The Growing Adoption of Vertical Format ID Cards

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) provides globally recognised specifications for machine-readable travel documents (MRTDs), including national identity cards. As digital identity becomes central to secure border control and civil verification systems, the layout and design of ID cards – particularly their orientation – have gained attention.

ICAO Document 9303, the key reference for MRTDs, provides detailed standards on card dimensions, data placement, biometric integration, and machine readability. Recent revisions to this document have supported a growing trend towards vertical (portrait) ID cards, offering improved visual and security benefits.

Original ICAO 9303 standard

The original ICAO Document 9303 standardised the ID-1 format for MRTDs, matching the size of most banking cards at 85.6mm × 53.98mm. This format is compatible with electronic readers, allowing the integration of a machine- readable zone, chip-based storage, and biometric data.