How to photograph your document
Before you start
- Find a well-lit place, preferably near a window during the day or under bright indoor lighting.
- Place your document on a flat, non-reflective surface that is darker than the document itself (for example, a table or a book).
- Do not hold the document in your hand or place it on glass or a glossy surface, as reflections can affect the photo quality.
Taking the photo
- Hold your phone directly above the document so that the camera is parallel to the page (not at an angle).
- Align the document with the on-screen frame.
- When the frame turns green, the document is positioned correctly and the photo will be taken automatically.
- Keep your phone still for one more second. There's no need to press any buttons.
If you see a warning
If you receive a warning about glare or low lighting, move to a brighter place or slightly adjust the angle of your phone, then wait for the frame to turn green again before taking the photo.
If the first attempt isn't successful, don't worry — you can simply try again.
Why the scanner is so picky about the photo: Why good document capture matters for OCR accuracy.
About this tool
This scanner is built on the same MRZ-reading engine that powers Misfora's guest registration platform for short-term rentals and hotels — the part that reads a passport or Turkish ID card (Kimlik) and turns it into structured data in a couple of seconds. We're making it available for free as a standalone tool.
Passport OCR and MRZ recognition
The scanner uses OCR (optical character recognition) and machine-readable zone (MRZ) recognition to extract structured information from passports and identity documents. It reads the document two ways — the printed text and the MRZ along the bottom — and cross-checks one against the other using the MRZ's own check digits before returning a result, which is what makes the extracted data reliable rather than a single unverified guess. "Passport scanner" is the tool on this page; "passport OCR" is the same recognition technology, also available as a standalone developer API for teams building it into their own software. The camera capture you see here — document detection, quality checks and auto-capture — is available for web applications as the Web Scanner SDK.
Passport formats supported
Both are defined by the same international standard, ICAO 9303, so one MRZ-reading engine handles passports and ID cards from most countries with the same recognition logic.
- TD3 passports — the standard passport format: a two-line, 44-character MRZ on the photo page.
- TD1 identity cards — the three-line, 30-character MRZ format used on most ID cards, usually printed on the back.
See the full supported documents and country coverage table →
What photo formats and file size are accepted?
JPEG, PNG and HEIC/HEIF photos, up to 10 MB — either straight from your camera or an existing photo from your device. HEIC/HEIF (the default format on newer iPhones) is converted automatically on our end, so you can upload it as-is — no need to export or share it as JPEG first.
Is this free tool related to my Misfora account?
No — it's a fully separate, anonymous tool. It doesn't create a guest record, doesn't touch any reservation, and isn't connected to any property or company.
Is there a Telegram bot version?
Yes — @MisforaScannerBot runs the exact same recognition engine as this page — send it a photo of your passport or ID card in a Telegram chat and get the same fields back as a message, no browser or camera permissions needed.
Can I scan a passport online?
Yes — this tool runs entirely in your browser tab, with no installation and no account. Open the scanner, allow camera access (or upload a photo instead), and the structured data appears in a few seconds.
Is this passport scanner free?
Yes, completely free, with no sign-up and no usage limit for individual use. It's the same recognition engine that powers Misfora's paid hospitality platform and developer API, offered here as a free standalone tool.
Does the scanner read the MRZ?
Yes — the MRZ is the primary source for most fields, because it carries its own check digits that let the scanner verify what it read. The printed text on the page is used as a cross-check, not the main source.
What information can be extracted from a passport?
First name, last name, date of birth, gender, nationality, document number, expiry date and issuing country — see the full example response above.
Does it work on iPhone?
Yes — it runs in Safari or any other browser on iPhone, no app to install. Camera capture and photo upload (including HEIC) both work.
Does it work on Android?
Yes — it runs in Chrome or any other browser on Android, no app to install. Camera capture and photo upload both work the same way as on iPhone or desktop.
Is my passport photo stored?
No — see Private by design above. Your photo is processed in memory and discarded immediately after the result is returned. It's never saved to disk or kept in any form, and it's never linked to your name or document number.