first name(s)
The same applies to first and last names, which can be found on the map and in the first and second lines of the MRZ strip:
Department on the front line
At the end of the first line, we will find 6 digits made up of:
– Before February 2017: the two digits of the issuing department + 1 digit relating to the issuing service, followed by the agent’s 3-digit extension number.
– After February 2017: “0” followed by the two digits of the issuing department, followed by the agent’s 3-digit extension number.
On the illustration below, the card is therefore obviously invalid because there is no “0” before the two digits of the issuing department, even though the card was issued after February 2017.
Department on the second line
The two digits of the department of line 1 can be found just after the date of issue of the card, on the second line (without the “0” if card after February 2017).
Card issue date
Last but not least, there are three elements on the card: the issue date, which can be found on the back of the card, in the card number and in the second MRZ line in AAMM format:
Control 3: font
The third step in verifying a French identity card online: the font!
Official documents use a specific font that is relatively easy to distinguish (see examples above).
Here’s an example of a bad font:
Control 4: MRZ (Machine Readable Zone) or ZLA (Zone de Lecture Automatique) tape
The lower part of the CNI is made up of two lines that repeat the information on the card, with validation keys to prevent misreading or falsification.
You can find a comprehensive article detailing the information present and how the security keys are calculated to verify a French identity card online on our article available at this address.
Control 5: safety features
An identity document has a number of features that validate its authenticity.
This is the last and longest step in verifying a French identity card online.
In the case of the 1995 version of the ID card, there are 6 in all, 4 of which can be checked with the naked eye.
Security thread / watermark “French Republic”
A security thread stamped “République Française” is visible just above the signature on the front of the card.
To see it, simply put the map against the light to make it visible.
Marianne and “RF%watermarks
A Marianne watermark is used on the front of the card, in the upper part:
A second watermark is used on the back of the card, at the bottom (“RF”):
As before, all you have to do to see them is put the map against the light.
Gold bands “RF%
Relatively easy to see and control, two gold “RF” stripes are present on the front of the card:
Guillochis
The guilloches are the small, irregular waves that can be seen on the card: they’re not the most obvious element for checking an ID card online, but they shouldn’t be generally inconsistent with each other.
Particular attention should be paid to the guilloches in the photo.
Ultraviolet control
Some elements are only visible under ultraviolet light, but this requires specialized equipment (so not suitable for checking ID cards online).
A fake map under ultraviolet light:
A real ultraviolet map:
Conclusion
Now you have all the information you need to check a French identity card online and make sure it’s genuine!
There’s no need for specialized equipment: just a little vigilance and time, and you’ll be able to avoid most of the frauds you encounter on a daily basis!
Finally, if you need to verify the authenticity of documents in a rental file, we offer a dedicated service at the following address:
