To send a passport scan safely, make the PDF on your own device with a tool that doesn't upload it, check and lock the file, and then send it only to the one recipient who asked for it. The fewer websites your passport passes through on the way, the fewer copies of it exist.
This became front-page news in November 2026: South Korea's Foreign Ministry reissued passports after passport details of President Lee Jae Myung and other officials appeared on VirusTotal, a Google-run malware-scanning service, and experts quoted by the Korea JoongAng Daily believe a staff member uploaded the file internally. The lesson for everyone else is simple: an online converter, scanner or checker is someone else's server, and a file you upload there may not stay private.
Scan the passport into a PDF on your device
Scan to PDFScan documents with your phone or laptop camera, or use photos you already took: pages are auto-cropped and cleaned up, then saved as one PDF.Open toolScan to PDF uses your phone or laptop camera, or photos you already took. Pages are auto-cropped and cleaned up, then saved as one PDF. The camera picture is only shown and captured inside the page; nothing is recorded or uploaded.
- Choose your JPG, PNG, WEBP or HEIC photos of the passport page, or scan it with the camera, and put them in the order you want (remove any with ✕).
- Click Create PDF from N files. Everything happens on your device.
- Download the PDF. Change the options and run again on the same files if needed.
Auto-crop works best with the passport on a dark, plain background in good light. You can turn cropping off or adjust the frame by hand. Pages are saved as images, so the text in the PDF can't be selected or searched.
On iPhone, the easiest route is the free Filevale for iPhone app, which includes document scanning on-device. The browser tool works without installing anything.
Mark the copy for one purpose
Watermark PDFAdd a diagonal text watermark such as DRAFT or CONFIDENTIAL to every page of a PDF. Done in your browser, the file stays on your device.Open toolA copy stamped with who it is for and why is less useful to anyone else who gets hold of it. Watermark PDF stamps a text watermark on every page, for example "Copy for ABC Lettings, rental application only". Keep the watermark away from the photo and the machine-readable lines at the bottom if the recipient needs to read them.
Check what the file leaks before you send it
PDF Privacy ScanSee what a PDF leaks before you share it: metadata, emails, phone, card and IBAN numbers. Results show right on the page.Open tool- Choose your PDF: drop it on the page or click to browse.
- Click Scan. Everything happens on your device.
- Read the report right on the page, copy it, or save it as a text file.
PDF Privacy Scan reads the metadata and text and shows what could identify you, such as emails, phone, card and IBAN numbers. It changes nothing in the file. If the report shows author or app details you'd rather not share, strip them with Remove PDF Metadata, or use Remove Metadata for photos and other files.
Lock the file and send it directly
Add a password with Password Protect PDF, or pack several documents into one password-protected ZIP. Send the password through a different channel than the file, for example by text message if the file goes by email.
Filevale doesn't send files for you. Attach the PDF yourself to an email, or upload it only to the official portal that asked for it, such as a visa or bank site. If that portal rejects the file, see Visa or Passport Application Upload Rejected?. For landlords and accountants, see How to Send a Scanned ID or Tax Documents Safely.
Habits that keep passport copies private
- Don't run your passport through random online converters, compressors or "virus check" sites to tidy it up first.
- Send only the pages that were requested, usually the photo page.
- Delete old copies from your downloads folder and email drafts once the request is done.
- Ask the recipient how they store the copy and when they delete it.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to email a passport scan?
Email is acceptable when the recipient genuinely needs the copy and you know who they are. Make the PDF on your device, add a watermark and a password, send the password separately, and delete your sent copy when the matter is closed.
Does Filevale see my passport?
No. Every Filevale tool runs in your browser and files are not uploaded, so the scan, watermark and privacy check all happen on your own device.
Can Filevale black out my passport number?
No. Filevale has no redaction tool and can't edit text in a PDF. If you must hide part of the page, cover it before you take the photo, or ask the recipient whether a partial copy is acceptable.