Need help?

Install TestFlight from the iPhone App Store (free, by Apple). Then tap the invite link: https://testflight.apple.com/join/WJ7xjATJ. TestFlight will install the ICAO ePassport Inspector for you. When the final App Store version ships, you'll be able to install directly from the App Store.

iPhone only, iOS 16 or newer. The App uses iPhone's built-in Core NFC reader. iPad and Mac are not supported because those platforms cannot read ICAO passport chips.

No. There are no accounts, no sign-in, no registration. Open the App and start verifying.

No. The App performs 100% of verification on-device using the ICAO PKD trust chain bundled inside the App. You can use it on airplane mode.

MRZ = Machine Readable Zone. It's the two lines of 44 characters printed at the bottom of a passport's photo page, starting with P<CHN, P<USA, etc. The App needs these 88 characters to negotiate secure access to the chip.

Hold the passport's photo page flat against the top edge of your iPhone (near the front camera). Don't move — keep steady for 5-15 seconds until the verdict appears.

It means the passport chip's digital signature chain traces back to a trusted national Country Signing Certificate Authority (CSCA) in the ICAO PKD, and every data group's hash matches the signed manifest. In plain terms: the passport is cryptographically authentic and hasn't been tampered with.

At least one of these failed: (a) the chip could not be read; (b) BAC/PACE secure channel could not be opened; (c) the signing certificate is not trusted; (d) a data group hash did not match. The App does not show personal information in this case.

All ICAO 9303 compliant electronic passports — China, United States, European Union, Japan, UK, Canada, Australia, and 170+ other issuing authorities. The trust chain bundled in the App contains 584 CSCA certificates from the official ICAO Public Key Directory.

Check: (1) the passport is actually electronic — look for the small rectangular gold chip symbol on the cover; (2) no metallic wallet, case, or sticker between iPhone and passport; (3) hold at the top edge of the iPhone, not the back or middle; (4) stay steady for 5-15 seconds.

Rare but possible. Usually the chip has been partially damaged (physical wear, static discharge). The physical passport remains valid for human inspection — only the electronic chip integrity failed. If you believe the result is wrong, please email 303@viatreebot.com with the country and approximate issuance year (no personal data needed).

Each TestFlight build expires 90 days after release. We ship new builds regularly — open TestFlight, tap the App, and it'll offer to update. If no update is available, email us; we'll get a new beta out.

Yes. Airplane mode, no Wi-Fi, no cellular — all work. No data ever leaves the device.

No. This App is an independent implementation of the publicly published ICAO Doc 9303 open standard. ICAO, 9303, and PKD are trademarks of the International Civil Aviation Organization; we are not affiliated with or endorsed by ICAO.

The App performs technical verification equivalent to airport border systems, but the legal validity of a digital verification result depends on your jurisdiction and use case. For official KYC, immigration, or legal purposes, always combine with your organization's approved procedures.

Yes. Every check is documented in the App's verification panel: BAC/PACE secure channel state, CSCA chain trust, Document Signer validity, data group hash comparison. For deeper audit, contact us for a technical review.

The App does not collect, store, or transmit any passport data or personal information. See our full Privacy Policy for details.

The App uses encryption exclusively for authentication and digital signature verification of public documents (ICAO 9303 ePassports), which qualifies under Category 5 Part 2 (c) exemption per US EAR. The App is registered accordingly with Apple App Store Connect.