What data fields can be extracted from the visual zone?

The visual zone typically carries a broader set of fields than the MRZ, since it isn't constrained by the MRZ's fixed, compact format. The exact fields vary by document type and issuing country, but commonly extracted data includes: full name (and sometimes a separate field for any middle names or aliases), date of birth, place of birth in some cases, sex, nationality, document number, issuing authority, dates of issue and expiry, and a residential or registered address, a field the MRZ generally doesn't include at all.

Beyond text fields, the visual zone also contains graphical elements a scanning system can extract and process separately: the holder's photograph, essential for biometric matching against a live selfie during identity verification, and a signature, still required for document completeness in some use cases, even if it's less central to automated verification than the photo.

Certain document types include additional fields specific to their purpose. Driver's licenses often list vehicle class endorsements or restrictions.

Some national ID cards include a personal identification number distinct from the document number itself, used for tax or social services purposes. Residence permits may include visa category or work authorization details relevant to immigration status.

Because visual zone layouts vary so much by country and document type, the specific set of extractable fields really is document-dependent rather than universal. That's exactly why a mature document scanning solution maintains a large library of document templates rather than assuming one generic layout applies everywhere.

Cross-referencing these visual zone fields against corresponding MRZ fields where both exist (name, date of birth, document number) is one of the more valuable fraud-detection techniques available, since a genuine document should show identical data in both places, and a mismatch is a meaningful signal worth investigating.

ScanDoc's visual zone extraction is built to pull the full range of available fields per document type, including the address and photo the MRZ doesn't provide, giving businesses a more complete data set than MRZ extraction alone could offer, while still cross-checking overlapping fields between the two sources for consistency.