Machine-Readable Zone (MRZ)

The MRZ is a standardized section of an MRTD designed to be read automatically by optical character recognition (OCR) systems such as passport scanners (e.g. onyScan) or swipe readers (e.g. onySwipe). The MRZ is located at the bottom of a passport’s data page or on the back of an ID card. It typically contains the following information:

• Personal details of document holder (e.g., name, date of birth, nationality)
• Document details (e.g., document number, expiration date, issuing country)
• A check digit system to verify data accuracy and prevent fraud

The MRZ follows a standardized format, for details see excursion below “ICAO Document 9303”, allowing automated processes at an airport such as Check-In Kiosks, Bag Drop Systems, Border Control Systems to efficiently extract and verify data.

Visual Inspection Zone (VIZ)

The VIZ is the section of an MRTD intended for human inspection. It typically contains the following information:

• A biometric photograph of the document holder
• Printed personal details such as full name, nationality, and date of birth
• Security elements like holograms or watermarks to make the document safer and more difficult to manipulate or forge

Unlike the MRZ, the VIZ’s formatting is not entirely uniform, as countries may choose different designs and fonts, as well as security elements. However, certain parts need to comply with international standards to ensure seamless processing on a global scale.

Excursion: ICAO Document 9303–The International Standard for MRTDs

To ensure interoperability and security, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) established Document 9303, which sets the global standards for MRTDs. The document defines standards such as:

• MRZ formatting (e.g., two or three lines, character spacing, font requirements)
• Personal data that must be included in MRZ and VIZ
• Other data that must be included in MRZ and VIZ
• Biometric integration for enhanced identity verification (e.g. portrait image of passport holder)

For more details about Document 9303 visit the ICAO website: https://www.icao.int/publications/pages/publication.aspx?docnum=9303

Conclusion

While the MRZ enables quick machine processing, the VIZ ensures human-readable verification. Together, they create a robust identification system that balances automation, security, and international consistency, as outlined by ICAO Document 9303.