Death Certificate Extract

Endpoint Overview

POST /api/v1/ocr/death-certificate-extract

Description

The Death Certificate OCR Data Extraction API enables automated extraction of critical information from death certificate documents using advanced Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology. This endpoint processes uploaded death certificate PDF files and returns structured data along with the processed image, streamlining document verification workflows and reducing manual data entry errors.

This API leverages machine learning models trained specifically on death certificate formats to accurately extract details such as deceased person information, date of death, place of death, cause of death, and registration details. The service is optimized for PDF document processing and handles different certificate layouts across jurisdictions.

Key Benefits

Automated Data Extraction: Eliminate manual data entry with AI-powered OCR that accurately extracts information from death certificates

Fast Processing: Receive extracted data within seconds, significantly reducing processing time for verification workflows

High Accuracy: Advanced OCR models trained on diverse certificate formats ensure reliable data extraction

Easy Integration: Simple REST API interface allows seamless integration into existing systems and workflows

Use Cases

Insurance

Healthcare

Government & Legal

Claims Processing: Automate death certificate verification for life insurance claim settlements

Policy Validation: Quick extraction of deceased policyholder information for claim initiation

Fraud Detection: Cross-verify extracted data against policy records to identify inconsistencies

Compliance Documentation: Maintain digital records of death certificates for regulatory compliance

Technical Implementation

Authentication

All API requests require authentication using a JWT Bearer token. Authentication follows these steps:

Obtain API Credentials: Register with Surepass to receive your API key.

Generate JWT Token: Use your API key to generate a JWT token.

Include in Requests: Add the token to the Authorization header as Bearer TOKEN.

Different authentication tokens are used for sandbox and production environments:

Sandbox: https://sandbox.surepass.app

Production: https://kyc-api.surepass.app

Request Parameters

Request Headers

Header	Required	Description
Authorization	Yes	JWT Bearer token for API authentication. Format: `Bearer {token}`
Content-Type	Yes	Must be `multipart/form-data` for file upload

Request Body

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
file	File	Yes	Death certificate document in PDF format. Only PDF files are supported.

Example Request

Process Response

Response Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
data	Object	Container object for the response data
data.client_id	String	Unique identifier for this OCR extraction request. Format: `ocr_death_certificate_extract_{unique_id}`
data.page_number	Integer	The page number within the PDF document that contains the death certificate. This indicates which page was processed and from which the data was extracted
data.image_base64	String	Base64-encoded processed image of the death certificate
status_code	Integer	HTTP status code of the response (200 for success)
success	Boolean	Indicates whether the request was successful
message	String	Human-readable message describing the result
message_code	String	Machine-readable code for the message (e.g., "success")

Example Successful Response

{
    "data": {
        "client_id": "ocr_death_certificate_extract_EICrvgwjLPwicqvcxIjd",
        "page_number": 1,
        "image_base64": "iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAABVQAAAHUCAYAAADVR7H2xoKKsiulAuyIP4RwD"
    },
    "status_code": 200,
    "success": true,
    "message": "Success",
    "message_code": "success"
}

Possible Error Responses

Authentication Error

Invalid File Format

File Size Exceeded

OCR Processing Failed

Server Error

{
    "data": null,
    "status_code": 401,
    "success": false,
    "message": "Unauthorized - Invalid or missing authentication token",
    "message_code": "unauthorized"
}

Cause: Invalid, expired, or missing JWT Bearer token in the Authorization header.

Resolution: Verify that you're using a valid JWT token and it's correctly formatted as Bearer {token}.

Integration Best Practices

Security Recommendations

Secure Token Storage: Never hardcode JWT tokens in client-side code. Store tokens securely using environment variables or secure vaults

HTTPS Only: Always use HTTPS endpoints to ensure data transmission is encrypted

Token Rotation: Implement token refresh mechanisms and rotate tokens regularly to minimize security risks

File Validation: Validate file types and sizes on the client side before uploading to ensure only PDF files are submitted

Data Encryption: Encrypt sensitive extracted data before storing it in your database

Access Control: Implement proper role-based access control for users accessing death certificate data

Audit Logging: Maintain comprehensive logs of all API calls for security monitoring and compliance

User Experience Guidelines

PDF Requirement Notice: Clearly inform users that only PDF files are accepted. Display prominent messaging in your upload interface

Format Conversion: Consider providing guidance or tools to help users convert image files (JPG, PNG) to PDF format before upload

Document Quality Guidance: Provide clear instructions about required document quality (minimum resolution, clarity, readability)

Progress Indicators: Show upload and processing progress to users, as OCR processing may take a few seconds

Error Handling: Display user-friendly error messages with actionable guidance when upload or extraction fails

Preview Feature: Allow users to preview the uploaded PDF before submission to ensure correct file selection

Retry Mechanism: Implement automatic retry logic with exponential backoff for transient failures

Data Verification: Provide an interface for users to review and correct extracted data if needed

Code Samples

cURL

Python

Node.js

Java

PHP

Related APIs

PAN Card OCR API - Extract data from PAN card documents with high accuracy for KYC verification workflows

Aadhaar OCR API - Automated extraction of information from Aadhaar cards for identity verification

Driving License OCR API - Extract details from driving licenses for vehicle registration and verification

Passport OCR API - Process passport documents and extract travel document information

Birth Certificate OCR API - Extract data from birth certificates for civil registration and verification purposes

Compliance and Legal Considerations

Data Privacy: Death certificates contain sensitive personal information. Ensure compliance with applicable data protection regulations (GDPR, PDPA, etc.) when processing and storing extracted data.

Consent Requirements: Obtain proper consent from authorized parties before processing death certificates. Only authorized individuals (family members, legal representatives, insurance agents) should have access to this data.

Data Retention: Implement appropriate data retention policies and securely delete processed PDFs and extracted data when no longer needed for the intended purpose.

Audit Trail: Maintain comprehensive audit logs of who accessed death certificate data, when, and for what purpose to ensure accountability and regulatory compliance.

Legal Validity: While OCR extraction automates data capture, the original death certificate remains the legally binding document. Extracted data should be verified against the original for critical legal proceedings.

Jurisdiction Compliance: Death certificate formats and regulations vary by jurisdiction. Ensure the service supports certificates from relevant jurisdictions and complies with local regulations.

Access Control: Implement strict access control measures to ensure only authorized personnel can process and access death certificate data.

File Format Requirement: This API accepts only PDF files. If death certificates are available in other formats (scanned images, photos), they must be converted to PDF format before processing. Ensure conversion processes maintain document quality and readability.

Provide your bearer token in the

Authorization

header when making requests to protected resources.

Example:

Authorization: Bearer ********************

{ "data": { "client_id": "ocr_death_certificate_extract_EICrvgwjLPwicqvcxIjd", "page_number": 1, "image_base64": "iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAABVQAAAHUCAYAAADVR7H2xoKKsiulAuyIP4RwD" }, "status_code": 200, "success": true, "message": "Success", "message_code": "success" }

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