Verifying a person’s identity is necessary in a multitude of sectors to avoid fraud and impersonation.
Passports are documents that are widely used in this context, and are equipped with several security features: therefore, how to check a French passport online and ensure that the document presented is authentic?
Find out in this article!
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Control 1: general appearance to check a French passport online
The first step to check a French passport online when you can have access to the original document is the overall appearance of the document: it must not show any trace of cutting, removal, modification / rectification of any kind.
Pay particular attention to the level and around the photo.
Control 2: read, cross-reference and verify passport numbers and information
The second step in checking a French passport online is to ensure that the information on the document is consistent.
Document number
The document number can be found in two different places: at the top right of the front panel and at the beginning of the second line of the MRZ strip.
Both must be identical:
Date of birth
Here again, the holder’s date of birth can be found in two separate places: in the middle of the front and in the middle of the second MRZ line in YYMMDD format:
Last name and first name(s)
Type of owner
This information can be found on the front and in the second line of the MRZ strip:
Document expiry date
Another double element on the card is the expiry date, which can be found on the front of the card as well as in the second MRZ line in YYMMDD format:
Nationality
Nationality can be found in three places on the document: at the top of the front, at the beginning of the first line of the MRZ strip and in the second MRZ line:
Control 3: MRZ (Machine Readable Zone) or ZLA (Zone de Lecture Automatique) tape
The lower part of the passport is made up of two lines which repeat the information on the card, with validation keys to prevent misreading or falsification.
You can find a comprehensive article detailing the information involved and how the security keys for online residence permit verification are calculated in our article at this address.
Control 4: safety features
An identity document has a number of features that validate its authenticity.
This is the last step to check a French passport online, as it is the longest.
Holographic device
A new-generation holographic device is used to protect the exagon stamped “RF” in the top right-hand corner of the document.
It changes color according to orientation:
Safety film
A security film is affixed to the page to protect certain elements.
It changes color according to orientation:
Secondary photo
A secondary or “ghost” photo in black and white is visible right next to the original photo:
Watermark
Information appears as a watermark on the first page of the document:
Ultraviolet control
Some elements are visible only under ultraviolet light, but this requires specialized equipment (so not suitable for checking a French passport online):
Conclusion
You now have all the keys to check a French passport online and make sure it is authentic!
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!
