Apple has begun rolling out a digital version of the US passport for use on iPhones and Apple Watches, allowing travellers to present identification at more than 250 airport security checkpoints across the United States. The move marks one of the most significant steps yet toward replacing physical identity documents with smartphone-based credentials, a trend also being pursued by Google on Android devices.
The feature, known simply as Digital ID, enables users to store passport information in Apple Wallet and present it at TSA security lanes. But the company emphasises that the digital passport is not a substitute for a physical document, nor can it be used for international travel or at border crossings.
Setting up a Digital ID involves several layers of verification: scanning the passport’s photo page, reading the embedded security chip, and completing facial-recognition and movement checks. The data is encrypted and stored on the user’s device, and Apple says it has no visibility into where or when the ID is used, or what information is shared.
At participating airports, travellers can authenticate their identity by bringing their iPhone or Apple Watch close to a TSA identity reader, confirming the information being requested, and validating the action with Face ID or Touch ID.
Twelve US states and Puerto Rico already support digital driver’s licences or state IDs in Apple Wallet, with more joining in recent months. Some states—including Arkansas, Louisiana, New York, Utah and Virginia, are developing their own standalone digital ID apps, while others offer both wallet integration and separate applications.
Internationally, Japan has introduced support for its national My Number card in Apple Wallet, marking one of the first digital ID deployments outside the US.
Apple says it expects the IDs to be usable in the future for age verification at bars, venues and online services, a shift that could expand the role of digital identification in everyday life.
Privacy advocates have warned that expanded digital identification risks creating new avenues for surveillance and normalising ID checks online. Experts fear what they describe as an “explosion of identity demands,” where websites and companies increasingly require identity verification, replacing simple age declarations or login details.
For now, acceptance remains limited. The feature is still in beta and works only at select TSA checkpoints. Travellers are advised to carry physical identification, as digital readers are far from universal and system failures remain possible.
Digital IDs also do not exempt travellers from federal REAL ID requirements, which continue to be phased in across the US.
The move underscores a broader shift by Apple and Google to transform smartphones into full replacements for physical wallets. Beyond payment cards, phones now routinely store transit passes, tickets, loyalty cards and, increasingly, government-issued ID.
Both companies say users maintain full control over what data is shared and when, with all transactions requiring biometric authentication.
With adoption still in early stages, digital identification remains a convenience rather than a universal standard. But technology firms and governments appear committed to a future where identity verification is digital by default,while physical documents, for now, remain essential for travel and official purposes.
