Reading the chip

Travel documents issued on or after 26 August 2006 will contain a (contactless) chip. The chip is not visible; it is incorporated in the data page of the passport or identity card. The chip contains your photograph in colour (the 'facial image') and the following data: your name (first name(s) and surname); the document number; your nationality, date of birth and sex; the expiry date; the country of issue; and your personal ID number (Dutch tax and social security (SoFi) number).The facial image is obtained by scanning a passport photograph that meets the requirements set out in Appendix L to the Passport Regulations, the Photo Matrix (2007 Model) (see the link to these requirements on this page).The data stored in the chip is also contained on the data page and in the machine-readable zone of the travel document.