The U.S. digital passport is coming to Apple Wallet, but don’t throw away your old one just yet
Apple’s next move in the era of digital travel is just around the corner. By the end of 2025, iPhone users will be able to add their U.S. passports to Apple Wallet, a major expansion of its long-gestating but slow-to-rollout digital ID program.
Apple confirmed at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference last summer that it would add digital passport support to Apple Wallet. Users with iPhones will be able to create digital IDs using Passport through iOS 26.1 or 26.2 updates, which are expected to be released before the end of the year. The following footnote on Apple’s website confirms this timing.
This is another piece of good news for travelers who often feel panicked when asked to show their passport or driving license. With the addition of digital passport functionality, you can scan your passport simply using your iPhone. Don’t throw away your old blue passport just yet, though. We’ll try to answer your questions below.
How does it work?
The new passport feature will allow travelers to verify their identity at certain Transportation Security Administration checkpoints at U.S. airports using only their iPhone. Travelers don’t need to hand over their phones; they simply authenticate using Face ID or Touch ID and then hold the device up to a scanner to confirm. The integration is based on the same secure electronic machine-readable travel document chip technology found in modern passports, providing encrypted digital verification directly from the device.
According to Apple and the TSA, digital passports only work for certain domestic travel and identity checks, not international border crossings (at least for now). This leads to the biggest question one may face.
Do you still need a physical passport?
This may be exciting for travelers looking to carry fewer documents, but a digital passport doesn’t mean you can leave your physical passport at home. You still need to carry it with you, just like people with digital state ID cards still have to carry their ID when going through TSA checkpoints.
Apple is touting the feature not as a replacement for old passports, but as a convenient backup or supplemental ID option for U.S. citizens flying domestically at certain TSA checkpoints. Essentially, this is to provide a little extra convenience when at the airport, not a replacement. And, as we mentioned before, travelers still need to carry their old-school Blue Book passport with them on any overseas trip.
Expanding digital ID program
The launch of Digital Passport represents the next phase of Apple’s digital ID program, which has been growing slowly but steadily over the past four years. Until now, use of digital driver’s licenses in Apple Wallet has been limited to partnering states and territories. In contrast, the Passport feature is available to all U.S. citizens regardless of where they live, but using it depends on whether your airport has a TSA checkpoint with supporting technology.
Currently, Apple Wallet supports digital IDs from the following 11 states and regions in the United States:
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- Arizona
- california
- colorado
- Georgia
- hawaii
- Iowa
- Maryland
- Montana
- New Mexico
- north dakota
- Ohio
- Puerto Rico
The list will continue to grow as more states adopt Apple’s authentication security framework. Still, even in participating states, users are advised to carry their physical IDs along with their digital IDs, reflecting Apple’s cautious approach to adoption and compliance standards. Again, consider complementary technologies, not replacement technologies.
bottom line
For frequent travelers, Apple’s passport integration is another step toward streamlining the check-in and security experience, especially at airports with TSA checkpoint support. You’ll be able to pass through domestic checkpoints faster without having to whip out printed credentials because you can authenticate via your iPhone or Apple Watch. You can expect the feature to be released later this year via iOS 26.1 or 26.2.
Apple is moving toward a digital-first travel identity, following in the footsteps of Google, which launched passport integration in Google Wallet in late 2024. Over the past decade, Apple has transformed its mobile wallet into a one-stop travel shop, allowing users to do everything from adding digital hotel room keys to storing transit cards for easy rides on New York City buses and subways. The passport feature represents the latest step in changing the way we travel and is expected to prove popular enough to spur more airports to upgrade their own checkpoint technology.
As stressful as traveling can be, any time you can save money with digital shortcuts, you’re welcome. People traveling with children should also welcome this, as it means they have one less item they have to carry through security.
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