How to watermark a passport before sending it
If a hotel, host, landlord or employer asks for a copy of your passport, add a single-use watermark first. Here is how — for free, and without uploading your passport anywhere.
Style
Step by step
- Open the tool above and choose your passport photo. It is read locally in your browser.
- Type the watermark text using the formula recipient + date + purpose, e.g. “For Hilton check-in only – 2026-06-27”.
- Angle it diagonally (around −30°) and set opacity so it is clearly visible but the details underneath are still readable.
- Need to hide the passport number or MRZ? Run the copy through the redact tool and black out what the recipient does not need.
- Download the watermarked copy and send that — never the clean original.
What to keep visible vs cover
| Keep visible | Consider covering |
|---|---|
| Your photo, full name, expiry date | Passport number, the MRZ, date and place of birth, signature |
Frequently asked questions
What should I write on a passport watermark?
Name the recipient, the date and the purpose — e.g. “For [hotel] check-in only – [date]”. That single-use wording is what deters reuse.
Which parts of my passport should I keep visible?
Keep your photo, full name and expiry date readable so the recipient can verify you. Consider covering the passport number and the MRZ (the two machine-readable lines).
Can the watermark be removed later?
A light overlay can sometimes be edited out, so place the watermark across the photo and MRZ and keep enough opacity that removing it also damages the underlying data.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-27.