Your iPhone can now hold a digital version of your U.S. passport, not just your driver’s license. Apple Wallet’s latest expansion lets users store passport information as a verified Digital ID, a feature confirmed by the Associated Press as already accepted at select airport security checkpoints. Combined with a federal rule that locked in acceptance of mobile driver’s licenses at TSA screening lanes, the update marks a tangible step toward phone-based travel credentials in the United States.
Passports join driver’s licenses in Apple Wallet
Until now, Apple Wallet’s identification features were limited to state-issued mobile driver’s licenses and ID cards, available in roughly a dozen participating states. The passport addition changes the equation: for the first time, a federally issued travel document can be stored and presented digitally on an iPhone.
According to the AP’s reporting, the passport-based Digital ID is already functional at airports, though Apple has not published a full list of supported locations or detailed the technical requirements for adding passport data. Apple has also not specified which iOS version or device models are required to use the feature. The process is expected to work similarly to the existing state-ID setup, where users scan their physical document and complete a facial-recognition verification step, with credential data stored locally on the device’s Secure Element rather than on Apple’s servers.
Apple has not issued a formal press release outlining the feature’s full scope, and specifics like device compatibility, supported iOS versions, and the complete list of participating airports remain unconfirmed through primary Apple documentation. What is clear is that the feature exists, it works, and it gives travelers a second form of digital identification on a single device.
How to add a passport to Apple Wallet
Apple has not published a dedicated walkthrough for the passport feature, but based on how the existing state-ID enrollment works, the process is expected to follow a similar pattern. For state-issued IDs, users open the Wallet app, tap the plus icon, select “Driver’s License or State ID,” then follow prompts to scan the front and back of their physical card and complete a series of facial and head movements for identity verification. The passport setup is expected to mirror those steps: open Wallet, choose the passport option, scan the photo page of your physical U.S. passport, and complete the facial-recognition check. Once verified, the credential is stored on the device’s Secure Element chip.
Because Apple has not released formal documentation for the passport-specific flow, some details may differ. Users should check the Wallet app directly to see whether the passport option appears, as availability may depend on device model, software version, and region. Until Apple confirms the full requirements, travelers should treat the physical passport as the primary document and the digital version as a supplement.
TSA’s rule makes mobile IDs a permanent fixture
The passport feature arrives against the backdrop of a regulatory shift that has been building for months. On October 24, 2024, the Transportation Security Administration published a final rule formalizing the acceptance of mobile driver’s licenses at airport checkpoints and federal buildings. Before this rule, TSA had been accepting digital credentials on an interim basis. The final rule converted that trial into standing policy, giving the practice a durable legal foundation.
Under the framework, travelers present a mobile driver’s license by tapping or holding their device near a reader at the security lane. The system validates the credential electronically, a process that mirrors contactless payments but operates under stricter federal security standards. The rule has been in effect for several months now, and its infrastructure is already part of the checkpoint experience at participating airports.
One important distinction: the TSA rule specifically addresses mobile driver’s licenses. It does not explicitly cover passport-based digital credentials like the one Apple Wallet now offers. How Apple’s passport feature fits within TSA’s formal policy structure, and whether the agency plans to update its framework to encompass digital passports, has not been publicly clarified by either TSA or the U.S. State Department.
REAL ID enforcement adds urgency
The push toward digital credentials is playing out alongside the long-delayed REAL ID enforcement deadline. As of May 7, 2025, the federal government requires air travelers to present a REAL ID-compliant license, a U.S. passport, or another approved document at TSA checkpoints. Physical licenses from non-compliant states will no longer be accepted for federal purposes.
By formalizing mobile credential acceptance before that deadline took effect, TSA created a parallel digital pathway. For travelers in states that issue both REAL ID-compliant and mobile driver’s licenses, the digital option serves as a convenient backup. It does not replace REAL ID requirements; it layers on top of them. And for travelers whose states have not yet adopted mobile IDs, the digital shift offers no immediate relief from the compliance deadline.
Uneven coverage and open questions for spring 2025
The technology works, but coverage is uneven. Apple Wallet’s state-ID program is live in around a dozen states as of spring 2025, and the passport feature’s airport acceptance network is still limited. The AP confirmed the feature is in use at airports but did not specify which ones or how many. Android users do not yet have an equivalent passport-storage option through Google Wallet, though Google has been expanding its own digital ID capabilities in parallel.
Privacy-conscious users may want to know that Apple stores digital ID credentials on the device’s Secure Element, the same hardware-level chip that protects Apple Pay transactions. Apple has stated that it does not retain identity data on its servers or track when or where a credential is presented. Still, storing a passport on a phone raises questions that a physical document does not, particularly around what happens if a device is lost, stolen, or compelled by law enforcement.
For now, the practical advice is straightforward. If you carry an iPhone and live in a participating state, check Apple Wallet’s settings to see whether your state supports digital IDs. For the passport feature, the same logic applies, though you should confirm acceptance at your specific airport before leaving your physical passport at home. The federal framework is in place, the technology is functional, and the direction of travel is clear. But until digital acceptance is universal, a physical ID in your pocket remains the safest backup.
More from Morning Overview
*This article was researched with the help of AI, with human editors creating the final content.
