Apple introduced Digital ID in Apple Wallet, which allows U.S. travelers to submit their passport data for identity verification when passing through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints. The feature is enabled at over 250 airports for domestic travel and presented as a convenient alternative to “presenting your physical ID” at the podium. It is not a substitute for a traditional passport, and international travel may still require the original document.
How Apple’s passport-based Digital ID works
Digital ID is integrated into Apple Wallet on iPhone and Apple Watch. To sign up, open Wallet and tap the plus icon, then select Driver’s License or ID Cards, then Digital ID. You’ll scan the photo page of your U.S. passport, hover your iPhone over the embedded NFC chip, and pass a short liveness check: you’ll take a selfie and follow visual guide arrows as you tilt your head in prescribed movements (including one with eyes closed). According to Apple, the submission is examined before approval.
At launch, you’ll need an iPhone 11 or later running iOS 26.1 or higher, or an Apple Watch Series 6 or later on watchOS 26.1 or higher. Once approved, presenting your ID is a matter of seconds: double-press the side button to open Wallet, tap on Digital ID, hold your device close to the TSA’s reader, read and confirm that all of the requested data is correct, and authorize with Face ID or Touch ID.
Where U.S. travelers can use Apple’s Digital ID
Apple says Digital ID will be available to use for verification at over 250 TSA locations throughout the U.S., although no specific airports were detailed at launch. The experience depends on TSA’s Credential Authentication Technology readers, which can ask for and receive only the fields necessary for screening (like your name and date of birth) while keeping your device in hand.
The feature is intended for domestic flights; international trips still require a passport book or card for airline and border inspections.
The United States Postal Service has said passports account for only about 7 percent of sales at its more than 5,100 retail locations but declined to give dollar figures. Apple says that Digital ID will come to other use cases, like age confirmation and identity verification at participating businesses, organizations, apps, and websites.
Security and privacy considerations for Digital ID
As part of setup, the iPhone reads your passport’s ICAO-compliant chip to capture authoritative data and employs liveness detection to prevent spoofing. Like the other Wallet credentials, sensitive elements are kept in the Secure Enclave, and by default sharing also needs your biometric authentication. With TSA, you at least see what fields are being asked for before you agree.
The best practices are consistent with Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate and NIST Digital Identity Guidelines: share as little data as necessary, bind the credential to the device, and require user consent. Apple stresses that TSA’s readers receive only the attributes they request, not a full image of your document or information about other devices.
Digital ID is not a full replacement for passports
Digital ID can’t be used to replace your physical passport in international travel, nor does it override airline or government document checks. It’s best thought of as a shortcut identity option now installed to access the fast lane at domestic TSA touchpoints, similar to Apple Wallet’s mobile driver’s license support already available today. Apple’s driver’s license feature is already live for users in a dozen states at certain TSA checkpoints; the passport-based Digital ID expands this to include any traveler with an active U.S. passport.
Why Apple’s Digital ID matters for frequent travelers
Travelers are flying in record numbers, and identity checks are a bottleneck. TSA reports record screening numbers, more than 3 million passengers in a single day at peak times. At least 24 million passports and passport cards were issued in the most recent fiscal year, according to new stats from the U.S. Department of State. Moment by moment, call by call, a secure, telephone-based ID could shave seconds off each screening — and that scales up fast in volume times people at busy checkpoints.
And for frequent flyers, there is a utilitarian benefit: fewer handoffs, fewer wallets being fumbled into and back out of pockets, and a clear audit of which data points are shared. For TSA, machine-readable credentials sent from your device to be read onsite can help minimize the time it takes to inspect documents and prevent fraud — especially if coupled with TSA PreCheck and contemporary CAT-2 readers.
What comes next for Apple’s passport-based Digital ID
Apple previewed Digital ID earlier this year and now is pushing for broader use. The company says that it will add more experiences beyond airports in the future, like age gates and account verification for partner apps and merchants. More widespread use will hinge on standards alignment and coverage of airport hardware, as well as state or federal policy governing digital credentials.
For the time being, though, travelers should regard Digital ID as an offering in tandem with — but not a replacement for — physical documents. Keep that passport close if you’re traveling internationally, scan for signs at the TSA that show which lanes accept digital IDs, and make sure your device and software are compatible before you head to the airport.