Apple just made iPhones into passports (US only, so far)

Apple promised us it would deliver this feature earlier this year, and now it has: Digital ID, a new way to create and present an ID in Apple Wallet – one that travellers have wanted for years and that Apple has been working on for considerable time.

Digital ID lets you create an ID in Apple Wallet using U.S. passport information. Once set up, travellers can use this to replace their passport using an iPhone or Apple Watch – though only in the US.

Available for internal US travellers

Digital ID acceptance will roll out first in beta at TSA checkpoints at more than 250 airports in the U.S. for in-person identity verification during domestic travel, with additional Digital ID acceptance use cases to come in the future.

Apple says this should not be seen as a replacement for a physical passport, and stressed that it cannot be used for international travel and border crossing in lieu of a U.S. passport.

What Apple said

“With the launch of Digital ID, we’re excited to expand the ways users can store and present their identity — all with the security and privacy built into iPhone and Apple Watch,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.

“Since introducing the ability to add a driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet in 2022, we’ve seen how much users love having their ID right on their devices. Digital IDs brings this secure and convenient option to even more users across the country, as they can now add an ID to Wallet using information from their U.S. passport.”

How to add ID

US passport holders can add ID to their Apple Wallet like this:

• Open Wallet
• Tap the Add button
• Select Driver’s License or ID Cards.
• Choose Digital ID and follow the onscreen instructions to start the setup and verification process.
• You’ll be asked to scan your passport and to use your iPhone to read the embedded NFC chip on the back of your passport.
• You’ll also need to provide a selfie for verification and also to complete a series of facial and head movements during the setup process.
• Upon verification, their Digital ID is added to Wallet.

When users create a Digital ID, their passport data is stored on the device. Apple cannot see when and where users present their ID, or what data was presented. Biometric authentication using Face ID or Touch ID also ensures that only the owner of the Digital ID can present it.

Only the information needed for a transaction is presented, and the user has the opportunity to review and authorize the information being requested with Face ID or Touch ID before it is shared. Users do not need to unlock, show, or hand over their device to present their ID.

Using Digital ID in Apple Wallet

To present a Digital ID just double-click the side button or Home button to access Apple Wallet and select Digital ID. You then hold your device near an identity reader, review the specific information being requested, and use Face ID or Touch ID to authenticate.

In the future, users will be able to present their Digital ID at additional select businesses and organizations for identity and age verification in person, in apps, and online, Apple said.

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