Overview
ISO/IEC 18745-2:2021 defines a conformance test plan for the contactless interface of electronic machine readable travel documents (eMRTDs) and associated readers (PCDs), ensuring interoperability with inspection systems specified in ICAO Doc 9303. Based on ISO/IEC 10373-6, this part of ISO/IEC 18745 focuses on the contactless (proximity) interface - not on application-level requirements - and provides the test sequences, environmental conditions and reporting rules needed for standardized verification.
Key topics and technical requirements
This standard organizes practical test methods and conditions for verifying compliance with the contactless protocol stack and physical interface. Key topics include:
- Test plan scope and test environment
- General test conditions, sample selection, applicant information and standardized test reports.
- ISO/IEC 14443 test coverage
- Tests mapped to Parts 1–4 of ISO/IEC 14443: physical characteristics, radio frequency power and signal interface, initialization/anticollision and transmission protocol.
- eMRTD (PICC) specific tests
- Antenna size and class verification (optional), static electricity resilience, alternating magnetic field, operating field strength, reception/transmission checks, loading effect, resonance and emission (EMD) related checks.
- eMRTD reader (PCD) specific tests
- Carrier frequency, field strength, modulation index/waveform, load modulation reception, EMD immunity and recovery (optional), and defined measurement positions.
- Protocol and access-control test sequences
- Standardized test command sequences covering BAC, PACE, EAC and related functionality checks (application and electrical).
- Test documentation
- Required measurements, test command sequences and pass/fail reporting rules to support conformity assessment.
Practical applications and users
ISO/IEC 18745-2:2021 is intended for professionals involved in the lifecycle of contactless travel documents and inspection systems:
- Test laboratories and certification bodies - to perform standardized conformance testing and produce comparable test reports.
- eMRTD chip and passport manufacturers - to verify physical and protocol-level compliance before issuance.
- Reader and terminal vendors - to validate contactless reader interoperability with ePassports and eID documents.
- Border-control authorities and integrators - to specify procurement requirements and ensure deployed systems conform to ICAO interoperability expectations.
- R&D and QA teams - for product development, acceptance testing and regression testing of contactless interfaces.
Related standards (normative references)
- ISO/IEC 10373-6 (Proximity card test methods)
- ISO/IEC 14443 Parts 1–4 (Contactless IC card proximity interface)
- ICAO Doc 9303 (Machine Readable Travel Documents, Parts 2, 9, 10, 11)
Keywords: ISO/IEC 18745-2:2021, eMRTD, MRTD testing, contactless interface, ISO/IEC 14443, ICAO Doc 9303, conformance test plan, passport chip testing, proximity cards, PCD, PICC, BAC, PACE, EAC.
Open preview (PDF)Test methods for machine readable travel documents (MRTD) and associated devices — Part 2: Test methods for the contactless interface
