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Guide · Identity

How to redact a passport copy

A passport copy is a full identity-theft kit in a single image: name, date of birth, nationality, passport number and the machine-readable zone that encodes it all. When an employer, landlord or agency asks for a copy, you can usually share far less than the full page — here's what to remove and how to do it safely.

What can be stolen from a passport scan

The two lines of chevron-filled text at the bottom of the photo page — the machine-readable zone (MRZ) — contain your full name, passport number, nationality, date of birth, sex and expiry date in a machine-parseable format. Fraudsters use leaked MRZ data to open accounts, pass identity checks and clone documents.

Before you share a scan, ask what the recipient actually needs. Right-to-work and tenancy checks typically need your name, photo, nationality and expiry date — they rarely need your passport number or the MRZ in a stored copy.

Redact it without uploading it

Never run a passport scan through a random online editor that uploads the file. Nullify processes the document entirely in your browser: drop in the PDF (or a scan converted to PDF), draw boxes over the passport number, MRZ lines and signature, and export. The redacted areas are destroyed, not covered.

The AI can't see visual-only items like photos and signatures — those you should always cover manually with the free drawing tool. For text like the passport number and MRZ, the general detection preset will flag them.

What to keep visible vs. redact

Keep visible

  • · Your name and photo
  • · Nationality
  • · Document type / issuing country
  • · Expiry date (if requested)

Redact

  • · Passport number
  • · Both MRZ lines (chevrons at the bottom)
  • · Signature
  • · Date of birth (unless explicitly required)

Step-by-step

  1. Step 1

    Convert the scan to PDF and open the editor

    Photos and scans are fine — Nullify's OCR reads image-based pages. Nothing is uploaded.

  2. Step 2

    Draw boxes over the number, MRZ and signature

    Use the free manual tool for visual items. Corner handles let you resize boxes precisely over the MRZ lines.

  3. Step 3

    Export and verify

    The export burns redactions in permanently. Open the result and confirm the MRZ is gone before sending.

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to redact a passport copy?+

Yes, in most contexts. You are protecting your own data. If a verifier requires an unredacted copy (e.g. some government processes), they will say so — otherwise share the minimum.

What is the MRZ and why redact it?+

The machine-readable zone is the two lines of text at the bottom of the photo page. It encodes your passport number, name, date of birth and more in a format designed to be read by machines — which makes it the most valuable part to steal.

Can I redact a photo of my passport, not a PDF?+

Convert the photo to PDF first (most phones can 'print to PDF'), then redact it in Nullify. OCR handles image-based pages.

Will the redaction be reversible?+

No. Nullify destroys the content under each box when exporting — it is not a removable layer.

Redact your PDF now — free

Manual redaction is free and unlimited. AI-assisted detection is $2.99 for up to 50 pages combined across all your PDFs.

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