# Passport Verification : How It Works for Businesses | FastKYC > Learn how a Passport Verification API works and how FastKYC helps businesses streamline passport checks and digital onboarding. Source: https://www.fastkyc.com/blog/passport-verification-api-how-it-works/ --- [Blog](/blog/)[Passport](/blog/topics/passport/) # Passport Verification : What It Is and How It Works for Businesses Learn how a Passport Verification API works and how FastKYC helps businesses streamline passport checks and digital onboarding. Akshitha A VSoftware Engineer - 23 October 2026 - 2 min read On this page 1. [What Is Passport Verification?](#what-is-passport-verification) 2. [Why Is Passport Verification Important?](#why-is-passport-verification-important) 3. [What Is the Difference Between Passport OCR and Passport Verification?](#what-is-the-difference-between-passport-ocr-and-passport-verification) 4. [Where Is Passport Verification Used?](#where-is-passport-verification-used) 5. [How to Check Passport Details Using the FastKYC](#how-to-check-passport-details-using-the-fastkyc) On this page 4 sections 1. [What Is Passport Verification?](#what-is-passport-verification) 2. [Why Is Passport Verification Important?](#why-is-passport-verification-important) 3. [What Is the Difference Between Passport OCR and Passport Verification?](#what-is-the-difference-between-passport-ocr-and-passport-verification) 4. [Where Is Passport Verification Used?](#where-is-passport-verification-used) 5. [How to Check Passport Details Using the FastKYC](#how-to-check-passport-details-using-the-fastkyc) ## [What Is Passport Verification?](#what-is-passport-verification) Passport verification is the process of checking passport details to help confirm a person's identity. A passport contains important information such as the holder's name, date of birth, photograph, and nationality. Businesses may need to check these details when onboarding customers, verifying applicants, or providing services. For example, a financial services company may need to verify a customer's identity before proceeding with an application. Passport verification can help with this process. ## [Why Is Passport Verification Important?](#why-is-passport-verification-important) Businesses need to verify identity information before completing certain onboarding processes. Checking every document manually can take time, especially when businesses handle many applications. Passport verification can help businesses: - Check passport details during onboarding. - Reduce repetitive manual verification work. - Support digital identity verification. - Verify passport information as part of applicant screening. - Include passport checks in existing business workflows. ## [What Is the Difference Between Passport OCR and Passport Verification?](#what-is-the-difference-between-passport-ocr-and-passport-verification) Passport OCR and passport verification serve different purposes. **Passport OCR** extracts information from a passport image, such as the passport number, name, date of birth, nationality, and expiry date. **Passport verification** checks the submitted information against the records supported by the verification service. For example, a business can use OCR to extract passport details from an uploaded document. It can then use a suitable verification service to check the relevant information. FastKYC provides both services: - [Passport OCR API](https://www.fastkyc.com/apis/passport-ocr/) - [Passport Verification V2 API](https://www.fastkyc.com/apis/passport-verification-v2/) ## [Where Is Passport Verification Used?](#where-is-passport-verification-used) Passport verification can support identity-checking workflows across different industries. **Banking and lending:** Businesses can include passport verification in relevant customer onboarding and borrower verification processes. **Insurance:** Insurance providers may use passport details as part of customer identity checks. **Travel and forex:** Travel and foreign exchange businesses can use passport-related checks where required. **Staffing and recruitment:** Employers and staffing companies may include passport verification in applicant onboarding. **NRI onboarding:** Businesses serving non-resident Indian customers can explore passport verification as part of their identity-checking process. ### How to Check Passport Details Using the FastKYC [**Passport Verification V2 API**](https://www.fastkyc.com/apis/passport-verification-v2/) - **Choose this if:** You need to verify Indian passport details. - **It checks:** Passport information against supported issuing-authority records. - **You send:** Passport number and date of birth. - **It returns:** Available details such as the holder's name, date of birth, file number, application date, issue date, and passport number. ## APIs related to this article - [Passport Verification V2 APIValidate Indian passport data using file number based verification against issuing authority records, for KYC, travel and employee onboarding.](/apis/passport-verification-v2/) - [OCR Passport APIExtract passport number, name, date of birth, nationality and expiry from a passport image, including the machine-readable zone.](/apis/passport-ocr/) ## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) What is passport verification? Passport verification is the process of checking passport details to help confirm a person's identity. What is a passport file number? A passport file number is a reference associated with a passport application and its processing. It is different from the passport number. What is the difference between passport OCR and passport verification? Passport OCR extracts information from a passport image, while passport verification checks submitted information against records supported by the verification service. What details are required for passport verification? The required details depend on the verification service. The FastKYC Passport Verification V2 API example uses a passport number and date of birth. Why is passport verification important for businesses? It helps businesses check identity information during customer onboarding, applicant screening and other verification processes. What information does the FastKYC Passport Verification V2 API return? The response can include available details such as the passport holder's name, date of birth, file number, application date, issue date and passport number. Can passport verification be used for foreign passports? No.The FastKYC Passport Verification V2 API is intended for Indian passport verification. Can passport OCR confirm whether a passport is genuine? No. OCR extracts information from a document image, but extraction alone does not confirm the passport's authenticity. What is the difference between a passport number and a passport file number? A passport number identifies the issued passport, while a passport file number is a reference associated with the passport application. They serve different purposes and should not be treated as interchangeable. Is passport verification useful for customer onboarding? Yes. It can help businesses check identity details during customer onboarding, subject to their verification requirements and applicable regulations. ## Previous articles [All articles](/blog/) 1. 22 October 2026[Banking](/blog/topics/banking/) ### [CKYCRR 2.0 Explained: What’s Changing in Central KYC](/blog/ckycrr-2-0-explained/) CKYCRR 2.0 is the upgraded Central KYC system with real-time APIs, OTP consent and mandatory Aadhaar masking. - Krithick T - 2 min read 2. 21 October 2026[PAN](/blog/topics/pan-verification/) ### [SEBI Records Verification: Debarment, Revocation and Compliance Checks](/blog/sebi-records-verification/) SEBI records verification helps businesses check debarment orders, revocation history and regulatory records for compliance screening. - Vaitheeshwari J - 4 min read ## Ready to integrate? Talk to our team and we will map the checks your flow actually needs. 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