Today, Apple is announcing the launch of Digital ID for US passports. This is accepted at TSA checkpoints at more than 250 airports across the country for in-person identity verification during domestic travel.
Apple unsurprisingly promises that “additional Digital ID acceptance use cases” will come in the future. As already implied by the wording above, Digital ID is not a replacement for a physical passport and can’t be used for international travel.
To add your passport to Apple Wallet, you’ll scan the photo page of your passport, and will then be asked to use your iPhone to read the chip embedded into the passport to ensure the data’s authenticity. You’ll also take a selfie for verification, and you’ll be prompted to “complete a series of facial and head movements” during the setup process.
To use the Digital ID, double-click the side button or Home button to access Apple Wallet and then select Digital ID. Then you can hold your iPhone or Apple Watch near an identity reader and use Face ID or Touch ID to authenticate. In the future, Apple says you’ll be able to use Digital ID at “additional select businesses and organizations for identity and age verification” – in person, in apps, and online.
Digital ID data is encrypted, and your passport data is only ever stored on-device. Apple says it cannot see when and where you present your ID, or what data is presented. You do not need to unlock, show, or hand over your device to present your ID, and only the information needed for a transaction is presented.
Apple first added the ability to add a driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet in 2022, and this functionality is now live in 12 US states and Puerto Rico.
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