1. “e-Passport” Indicator: Version identifier &
new check character scheme
in MRTDs
TAG/15 Montreal
May 17-21, 2004

2. DCFWG task e To indicate in the MRZ, the presence of the chip.
ANY change to the MRZ will be disruptive.

3. Initial suggestions Document type “PE” Confusion - existing use
Country of Issue
Name
PE USA TRAVELER<<HAPPY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
USA M <<<<<<<<<<<< 0 8
Sex
Check Digit
Check Digit
Date of Birth
Date of Expiry
Check Digit
Check Digit
Check Digit
Optional Data
Document Number
Country of Citizenship
Confusion - existing use
Loss of present valid use

4. Initial suggestions Document type “E”
Country of Issue
Name
E< USA TRAVELER<<HAPPY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
USA M <<<<<<<<<<<< 0 8
Sex
Check Digit
Check Digit
Date of Birth
Date of Expiry
Check Digit
Check Digit
Check Digit
Optional Data
Document Number
Country of Citizenship
Existing readers & systems incompatible
Maximum disruption

5. Optional field has existing uses
Initial suggestions
Document Type
Use optional field
Country of Issue
Name
P< USA TRAVELER<<HAPPY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
USA M <<<<<<<<<<<E 0 8
Sex
Check Digit
Check Digit
Date of Birth
Date of Expiry
Check Digit
Check Digit
Check Digit
Optional Data
Document Number
Country of Citizenship
Optional field has existing uses

6. DCFWG questions 1. How can presence of chip be indicated in MRZ?
- Least disruption
- Backwards compatibility
2. How can MRZ reading be made more accurate & reliable?

7. <<<<<<<<<<<< 0
MRZ layout
Coloured fields have limited error detection
Document Type
Country of Issue
Name
P< USA TRAVELER<<HAPPY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
USA M
<<<<<<<<<<<< 0
<<<<<<<<<<<< 0 8 8
Sex
Check Digit
Check Digit
Date of Birth
Date of Expiry
Check Digit
Check Digit
Optional Data
Document Number
Country of Citizenship
Overall Check Digit
Uncoloured fields have NO error detection

8. (ii) overcome the limitations of the present check digit scheme
Proposal by DCFWG:
Mandatory adoption of a new
MRZ check character scheme and version identifier.
(i) identify the MRP as an e-Passport
(ii) overcome the limitations of the present check digit scheme
(iii) make the OCR reading more secure
(iv) open the way for future improvements of the MRZ
by introducing a version identifier

9. Version identifier & check characters First version: number “1”
Document Type
Country of Issue
Three check characters: “XXX”
Name
P< USA TRAVELER<<HAPPY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
USA M <<<<<<<<<<<< 0 8
Sex
Check Digit
Check Digit
Date of Birth
Date of Expiry
Check Digit
Check Digit
Check Digit
Optional Data
Document Number
Country of Citizenship
Where?

10. Check characters - calculation
1. All MRZ characters
(=85, less 3 positions check characters occupy!)
2. Convert alpha: ‘A’=10, ‘B’=11...’Z’=35,’<‘=36
25,36,30,28,10,29,27,10,31,14,21,14,27,36,36,17,10,25,25,34,36,
P<USATRAVELER<<HAPPY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
USA M <<<<<<<<<<<<<<08
P<USATRAVELER<<HAPPY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
USA M <<<<<<<<<<<<<<
30,28,10 22
36,36,36,36,
3. CC1 = ( ) modulus 37 = 30 => U
4. CC2 = (25x1+36x2+30x3+..+8x85) modulus 37 = 8 => 8
NB The check character calculation will not be accurate as the positions occupied by the check characters are unknown. The calculations shown here are by way of example only.
5. CC3 = (25x1+36x1+30x x2+36x2+..+0x3+8x3)
modulus 37 = 25 => P
New check characters are ‘U8P’

11. Check characters - properties
1. Reliably identify up to 3 errors if positions unknown
2. Correct 1 error if position unknown
3. Correct 2 errors if positions known
P<USATRAVELER<<HAPPY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
USA M <<<<<<<<<<<<<<08
P<USATRAVELER<<HAPPV<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
USA M <<<<<<<<<<<<<<08
P<USATRAVELER<<HAPPY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
U5A M <<<<<<<<<<<<<<08
P<USATRAVELER<<HAPPV<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
USA M <<<<<<<<<<<<<<08
P<USATRAVELER<<HAPPY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
USA M <<<<<<<<<<<<<<08
P<USATRAVELER<<HAPPY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
U5A M <<<<<<<<<<<<<<08
P<USATRAVELER<<HAPPY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
USA M <<<<<<<<<<<<<<08
P<USATRAVFLER<<HAPPV<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
O35USA M <<<<<<<<<<<<<<08
P<USATRAVELER<<HAPPY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
USA M <<<<<<<<<<<<<<08
P<USATRAVFLER<<HAPPV<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
O35USA M <<<<<<<<<<<<<<08

12. Where? “1” and “U8P” Maximize compatibility with existing systems
Where to place the version identifier & check characters?
“1” and “U8P”
P< USA TRAVELER<<HAPPY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
USA M <<<<<<<<<<<< 0 8
Maximize compatibility with existing systems

13. Optional field has existing uses
Initial suggestion 1
Document Type
Use optional field
Country of Issue
Name
P< USA TRAVELER<<HAPPY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
USA M <<<<<<<<1U8P 0 8
Sex
Check Digit
Check Digit
Date of Birth
Date of Expiry
Check Digit
Check Digit
Check Digit
Optional Data
Document Number
Country of Citizenship
Optional field has existing uses

14. Initial suggestion 2 Replace existing check digits
Document Type
Country of Issue
Name
P< USA TRAVELER<<HAPPY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
U USA M P <<<<<<<<<<<< 0 1
Sex
Date of Birth
Date of Expiry
CHECK CHARACTER
VERSION NUMBER
CHECK CHARACTER
CHECK CHARACTER
Optional Data
Document Number
Country of Citizenship
Better check character scheme - education
Better technical solution
Existing readers are incompatible

15. DCFWG preferred option
Use end of “Name” field
Document Type
Country of Issue
Name
P< USA TRAVELER<<HAPPY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<1U8P
USA M <<<<<<<<<<<< 0 8
Sex
Check Digit
Check Digit
Date of Birth
Date of Expiry
Check Digit
Check Digit
Check Digit
Optional Data
Document Number
Country of Citizenship
Existing check digits still functional
Name field may be corrupted for existing readers

16. “e-Passport” Indicator: Version identifier &
new check character scheme
in MRTDs
END
TAG/15 Montreal
May 17-21, 2004

17. DCFWG option B Version identifier only Reliance on one character only
Document Type
Country of Issue
Name
P< USA TRAVELER<<HAPPY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<1
USA M <<<<<<<<<<<< 0 8
Sex
Check digit
Check digit
Check digit
Check digit
Date of Birth
Date of Expiry
Check digit
Optional Data
Document Number
Country of Citizenship
Reliance on one character only
Minimum disruption