Glossary Biometric Document

Biometric Document

Definition, Use Cases & Identity Verification Explained

A biometric document is a government-issued identity document containing biometric data of the personal information, including digital facial image, as well as fingerprint. These documents usually include a secure Near Field Communication (NFC) chip that stores biometric information and enables fast, reliable, and fraud-resistant verification.

Biometric documents play a central role in secure digital onboarding, electronic identification, and compliance with KYC, AML, and data protection regulations.

What is a biometric document?

A biometric document links a person's physical characteristics to their official identity. What makes it 'biometric' is the inclusion of unique, measurable human traits, such as a face or fingerprint, encoded digitally within the document, often on a tamper-resistant NFC chip.

These identity documents are widely used for physical identification (e.g. border control) and digital identity verification (e.g. online banking, telecoms and insurance).

How biometric documents work

Biometric documents work by matching live biometric data, such as a person's photo or fingerprint scan, with the data stored or printed on the document.

The key components are:

• NFC chip: This stores encrypted biometric data that can be read by authorised scanners or smartphones.
• Photographic data: A visible and digital facial image.
• Other identifiers: Name, nationality, date of birth, document number, and expiry date.

Verification typically involves a fews steps:

1. Scanning the document
2. Reading the NFC chip
3. Comparing the chip data to a live capture (e.g., a face match)
4. Confirming that the document is genuine and belongs to the person presenting it

Types of biometric documents

The type of biometric document depends on the issuing authority and the intended use. The most common types include:

• ePassports (biometric passports): They contain an NFC chip and comply with ICAO standards
• Electronic national ID cards: They feature biometric photos and sometimes fingerprint data
• Biometric residence permits: Used by foreign residents
• Digital driver’s licenses with biometric features: Adopted by an increasing number of countries

Where biometric documents are used

Biometric documents are used wherever identity needs to be verified securely and reliably, including:

• Border control and immigration
• eGovernment and public services
• Online banking and KYC processes
• Digital onboarding for telecom and insurance
• eSigning and contract workflows

Biometric documents in identity verification

Biometric documents provide a secure and scalable way to confirm user identity for digital identity verification, especially in remote or automated onboarding. They enable:

• Authentication of the document itself (fraud analysis; document type and consistency checks; data extraction and document validation)
• Matching the document photo with a live facial scan (biometric face match)
• Ensuring the person is physically present via liveness detection

This prevents identity theft and protects against fraud, such as deepfakes or fake IDs. It also enables compliance with regulations such as AML (Anti-Money Laundering), KYC (Know Your Customer), and GwG (Swiss Anti-Money Laundering Act).

How PXL Vision uses biometric documents for identity verification

At PXL Vision, we use biometric documents containing NFC chips to power our AI-based identity verification solution. Our process includes:

• Document scan: Document authenticity checks, such as  visual inspection zone (VIZ) and also hologram or watermark checks, if necessary. 
• NFC chip reading: Extracts biometric data directly from the document chip
• Biometric face match: Compares the image stored in the NFC chip with a live selfie photo or video
• Liveness detection: Confirms that the person is real and present (not a spoof)

This delivers high security, full automation, and an exceptional user experience across sectors like fintech, insurance, education, and telecommunications.

How Many Countries' Biometric Documents Does PXL Vision Support?

PXL Vision supports variety of biometric documents from over 165 countries, including:

• National ID cards or passports with NFC chips
• Some residence permit cards and digital driver’s licenses