Apple says United States passport digital IDs are coming to Wallet ‘soon’

[media-credit name=”Jakub Porzycki/Nurphoto/Getty Images” link=”https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/27/apple-says-u-s-passport-digital-ids-are-coming-to-wallet-soon” width=2048 align=”center”][/media-credit]

Apple is gearing up to let United States users add their passports to Apple Wallet as a digital ID credential, according to a recent report. The feature was announced by Apple Inc. during the rollout cycle of iOS 26 and reflects the company’s push to transform the Wallet app into more than just payments and boarding passes.

Under the new system, users will “create and add a Digital ID to Apple Wallet using a US passport”, Apple says—though the company emphasises that this digital credential is not a replacement for the physical passport, especially for international travel. More precisely: The digital ID is intended for identity checks at select domestic locations—such as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints—rather than border crossings.

Why does this matter?

It signals a shift in how official identity documents may be carried and validated: Your phone (and probably your watch) moves closer to replacing one of the bulkiest items in your bag.

For travellers (especially domestic ones), the possibility of ditching the physical passport at TSA is appealing.

On the other hand, questions remain regarding security, privacy, and fallback scenarios (such as a dead battery or a lost phone). Some users and developers voiced caution—even on sites like Hacker News.

When will it land? Apple hasn’t given a firm date beyond “soon”. The feature didn’t debut with iOS 26’s initial release, but it was confirmed to be coming in a future update.

If you’re managing travel plans, digital identity, or privacy policy for clients (or yourself), this is a development worth keeping an eye on.

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