ISO/IEC 19794-2:2005 specifies a concept and data formats for representation of fingerprints using the fundamental notion of minutiae. It is generic, in that it may be applied and used in a wide range of application areas where automated fingerprint recognition is involved. ISO/IEC 19794-2:2005 contains definitions of relevant terms, a description of how minutiae shall be determined, data formats for containing the data for both general use and for use with cards, and conformance information. Guidelines and values for matching and decision parameters are provided in an informative annex.

ISO/IEC 19794-2:2005 specifies

• the fundamental data elements used for minutiae-based representation of a fingerprint;
• three data formats for interchange and storage of this data: a record-based format, and normal and compact formats for use on a smart card in a match-on-card application;
• optional extended data formats for including additional data such as ridge counts and core and delta location.

ISO/IEC 19794-2:2005 provides for interchange of finger minutiae data between sensing, storage and matching systems.