Document Verification

ID document verification & authentication

Authenticate South African identity documents using OCR, extracted fields, validation status and returned warnings. Verify ID books, smart ID cards, passports, and driver's licences in seconds.

Start Verifying DocumentsSee pricing

Document verification

Check identity documents in seconds.

Upload a supported ID document and receive extracted fields, a validation status and review warnings in one structured result.

  • OCR extraction
  • Document warnings
  • Dashboard and API
OCR + document warnings
Risk-based workflow evidence
Fraud Detection
VerifyNow document verification result showing OCR, authenticity and tamper-signal checks
Result anatomy

See what your document review receives

The response connects the submitted image to a request reference, a document status and the identity fields the service could extract. Warnings remain visible so your team can send an exception to review.

Run document verificationRead the API response

Fictional preview

ID document result

APPROVED

Request reference

doc_••••••7A

Document type

Identity Card

Issuing country

ZAF

Document number

••••••••9087

Full name

•••••• ••••

Warnings

None returned

A returned status supports review. Your onboarding policy decides whether to accept, retry or escalate the document.

Features

Document authentication evidence

OCR, returned document fields, a validation status and review warnings

OCR Data Extraction

Upload TIFF, JPG/JPEG, PNG, WEBP or PDF files, up to 5 MB per front or back file, and extract document details with OCR.

Document Risk Warnings

Review warnings returned for document quality, consistency, authenticity and presentation risk.

Document Review Signals

Use the returned status, extracted fields and warnings to route clear results or exceptions for review.

Structured Results

Receive a request reference, document status and extracted fields in one response. Your review rules decide the next step.

Multiple Document Types

Support for SA ID books, smart ID cards, passports, driver's licenses, and foreign documents.

Compliance evidence

Use the result as evidence within your own risk-based FICA controls and POPIA processing framework.

Documents

Supported document types

Authenticate all major South African and international identity documents

South African Smart ID Card

Submit front and back images of a South African smart ID card for OCR and document review.

Document type returned
Printed identity fields extracted
Front and back image support
Validation status returned
Document warnings where returned

SA Green ID Book

Submit the identity page of a South African green ID book for OCR and document review.

ID number extraction
Name fields where returned
Document type classification
Validation status returned
Warnings where returned

Passport (SA & International)

Verify South African and foreign passports with MRZ reading and document authentication.

MRZ code parsing
Nationality field extraction
Expiry date extraction
Document number extraction
Validation status returned

Driver's Licence Card

Submit a South African driver's licence image for document OCR. Use the separate Driver's Licence Barcode service when you need card-sourced PDF417 fields.

Document type returned
Printed fields where returned
Validation status returned
Warnings where returned
Separate PDF417 route available
Passport coverage

Supported passport issuing countries

The passport catalogue covers 218 countries and territories, including South Africa. Recognition depends on the document version and image quality.

Catalogue reviewed . Codes include catalogue identifiers for territories and special issuing authorities.

