A Deep Dive Into Electronic Identity Verification (eIDV): What Makes It Tick?

Have you ever scanned your face or snapped a photo of your ID to open a bank account or check into a hotel online? You're not alone. That once-unfamiliar process is becoming the norm. Electronic identity verification (eIDV) is quickly gaining traction, reshaping how businesses confirm who their customers really are.

Still, widespread adoption isn't quite here. A 2024 survey commissioned by Regula found that 46% of businesses worldwide continue to verify IDs manually—even during remote onboarding. Think video calls or human reviews of document scans.

We're living through a transition. The tech is available, but trust and full integration are lagging. And while eIDV systems are sophisticated, they’re not infallible—at least not yet.

So, what exactly is electronic identity verification? What powers it, why is it overtaking traditional methods, and what’s next? Let’s dive in.

What Is Electronic Identity Verification?

At its core, electronic identity verification is the digital evolution of ID checks. Instead of a human manually inspecting a document, software and hardware do the heavy lifting—validating IDs and personal data with speed and precision.

A complete eIDV solution typically includes:

• Document verification: Confirms whether an ID is authentic and unaltered.

• Biometric verification: Confirms whether the person presenting the ID is alive and is the document’s rightful owner.

For example, software like Regula Document Reader SDK can automatically identify a document’s country of origin, verify physical authenticity, extract data (including from RFID chips), and flag tampering. Meanwhile, biometric tools compare a live selfie to the document’s photo, with some systems even checking fingerprint or iris data for added assurance.

Why eIDV Is Outpacing Traditional Verification

Manual ID checks—where a person visually inspects security features and photo likeness—are fast becoming obsolete. Here's why eIDV is taking the lead:

1. Efficiency

Automated systems can verify IDs in seconds, especially when using NFC to read RFID chips. Think eGates at airports vs. a long line at immigration.

2. Full Data Access

Modern IDs often contain encrypted chip data and cryptographic signatures that human eyes can't verify—but eIDV systems can.

3. Accurate Biometrics

Instead of relying on human judgment, facial recognition matches live selfies to the document photo with mathematical precision—and can even validate stored fingerprints or iris scans.

4. Remote Verification

No need for face-to-face checks. eIDV enables identity proofing via apps or browsers, letting users authenticate themselves from anywhere.

5. Stronger Security

Many eIDV systems adopt a zero-trust model, verifying data on secure backends and validating chip authenticity through cryptographic protocols.

How eIDV Works: A Look Under the Hood

Modern eIDV thrives on advanced technologies—especially when dealing with digital or electronic IDs. Let’s unpack the key components.

RFID Chips and Machine-Readable Zones (MRZs)

Most electronic IDs (ePassports, eIDs) carry RFID chips storing personal details and biometrics. These comply with standards like ICAO Doc 9303 and ISO 18013, enabling NFC-based reading at 13.56 MHz.

Each chip is structured into data groups:

• DG1: MRZ data (name, birthdate, document number)

• DG2: Facial image

• DG3/4: Fingerprints and iris data (where applicable)

The MRZ text printed on IDs helps derive encryption keys used to access chip data securely—a process known as Basic Access Control (BAC).

BAC and PACE: Securing Access

BAC uses MRZ data to unlock the chip, proving the document is physically present. But its short symmetric keys have limitations. That’s where PACE (Password Authenticated Connection Establishment) comes in—using stronger, asymmetric cryptography while still relying on data known only to the document holder.

Passive Authentication and Digital Signatures

Every chip contains a Document Security Object (SOD), digitally signed by the issuing authority using:

• DS certificate (document signer)

• CSCA certificate (country authority)

Passive Authentication verifies these signatures and hashes to ensure the data is genuine and unchanged.

Terminal and Chip Authentication

• Terminal Authentication: The reader proves it’s authorized to access sensitive data like fingerprints.

• Active Authentication: The chip signs a challenge to prove it’s not cloned.

• Chip Authentication: A newer protocol that combines clone detection with secure session establishment.

Biometric Verification: Face to Face with Security

The final piece of the puzzle is biometric matching. Most eIDs store a high-resolution digital photo, and ICAO now mandates adoption of the updated ISO/IEC 39794-5 format by 2026. This includes metadata like facial landmarks and biometric attributes.

Regula’s solutions are already compliant. With Regula Face SDK, users can provide a live selfie, which is matched against the ID photo with built-in liveness checks to prevent spoofing.

A Real-World eIDV Workflow

Here’s how remote onboarding with an ePassport might look:

1. Document capture: User scans their MRZ or enters details to derive access keys.

2. Chip reading: Via NFC, the phone reads the passport’s RFID chip.

3. Passive Authentication: The system validates cryptographic signatures.

4. Chip Authentication: The chip proves it’s genuine via a secure exchange.

5. Biometric match: User takes a selfie; system verifies identity and liveness.

6. Verification complete: All checks passed? The person is who they claim to be.

Bonus: All data can be reviewed again on a secure backend.

What’s Next for eIDV? Key Trends to Watch

Digital Travel Credentials (DTC)

ICAO’s pilot programs are testing DTC Types 1, 2, and 3, with the ultimate vision of passportless travel. But adoption remains several years away.

Digital IDs and eIDAS 2.0

The EU’s eIDAS 2.0 regulation (in force since May 2024) requires member states to provide citizens with digital ID wallets by 2026. These will hold everything from national IDs to diplomas—paving the way for seamless cross-border identity checks.

NIST’s Updated Guidelines

The U.S. is catching up with NIST SP 800-63 Revision 4, offering recommendations on remote identity proofing and digital wallet validation. The focus: combining biometric and document checks for stronger assurance.

Regula: Powering the Future of Identity

At Regula, we’re proud to be at the forefront of identity innovation. Our tools combine:

• Document forensics

• RFID chip reading

• Biometric verification

• Anti-spoofing and liveness detection

With a database of over 15,000 ID types from 251 countries and territories, our SDKs support virtually every document in circulation. And our NFC TestKit helps developers streamline testing for chip-based verification.

Whether you're onboarding users remotely, checking IDs at border control, or integrating with digital wallets, Regula is here to help you do it—accurately, securely, and at scale.