ISO/IEC 19794-8:2006 specifies the interchange format for the exchange of pattern-based skeletal fingerprint recognition data. The data format is generic, in that it may be applied and used in a wide range of application areas where automated fingerprint recognition is involved.

The exchange format defined in ISO/IEC 19794-8:2006 describes all characteristics of a fingerprint in a small data record. Thus it allows for the extraction of both spectral information (orientation, frequency, phase, etc.) and features (minutiae, core, ridge count, etc.). Transformations like translation and rotation can also be accommodated by the format defined herein.

ISO/IEC 19794-8:2006 supports the proliferation of low-cost commercial fingerprint sensors with limited coverage, dynamic range, or resolution. Thus it defines a data record that can be used to store biometric information on a variety a storage media (including, but not limited to, portable devices and smart cards).