Apple Wallet now stores U.S. passports for digital ID verification at TSA checkpoints

Apple Watch and iPhone owners in the United States can now store a digital copy of their U.S. passport on their devices. This feature allows users to present their passports at TSA checkpoints in over 250 U.S. airports when traveling domestically.

Called Digital ID, this feature was announced as part of the iOS 16 release and adds passports to the range of government IDs that can be stored in Apple Wallet. So far, the company has rolled out this feature to several states and Puerto Rico, with plans to expand to more locations.

With Digital ID in Apple Wallet, users can create and display an ID even if they do not possess a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or state ID. It’s important to note that this digital ID does not replace the physical passport and is not currently valid for international travel or border crossings, as stated by Apple.

To add a passport to the Wallet app, users should tap the “Add” (+) button and choose “Driver’s License or ID Cards,” then select “Digital ID.” The setup involves scanning the photo page of the passport and the embedded chip using an iPhone to verify its authenticity. For security, users must also take a selfie and complete a series of facial and head movements for additional verification.

Support for IDs in Apple Wallet is the last barrier standing in the way of making iPhones a substitute for physical wallets, as it can now hold payment cards, loyalty cards, tickets, passes, and more.

Introducing Apple’s new Digital ID, which works much like using Apple Pay. You can double-click the side button or Home button to access your Wallet, then select Digital ID.

Users will authenticate their identity information using Face ID or Touch ID after holding their iPhone or Apple Watch near an identity reader. Before the verification is complete, they will be able to review the specific identity information being requested.

However, the feature is still in beta, as it hasn’t been fully released to all the device readers at the TSA checkpoints at this time. (The TSA website offers a list of which states are currently supporting mobile ID, but still advises travelers to carry their physical ID.)

According to Apple, users will eventually be able to submit their Digital ID at businesses and organizations that require age verification, both in-person and online.

This could involve event venues or bars where users need to show their ID at the entrance to confirm they are of legal drinking age. Online, websites that restrict access to adult content could also utilize Apple’s APIs to verify users’ ages. For example, if a user wanted to order alcohol for delivery through a service like Uber Eats, they could ascertain their ID during the ordering process.

In both situations, users would be able to confirm that they are over 21 without having to share personal information such as their name, address, or date of birth.

Apple mentioned that it can’t see when or where a user presents their ID or what data was transferred. Additionally, users don’t have to unlock their phone or pass it over to show their ID, as it functions just like Apple Pay.