MRZ Parser

MRZ Parser for Passport, ID, and Visa Scanning

Extract structured data from Machine Readable Zones (MRZ) on passports, ID cards, and visas using barKoder’s high-accuracy MRZ parser. Decode document type, name, nationality, date of birth, expiry, and more instantly within your app.

About

barKoder MRZ Parser

A Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) is a section on identity documents – such as passports, ID cards, visas, residence permits, and other travel documents – that contains encoded personal information in a standardized format.

Whether you're verifying identity for onboarding, KYC, access control, or fleet management, barKoder instantly returns clean, labeled fields from a single scan.

barKoder's parser decodes and organizes the AAMVA data into structured fields which are then returned in a developer-friendly JSON format, with key-value pairs mapped to the AAMVA data elements, like so:

code snippet JSON:

{ "first_name": "Alex",
"last_name": "Johnson",
"license_number": "D12345678",
"address": "123 Main St",
"city": "Austin",
"state": "TX",
"zip": "78701",
"dob": "1990-02-12",
"issue_date": "2022-01-01",
"expiry_date": "2030-01-01"
}

Structure

What is Machine Readable Zone?

The Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) is a standardized format used globally on identity documents such as passports, visas, and some national ID cards. It allows machines to quickly and accurately read personal data using optical character recognition (OCR) technology.

Most passports and machine-readable travel documents (MRTDs) include a Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) that encodes key personal and document data in a standardized format defined by the ICAO Document 9303. The MRZ typically appears on the bottom of the identity page and includes:

Full name (first, middle, last)
Document number (DL/ID)
Nationality
Date of birth
Gender
Document expiration date
Issuing country or authority
Check digits for data validation

Features

Features of the MRZ Parser

Compliant with ICAO Document 9303 standards for MRZ formats (TD1, TD2, TD3, and MRV)
Works offline and in real-time for fast and secure processing
Parses standardized MRZ fields, including name, document number, nationality, date of birth, sex, expiration date, and issuing country
Supports passports, visas, and national ID cards from most countries worldwide
Includes check digit and formatting validation
Handles OCR-B font and layout-specific parsing logic
Cross-platform support: iOS, Android, Web, Desktop
Lightweight and optimized for use in mobile apps, kiosks, and border control systems

Use Cases

MRZ Parsing Use Cases

Border Control & Immigration: Rapid verification of passports and visas at airports and border checkpoints
Travel & Hospitality: Guest check-in at hotels, cruise lines, and travel agencies
Financial Services: Identity verification during KYC (Know Your Customer) for banking and fintech applications
e-Government Services: Online passport or ID validation for accessing digital government services
Telecommunications: Customer onboarding and ID validation for SIM card registration
Access Control & Security: Identity checks for secure facilities, events, and restricted areas

Demo App

Barcode Scanner by barKoder

The Barcode Scanner by barKoder app will provide you with an easy-to-use tool designed to showcase the versatility and functionality of our Barcode Scanner SDK in capturing all supported barcode formats, including DPM-engraved Data Matrix codes.

Apart from the plethora of useful features, including a variety of options when it comes to exporting the results of each successful barcode scan, you’ll have access to a specially designed DPM scanning template containing all optimum DPM decoding settings.