Passport scanner for iPhone

How to scan a passport with the Scanfone passport scanner

1. Open Scanfone and choose the passport scan mode.
2. Open your passport flat at the photo page on a plain, dark surface.
3. Hold your iPhone above the page and let it capture the scan.
4. Check that the photo, name and the machine-readable lines at the bottom are sharp.
5. Save it as a PDF, share it, print it or store it in your locked Safe folder.

A proper passport copy without a photocopier

Taking a quick photo of your passport usually gives you a skewed page, a thumb in the corner and a background of kitchen table. Offices often reject that, or ask you to try again in a format they can actually print.

Scanfone has a dedicated passport mode. It uses the iPhone camera with Apple's document camera, which finds the page edges and fixes the perspective, so the result looks like a flat scan rather than a holiday snap. You get a PDF that prints cleanly and reads well on screen.

When you will need a passport scan

• Visa and residence permit applications
• Starting a new job (right-to-work checks)
• Opening a bank account or verifying your identity
• Renting a flat
• Booking travel or tours that ask for passport details in advance
• Keeping a backup copy for when you travel

No paywall between you and your own passport

Some scanner apps are free right up to the moment you tap save, then the subscription screen appears. When the visa portal closes at midnight, that is an especially unwelcome surprise.

Scanfone does not do that. Scanning, saving, sharing and printing are free and unlimited, with no ads and no account to create. Free PDFs carry a single small line under the page, "Scanned free with Scanfone", and nothing over the passport itself. Pro removes that line and adds sync and backup, at $2.99 for the first year and $19.99 a year after that. No weekly plan, cancel in one tap.

Keep a travel copy, safely

Lots of travellers keep a copy of their passport on their phone in case the original is lost or stolen. That is sensible, but a passport scan should not sit in your photo roll next to brunch pictures.

Put it in the Safe instead: a folder in Scanfone locked with a PIN and Face ID. Scanning happens on your iPhone, and nothing leaves the phone unless you turn on Pro sync. There are no ads, no tracking and no analytics.

Share less, protect more

Not everyone who asks for a passport copy needs every detail. Use the free redact tool to hide parts of the page, and add a watermark like "For hotel registration only" so the copy is harder to misuse. Both are free.

Tips for a clean passport scan

• Press the passport open so the photo page lies as flat as possible.
• Tilt the phone slightly or move away from a ceiling light if the laminate shows glare.
• Use the Color filter, so the photo and security colours look natural.
• Make sure the two lines of letters and chevrons at the bottom of the page are fully in frame.
• Zoom in on the finished scan to check that small text is readable.

Build a complete application pack

Most applications want more than a passport. Scan your ID card front and back, add bank statements or letters with the regular document scanner, then merge everything into one PDF. If the upload limit is tight, compress the PDF. If there is a form to sign, sign it right in the app.

Related