Apple's next move in the digital travel era is almost here. 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-roll-out Digital ID program.
Apple confirmed during its annual Worldwide Developers Conference last summer that it is adding digital passport support to Apple Wallet. Those with an iPhone will be able to create a digital ID using their passport with either the iOS 26.1 or 26.2 update, both of which are expected to be released before the end of the year. The timing was confirmed by the following footnote on the Apple website.
This is yet another bit of good news for travelers who routinely get flustered when asked to show their passport or driver's license. By adding the digital passport feature, all you have to reach for is your iPhone to scan the passport. However, don't ditch your old-school blue passport just yet. We'll try to answer your questions below.
How does it work?
The new passport feature will allow travelers to verify their identities with just their iPhones at certain Transportation Security Administration checkpoints at U.S. airports. Travelers won't be required to hand over their phones; they will simply authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID, then hold their device near a scanner for confirmation. The integration builds on the same secure electronic machine-readable travel document chip technology found in modern passports, offering encrypted digital verification directly from the device.
According to Apple and the TSA, the digital passports will only be accepted for certain domestic travel and ID checks, not for international border crossings (at least, for now). That leads us to probably the biggest question people have.
Do you still need your physical passport?
As exciting as it may be for travelers looking to carry fewer documents, the digital passport does not mean you can leave your physical passport at home. You still need to bring it with you, just as people with digital state IDs still must carry their physical identification when traveling through TSA checkpoints.
Apple is pitching the feature not as a replacement for your old passport, but as a convenient backup or complementary ID option for U.S. citizens flying domestically to use at certain TSA checkpoints. Essentially, it's about a little bit of added convenience, not substitution, when you're at the airport. And, as we mentioned earlier, travelers will still need to pack the old-school blue book passports for any overseas trip.
Expanding the Digital ID program
The digital passport rollout represents the next phase of Apple's Digital ID program, which has grown slowly but steadily over the past four years. Until now, use of digital driver's licenses in Apple Wallet has been limited to a patchwork of cooperating states and territories. The passport feature, by contrast, applies to all U.S. citizens, regardless of where they live, although using it will depend on whether you're at an airport with TSA checkpoints that have the supportive technology.
Currently, Apple Wallet supports digital IDs in the following 11 U.S. states and territories:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Iowa
- Maryland
- Montana
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Puerto Rico
This list will continue to expand as more states adopt Apple's secure framework for identity verification. Still, even in participating states, users are advised to carry their physical IDs alongside their digital ones, reflecting Apple's cautious approach to adoption and compliance standards. Again, think complementary tech — not replacement.
Bottom line
For frequent flyers, Apple's passport integration is yet another step toward streamlining the check-in and security experience, especially at airports with supported TSA checkpoints. You'll be able to move through domestic checkpoints a bit faster without needing to pull out your printed credentials since you'll be able to simply authenticate through your iPhone or Apple Watch. You can expect the feature to arrive via iOS 26.1 or 26.2 later this year.
Apple's move toward digital-first travel identity follows 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 shop for travel, allowing users to do everything from adding digital hotel room keys to storing transit cards for easy bus and subway access in New York City. The passport feature represents the latest step in transforming the way we travel and one that will hopefully prove popular enough that it spurs more airports to upgrade their own checkpoint technology.
As stressful as travel can be, any time you can save with a digital shortcut is welcome. People who travel with children should also welcome this because it will mean one less thing they have to carry through security.
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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
