Apple confirmed that U S passport support will arrive in Wallet later this year. The company updated the iOS 26 feature pages to say that Digital ID will come later this year with U S passports only.
This change means iPhone users will be able to store a digital copy of their U S passport inside Apple Wallet. Apple says the digital passport can be presented at select TSA checkpoints for domestic travel.
Apple has rolled out digital drivers licenses state by state, and those rollouts have been gradual. Adding passports follows that same careful approach and will require software updates and partner support at checkpoints.
What to expect
Apple has moved the Passport item from the main iOS 26 launch into a later update. The company previously described the passport feature as arriving via a software update. Reports earlier this month noted the passport item had been delayed while Apple completes the last steps.
The feature will start as a domestic convenience. It will let travellers present a verified digital passport at participating airport security lines. The digital passport is not a replacement for a physical passport for international border control. Users should still carry their physical passport for any cross-border travel.
How to use
At the moment, Apple facilitates the functionality that allows users to open Wallet and pass through a verification sequence to scan the passport chip and verify the owner through biometric authentication. Multi-step identity checks have been patented and characterized using secure elements and face matching by Apple to verify identity. Anticipate that Apple will demand updates to the iOS and maybe a short verification so as to add the passport.
Apple will post device requirements once the feature ships. In certain states, older devices were limited by previous Digital ID rollouts, or they demanded subsequent versions of iOS. The next step is that users can verify Wallet settings after updating and completing the on-screen instructions.
The rollout is based on security and privacy. Apple makes Digital ID a local and encrypted credential. The company claims that the data is safeguarded by the biometric confirmation and secure element on the device. The acceptance and storage of the digital credential will be monitored by travelers and privacy advocates to gauge how states and airports address the issue.
