OCR VISA CARD

Endpoint Overview

POST /api/v1/ocr/visa-card

Description

The Visa Card OCR API enables automated extraction of information from visa documents using advanced Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology. This endpoint processes uploaded visa card images or PDFs and extracts critical information including personal details, visa type, validity dates, passport information, and Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) data.

The API utilizes sophisticated image processing algorithms to accurately recognize and extract structured data from various visa formats issued by different countries. It returns comprehensive visa information in a standardized JSON format, making it ideal for digital onboarding, identity verification, and document management systems.

Key Benefits

Automated Data Extraction: Eliminates manual data entry by automatically extracting all visa card information with high accuracy

MRZ Validation: Reads and validates Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) data to ensure document authenticity

Multi-Format Support: Accepts multiple file formats including images and PDFs for flexible integration

Real-time Processing: Provides instant OCR results enabling seamless user experiences in your applications

Use Cases

Travel & Hospitality

Financial Services

HR & Employment

Hotel Check-ins: Automatically capture guest visa information during online or kiosk-based check-in processes

Travel Booking Verification: Validate visa details during flight or tour bookings to ensure travel eligibility

Visa Status Tracking: Extract expiry dates and visa types for automated reminders and compliance tracking

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 Body

1. For File Upload

Parameter	Type	Description
file	File	The VISA card document file. Supported formats: PDF, JPG, PNG.
use_pdf	Boolean	If the file type is PDF, set this to true

2. For Base64 Input

Parameter	Type	Description
base_64	String	The VISA card document in Base64 format

3. For Image URL Input

Parameter	Type	Description
link	String	The VISA card document Link/URL

Process Response

Response Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
success	Boolean	Indicates whether the API request was successful
status_code	Integer	HTTP status code of the response
message	String	Descriptive message about the response status
message_code	String	Machine-readable code representing the response status
data	Object	Container object for all extracted visa card information
data.client_id	String	Unique identifier for this OCR transaction
data.document_type	String	Type of document processed (e.g., "V" for Visa)
data.country_code	String	ISO country code of the visa issuing country
data.surname	String	Surname/last name as it appears on the visa
data.given_name	String	Given name/first name as it appears on the visa
data.passport_number	String	Passport number associated with the visa
data.visa_type	String	Type/category of visa (e.g., TOURIST, BUSINESS, WORK)
data.number_of_entries	String	Number of entries permitted (e.g., SINGLE, MULTIPLE)
data.visa_number	String	Unique visa identification number
data.endorsements	Array	List of endorsements or special conditions on the visa
data.date_of_issue	String	Date when the visa was issued (format: YYYY-MM-DD)
data.date_of_expiry	String	Date when the visa expires (format: YYYY-MM-DD)
data.mrz_line_1	String	First line of the Machine Readable Zone
data.mrz_line_2	String	Second line of the Machine Readable Zone
data.is_valid	Boolean	Indicates whether the extracted visa information is valid

Example Successful Response

{
  "data": {
    "client_id": "ocr_visa_card_ajLeaOTBrqdDACnNTMfu",
    "document_type": "V",
    "country_code": "IND",
    "surname": "GIANN",
    "given_name": "ANNIS",
    "passport_number": "AI0012345",
    "visa_type": "TOURIST",
    "number_of_entries": "SINGLE",
    "visa_number": "VJ1230124",
    "endorsements": [
      "TOURIST VISA NON-EXTENDABLE",
      "Change of Purpose Not Allowed."
    ],
    "date_of_issue": "2015-01-01",
    "date_of_expiry": "2015-03-01",
    "mrz_line_1": "VTINDGIANN<<<<<<<<<IOANNIS<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<",
    "mrz_line_2": "VJ12305123GRC1111151M1102136ARED<<<<<<<<<<<2",
    "is_valid": true
  },
  "status_code": 200,
  "success": true,
  "message": "Success",
  "message_code": "success"
}

Possible Error Responses

Authentication Error

Invalid File

{
  "success": false,
  "status_code": 401,
  "message": "Invalid or expired token",
  "message_code": "unauthorized"
}

This error occurs when the Bearer token is missing, invalid, or expired. Verify your token and regenerate if necessary.

Integration Best Practices

Security Recommendations

Secure Token Storage: Never expose your JWT Bearer tokens in client-side code or public repositories. Store tokens securely using environment variables or secure vaults

HTTPS Only: Always use HTTPS for API requests to ensure data encryption in transit

Token Rotation: Implement regular token rotation policies to minimize security risks from compromised credentials

Input Validation: Validate file types and sizes on the client side before uploading to prevent malicious file uploads

Data Privacy: Ensure extracted visa information is stored securely and complies with data protection regulations (GDPR, CCPA, etc.)

User Experience Guidelines

Image Quality Guidance: Provide clear instructions to users about capturing high-quality visa images (good lighting, no glare, full document visible)

Loading Indicators: Display progress indicators during OCR processing as it may take a few seconds

Error Handling: Implement user-friendly error messages that guide users to resolve issues (e.g., "Please upload a clearer image")

Verification Step: Allow users to review and correct extracted information before final submission

Format Support: Clearly communicate supported file formats and size limits to users before upload

Code Samples

cURL

Python

Node.js

Compliance and Legal Considerations

Data Protection: Processing visa documents involves handling sensitive personal information. Ensure compliance with applicable data protection laws including GDPR, CCPA, and local privacy regulations. Implement appropriate data retention policies and obtain necessary user consent before processing.

Immigration Regulations: Visa verification and storage may be subject to immigration and border control regulations. Consult with legal counsel to ensure compliance with relevant immigration laws in your jurisdiction.

Document Storage: Consider the legal requirements for storing identity documents in your region. Some jurisdictions have specific requirements about how long such documents can be retained and who can access them.

Purpose Limitation: Use the extracted visa information only for the stated and lawful purposes disclosed to the user. Avoid secondary uses without explicit consent.

Cross-Border Data Transfer: If transferring visa data across international borders, ensure compliance with cross-border data transfer regulations and implement appropriate safeguards.

Provide your bearer token in the

Authorization

header when making requests to protected resources.

Example:

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

{ "data": { "client_id": "ocr_visa_card_ajLeaOTBrqdDACnNTMfu", "document_type": "V", "country_code": "IND", "surname": "GIANN", "given_name": "ANNIS", "passport_number": "AI0012345", "visa_type": "TOURIST", "number_of_entries": "SINGLE", "visa_number": "VJ1230124", "endorsements": [ "TOURIST VISA NON-EXTENDABLE", "Change of Purpose Not Allowed." ], "date_of_issue": "2015-01-01", "date_of_expiry": "2015-03-01", "mrz_line_1": "VTINDGIANN<<<<<<<<<IOANNIS<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<", "mrz_line_2": "VJ12305123GRC1111151M1102136ARED<<<<<<<<<<<2", "is_valid": true }, "status_code": 200, "success": true, "message": "Success", "message_code": "success" }

Description#

Use Cases#

Technical Implementation#

Request Body#

1. For File Upload#

2. For Base64 Input#

3. For Image URL Input#

Response Parameters#

Example Successful Response#

Possible Error Responses#

Integration Best Practices#

Code Samples#

Request

Responses