NFC Verification

NFC-based authentication lets you verify identity documents by reading the secure chip embedded in modern passports and IDs using a mobile phone’s NFC capabilities. This provides the highest level of security available for ID Verification.

Key Benefits

Benefit	Description
Highest Security	Verifies cryptographic signatures directly from government issuers
Easy to Use	Works automatically with any NFC-enabled phone
Tamper-Proof	Detects document manipulation invisible to the human eye
Comprehensive Data	Extracts additional data not available through OCR alone
Flexible Fallback	Gracefully falls back to standard verification if NFC isn’t available

How to Enable NFC Verification

Native SDK Integration (Recommended)

NFC verification is available through our native SDKs, which provide full access to device NFC capabilities:

Platform	NFC Support	Documentation
iOS	✅ Full Support	iOS SDK Documentation
Android	✅ Full Support	Android SDK Documentation

The iOS SDK handles all NFC configuration automatically, including:

ISO7816 application identifiers for ePassports
Entitlements and capabilities setup
Real-time chip reading with visual feedback

Web Integration

⚠️ Browser Limitations NFC verification is not available in web browsers due to platform restrictions:
Browser NFC Support
Chrome (Android) Experimental Web NFC API - unstable, requires explicit permissions
Safari (iOS) No Web NFC API support
Other Browsers No support
For web integrations, NFC verification is automatically skipped and users proceed with standard document + selfie verification.

Browser	NFC Support
Chrome (Android)	Experimental Web NFC API - unstable, requires explicit permissions
Safari (iOS)	No Web NFC API support
Other Browsers	No support

How It Works

Session Initiation

The user starts the verification process through your app or platform:

Native SDK: Launch the verification flow directly in your app
Web/Mobile Web: User is guided to use the Didit App for NFC-enabled verification, or continues with standard verification

Document Photo Capture

The user photographs their ID document, capturing:

MRZ (Machine Readable Zone) — used to derive chip access keys
Document front and back images — visual data and security features
Visual security features — holograms, watermarks, microprint

NFC Support Detection

The system automatically checks device and document compatibility:

Check	Description
Document type	Is it an ePassport/eID with an NFC chip?
Device capability	Does the phone support NFC reading?
Permissions	Are the necessary NFC permissions granted?

If NFC is unavailable, verification continues seamlessly with standard document + biometric verification.

NFC Chip Reading

For compatible devices and documents:

User is guided to position their document near the phone’s NFC reader
Visual feedback shows real-time reading progress
Secure communication is established with the chip using PACE/BAC protocols

Data Extraction

The system extracts comprehensive data from the chip following ICAO 9303 standards:

Data Group	Contents	Description
SOD	Document Security Object	Digital signatures for all data groups
DG1	Personal Data	Name, ID number, birth date, expiry date
DG2	Facial Image	High-resolution digital photo of the holder
DG7	Signature	Digital representation of the holder’s signature
DG11-14	Additional Data	May include fingerprints, iris scans (if stored)

Cryptographic Verification

The extracted data undergoes rigorous cryptographic verification:

Digital Signature Verification

Each data group’s hash is verified against the signatures stored in the SOD, ensuring data integrity.

Certificate Chain Validation

The chain of trust is validated: Document Certificate → Country Signing CA → ICAO PKD Root, checking against CSCA master lists and the ICAO Public Key Directory.

Certificate Revocation Check

Certificates are verified against Certificate Revocation Lists (CRLs) to ensure they haven’t been revoked and the document hasn’t been reported stolen/compromised.

Cross-Validation

NFC-extracted data is cross-validated against OCR data from document photos, facial biometric comparison, and MRZ checksum verification.

Result & Confidence Score

The final verification result includes:

Output	Description
NFC verification status	Success, failed, or skipped
Data consistency score	How well NFC data matches visual data
Certificate validation	Full chain verification status
Confidence boost	NFC adds significant confidence to the overall verification

Supported Documents

NFC verification works with ePassports and eIDs that contain an NFC chip, typically indicated by this symbol on the document:

Most passports issued after 2006 contain NFC chips. Coverage varies by country for national ID cards. Check all the supported documents.

Integration Examples

iOS SDK (Available Now)

import DiditSdk

// NFC is automatically enabled when the document supports it
let config = DiditSdk.Configuration(
    // NFC configuration is handled automatically
    // Just ensure your app has the required entitlements
)

let result = try await DiditSdk.shared.startVerification(
    with: sessionId,
    configuration: config
)

Complete iOS SDK Documentation →

Android SDK (Coming Soon)

// Coming soon - use WebView integration in the meantime
// See Android SDK documentation for WebView setup

Android SDK Documentation →

Security Architecture

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    NFC Verification Flow                     │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                              │
│  ┌──────────┐    ┌──────────┐    ┌──────────────────────┐  │
│  │ Document │───▶│  Phone   │───▶│   Didit Backend      │  │
│  │ NFC Chip │    │ NFC Read │    │                      │  │
│  └──────────┘    └──────────┘    │  ┌────────────────┐  │  │
│                                   │  │ ICAO PKD       │  │  │
│                                   │  │ Validation     │  │  │
│                                   │  └────────────────┘  │  │
│                                   │  ┌────────────────┐  │  │
│                                   │  │ CSCA Master    │  │  │
│                                   │  │ List Check     │  │  │
│                                   │  └────────────────┘  │  │
│                                   │  ┌────────────────┐  │  │
│                                   │  │ CRL Revocation │  │  │
│                                   │  │ Check          │  │  │
│                                   │  └────────────────┘  │  │
│                                   └──────────────────────┘  │
│                                              │               │
│                                              ▼               │
│                                   ┌──────────────────────┐  │
│                                   │  Verification Result │  │
│                                   │  + Confidence Score  │  │
│                                   └──────────────────────┘  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Authentication

Verification

Monitoring

Platform

Key Benefits

How to Enable NFC Verification

Native SDK Integration (Recommended)

Web Integration

How It Works

Supported Documents

Integration Examples

iOS SDK (Available Now)

Android SDK (Coming Soon)

Security Architecture

FAQ

​Key Benefits

​How to Enable NFC Verification

​Native SDK Integration (Recommended)

​Web Integration

​How It Works

​Supported Documents

​Integration Examples

​iOS SDK (Available Now)

​Android SDK (Coming Soon)

​Security Architecture

​FAQ

Key Benefits

How to Enable NFC Verification

Native SDK Integration (Recommended)

Web Integration

How It Works

Supported Documents

Integration Examples

iOS SDK (Available Now)

Android SDK (Coming Soon)

Security Architecture

FAQ