ID – Check German passport validity online

How to verify the validity of a German passport online ?

Many business or personal processes require presenting proof of identity: recruitments, rentals, KYC processes, etc. Nowadays, documents are generally scanned or photographed before being sent by email: thus, it becomes complex to ensure that these documents are genuine and have not been altered with image editing software like Photoshop. Our product addresses this issue and allows:

• extracting information from the MRZ (Machine Readable Zone) of identity documents directly online, analyzing them, and verifying the security keys that ensure their authenticity
• validating the format of the document number (Dokumentennummer)

And all this within seconds!

How does the German passport validity check work ?

After your purchase is confirmed, you will receive an email with the credentials to log into our identity web application (please check your spam folder a few minutes after purchase if you have not received the activation email).

• Access to the platform

  • You log into the web application using the credentials received by email after your purchase or registration.

• Verification method selection

  • From your dashboard, you choose the option “Verify an identity document.”

• Document upload

  • You upload one or more scans (front/back) of the identity document, as images (.jpg, .png) or PDFs.

  • No further manipulation (cropping, rotation, etc.) is required: the system automatically detects the orientation and the MRZ zone.

• Automatic analysis

  • The service reads the MRZ (Machine Readable Zone) and verifies the security keys.

  • It checks essential information (card number, date of birth, expiration date, etc.) as well as the document’s integrity via check digits.

• Instant result

  • The analysis results appear immediately in the interface as a status (pass/fail) and a detailed report (PDF, JSON, or XML).

  • The report specifies the recognized fields and the validity of each element (check digits, date consistency, etc.).

• Report download and archiving

  • You can download or view the PDF report directly.

  • The data remains available in the history for later consultation, but you have the option to delete it at any time (privacy guaranteed).
    

• Optional integration (API)

  • • If you have a CRM or ERP, you can use the API to automate the verification: the document is then sent to the service and the report (or simply the status) is returned to your internal software.

    • You can find all details on these links:
      • Identity API
      • Resources API

• Managing your account and credits

  • Your analyses are only charged when the MRZ is successfully detected (i.e., if the information has been correctly extracted).

  • You can check your credit balance at any time and, if necessary, subscribe to a plan adapted to your needs.

• Support and assistance

  • In case of difficulty or questions, you can contact support via email or through the integrated help interface.

  • Additional resources (guides, FAQ, API documentation) are also available online.

You can find all the details on the product page Identity web suite.

What elements are validated during the German passport validity check?

The document number of the German passport (die Dokumentennummer im deutschen Reisepass)

The document number follows an official ministry pattern: we verify that this is the case to validate it.

The MRZ information

We verify and validate all the information in the MRZ as well as the security keys.

Use cases

• Recruitment and onboarding
  When you need to validate the identity of a candidate before signing an employment contract, online identity document verification ensures document compliance and limits fraud risks. You save time in your administrative processes and offer a smoother experience to your future employees.

• Property rental
  When signing a lease, you can require identity verification to ensure the tenant’s reliability. This step ensures the provided document is authentic and that information (name, date of birth, etc.) has not been altered or forged.

• KYC process (Know Your Customer)
  In the banking, financial sector, or for service providers subject to anti-money laundering and fraud prevention obligations, identity validation is essential. MRZ reading and security key verification help comply with current regulations while simplifying checks.

• Online service registration
  Whether accessing a gambling platform, online trading, or any other service requiring proof of majority or strong authentication, automatic identity document control quickly verifies that the user meets legal conditions.

• B2B relationships or partnerships
  In certain partnerships or commercial contracts, proof of identity may be required to confirm the identity of an associate or legal representative. Automated identity document verification helps secure transactions and builds trust between parties.

Professionals, automate identity document verification within your CRM / ERP / Business application!

We offer subscriptions that may better fit your needs! You will find all the details on the
pricing page.

We also offer a service to perform verification of all identity or resource documents via API, in addition to our web application, allowing smooth integration with your CRM / ERP /
Business application! You can find all details on these links :

• Identity API
• Resources API

How are the results of the German passport validity verification (Reisepass) presented?

Besides the web application, the analysis results are available for download in PDF / JSON / XML formats:

What document formats are accepted?

You can send your documents as jpg / jpeg / png images or as PDFs. Scans/photos do not need to be cropped or retouched: they are automatically detected during the German passport validity verification. It is possible to send the front and back of the document in the same scan and in any order (front first and back underneath, or vice versa): they will be sorted and recognized without problem.

Am I charged if the information is not correctly extracted during the German passport validity verification?

The answer is no! Only a correctly recognized German passport is chargeable! And if by chance characters are not correctly detected (which can happen with a poor quality photo, for example), you have the option to correct them to get a reliable analysis regardless. You can see details in this video:

What is the German passport MRZ (Machine Readable Zone)?

An automatic reading zone, or optical reading zone, is an area on an official document reserved for reading, identification, and validation of the document. Thus, documents such as passports, national ID cards, residence permits, driver’s licenses may or must include, depending on the country and document versions, an optical reading zone. It is located at the bottom part of identity documents: it contains all the information present on the document with security keys that verify their authenticity and that they have not been altered. The information found there varies depending on the type of document.

How is it composed?

Cards issued from 2021 have three lines of text, each containing alphanumeric characters.

What data is extracted during the German passport validity verification?

The data extracted from the German passport MRZ are the following:

• First line:

1. Document Type: A code indicating the document type, represented by the letter “P”.
2. Type: a character for countries that distinguish between passport types.
3. Country code: Issuing country code with 3 characters.
4. Name and given names: Name and first names of the person separated by two “<“, then completed by “<“.

• Second line:

1. Document number: 9 alphanumeric characters.
2. Check digit: 1 numeric character, check digit of the document number.
3. Nationality: 3 characters indicating nationality according to the ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 standard.
4. Date of birth: 6 numeric characters (year in two digits, month and day in YYMMDD format).
5. Check digit: 1 numeric character, check digit of the date of birth.
6. Sex: 1 character, “M” for male, “F” for female.
7. Expiration date: 6 numeric characters (year in two digits, month and day in YYMMDD format).
8. Check digit: 1 numeric character, check digit of the expiration date.
9. Personal number: 14 alphanumeric characters, used by some countries.
10. Check digit: 1 numeric character, check digit of the personal number (or “<” if only chevrons).
11. Check digit: 1 numeric character, overall check digit.

Personal data

You can delete all data once the report is downloaded: simply delete the analysis from the web interface history! The data are also automatically deleted after 3 months. You can find details about personal data on our dedicated page : Privacy Policy.

Terms and conditions

You can find the details of our terms and conditions at the following address : TrustDocHub Terms and Conditions.