View all 218 supported passport issuing countries and territories
  • AbkhaziaABK
  • AfghanistanAFG
  • AlbaniaALB
  • AlgeriaDZA
  • AndorraAND
  • AngolaAGO
  • AnguillaAIA
  • Antigua and BarbudaATG
  • ArgentinaARG
  • ArmeniaARM
  • AustraliaAUS
  • AustriaAUT
  • AzerbaijanAZE
  • BahamasBHS
  • BahrainBHR
  • BangladeshBGD
  • BarbadosBRB
  • BelarusBLR
  • BelgiumBEL
  • BelizeBLZ
  • BeninBEN
  • BermudaBMU
  • BhutanBTN
  • Bolivia, Plurinational State ofBOL
  • Bosnia and HerzegovinaBIH
  • BotswanaBWA
  • BrazilBRA
  • Brunei DarussalamBRN
  • BulgariaBGR
  • Burkina FasoBFA
  • BurundiBDI
  • Cabo VerdeCPV
  • CambodiaKHM
  • CameroonCMR
  • CanadaCAN
  • Cayman IslandsCYM
  • Central African RepublicCAF
  • ChadTCD
  • ChileCHL
  • ChinaCHN
  • ColombiaCOL
  • ComorosCOM
  • CongoCOG
  • Congo, The Democratic Republic of theCOD
  • Costa RicaCRI
  • CroatiaHRV
  • CubaCUB
  • CyprusCYP
  • CzechiaCZE
  • Côte d'IvoireCIV
  • DenmarkDNK
  • DjiboutiDJI
  • DominicaDMA
  • Dominican RepublicDOM
  • Donetsk People's RepublicDPR
  • EcuadorECU
  • EgyptEGY
  • El SalvadorSLV
  • Equatorial GuineaGNQ
  • EritreaERI
  • EstoniaEST
  • EswatiniSWZ
  • EthiopiaETH
  • Faroe IslandsFRO
  • FijiFJI
  • FinlandFIN
  • FranceFRA
  • GabonGAB
  • GambiaGMB
  • GeorgiaGEO
  • GermanyDEU
  • GhanaGHA
  • GibraltarGIB
  • GreeceGRC
  • GrenadaGRD
  • GuatemalaGTM
  • GuernseyGGY
  • GuineaGIN
  • Guinea-BissauGNB
  • GuyanaGUY
  • HaitiHTI
  • Holy See (Vatican City State)VAT
  • HondurasHND
  • Hong KongHKG
  • HungaryHUN
  • IcelandISL
  • IndiaIND
  • IndonesiaIDN
  • Iran, Islamic Republic ofIRN
  • IraqIRQ
  • IrelandIRL
  • Isle of ManIMN
  • IsraelISR
  • ItalyITA
  • JamaicaJAM
  • JapanJPN
  • JerseyJEY
  • JordanJOR
  • KazakhstanKAZ
  • KenyaKEN
  • KiribatiKIR
  • Korea, Democratic People's Republic ofPRK
  • Korea, Republic ofKOR
  • KosovoRKS
  • KuwaitKWT
  • KyrgyzstanKGZ
  • Lao People's Democratic RepublicLAO
  • LatviaLVA
  • LebanonLBN
  • LesothoLSO
  • LiberiaLBR
  • LibyaLBY
  • LiechtensteinLIE
  • LithuaniaLTU
  • Lugansk People's RepublicLPR
  • LuxembourgLUX
  • MacaoMAC
  • MadagascarMDG
  • MalawiMWI
  • MalaysiaMYS
  • MaldivesMDV
  • MaliMLI
  • MaltaMLT
  • Marshall IslandsMHL
  • MauritaniaMRT
  • MauritiusMUS
  • MexicoMEX
  • Micronesia, Federated States ofFSM
  • Moldova, Republic ofMDA
  • MonacoMCO
  • MongoliaMNG
  • MontenegroMNE
  • MontserratMSR
  • MoroccoMAR
  • MozambiqueMOZ
  • MyanmarMMR
  • NamibiaNAM
  • NauruNRU
  • NepalNPL
  • NetherlandsNLD
  • New ZealandNZL
  • NicaraguaNIC
  • NigerNER
  • NigeriaNGA
  • North MacedoniaMKD
  • NorwayNOR
  • OmanOMN
  • PakistanPAK
  • PalauPLW
  • PalestinePSE
  • PanamaPAN
  • Papua New GuineaPNG
  • ParaguayPRY
  • PeruPER
  • PhilippinesPHL
  • PolandPOL
  • PortugalPRT
  • QatarQAT
  • RomaniaROU
  • Russian FederationRUS
  • RwandaRWA
  • Saint HelenaSHN
  • Saint Kitts and NevisKNA
  • Saint LuciaLCA
  • Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesVCT
  • SamoaWSM
  • San MarinoSMR
  • Sao Tome and PrincipeSTP
  • Saudi ArabiaSAU
  • SenegalSEN
  • SerbiaSRB
  • SeychellesSYC
  • Sierra LeoneSLE
  • SingaporeSGP
  • SlovakiaSVK
  • SloveniaSVN
  • Solomon IslandsSLB
  • SomaliaSOM
  • SomalilandRSL
  • South AfricaZAF
  • South SudanSSD
  • Sovereign Military Order of MaltaXOM
  • SpainESP
  • Sri LankaLKA
  • SudanSDN
  • SurinameSUR
  • SwedenSWE
  • SwitzerlandCHE
  • Syrian Arab RepublicSYR
  • TaiwanTWN
  • TajikistanTJK
  • Tanzania, United Republic ofTZA
  • ThailandTHA
  • Timor-LesteTLS
  • TogoTGO
  • TongaTON
  • Trinidad and TobagoTTO
  • TunisiaTUN
  • TurkmenistanTKM
  • Turks and Caicos IslandsTCA
  • TuvaluTUV
  • TürkiyeTUR
  • UgandaUGA
  • UkraineUKR
  • United Arab EmiratesARE
  • United KingdomGBR
  • United StatesUSA
  • UruguayURY
  • UzbekistanUZB
  • VanuatuVUT
  • Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic ofVEN
  • Viet NamVNM
  • Virgin Islands, BritishVGB
  • Western SaharaESH
  • YemenYEM
  • ZambiaZMB
  • ZimbabweZWE
  • Åland IslandsALA
Passport API fields and Face Match guide
Workflow

How document verification works

01

Upload Document Image

Upload a photo or scan of the identity document straight from your VerifyNow dashboard — no code required.

02

Automated Analysis

OCR extracts document data while the verification result reports its status and any validation warnings.

03

Verification Result

Receive extracted data, authentication score, and fraud risk indicators in a structured report.

Verification Checks

Document AuthenticityPASS
Document WarningsNONE
OCR Data ExtractionCOMPLETE
Tampering Analysis LOW RISK
Industries

Industry applications

Remote Onboarding

Verify customer documents digitally during remote KYC and account opening processes.

Loan Applications

Authenticate identity documents submitted with loan and credit applications.

Insurance Claims

Verify claimant identity documents to prevent fraudulent claims.

Employment Verification

Authenticate ID documents during hiring and employee onboarding processes.

Related checks

Related document checks

Face MatchCompare a selfie with an ID photo or reference document image.Driver's Licence VerificationDecode and validate South African driving licence data.ID Verification South AfricaConfirm the ID number against Home Affairs data.
FAQ

Common questions

What does document verification check?

Document verification checks identity documents for data extraction, document structure, expiry details, barcode or MRZ data where available, and fraud or tampering signals.

Can VerifyNow verify South African ID documents?

VerifyNow supports document authentication workflows for South African identity documents, including ID books, smart ID cards, passports and driver licence documents where supported.

Should I use document verification or ID verification?

Use ID verification when you need to confirm an ID number against official data. Use document verification when you also need to inspect the document image or extracted document fields.

Start authenticating documents today

Protect your business from document fraud with automated identity verification

Create Free AccountTalk to Sales