We are designing an online application (college admission form) which mandates the user to upload a scanned copy of his photo along with his signature, so that this information can be used to cross verify the applicant when he appears for a exam + personal interview at a later point in time. This entire process requires a scanner for the applicant to scan his photo / signature into an appropriate size. Is there a better way to capture user identity for such purposes as usage of scanner for capturing signature, photo is a painful process.
+1
A:
I would capture some unique information that would be associated with a photo id, such as a driver's license or passport number. Then I would ask them to present that form of identification when they show up. You check the number supplied against the number on their id and their photo on the id against their appearance. Of course, you also validate that the id is genuine as well.
tvanfosson
2010-03-24 17:51:02
I forget to mention the fact that in developing countries most of the students don't have a photo identity and they usually get a form of photo identity (e.g. drivers license or voter id card) post graduation and after they get into a job. This is one of the reasons that photo(s) and signature is a mandatory check during the application process. How would you handle in such scenarios?
Samuel
2010-03-25 04:04:03
They must have a passport if they are enrolling in a college in a foreign country, but if you have realistic cases where they don't have this when they apply, you could accept two alternative forms of identification -- say birth certificate or national identity card and passport == when they arrive to check in and at that point you could enter the passport number as the controlling number. Then at the point where you issue the student id care, you need only verify the passport. Or you could simply let them update the identity number after they obtain their passport, but before they arrive.
tvanfosson
2010-03-25 11:17:44