IPhone Wallet: Store Your Passport Now – How & What You Can Do
- This article details Apple's new feature allowing users to store a digital version of their US passport on their iPhone via the Wallet app.
- * Digital ID: A digital version of your passport stored securely on your iPhone.
- * Domestic Flights: Primarily intended as an option ID for TSA checkpoints at US airports (currently accepted at over 250).
Apple Now Lets You Store Your Passport on Your iPhone – But With Limitations
This article details Apple’s new feature allowing users to store a digital version of their US passport on their iPhone via the Wallet app. Hear’s a breakdown of the key facts:
What it is:
* Digital ID: A digital version of your passport stored securely on your iPhone.
* Setup: Involves scanning the photo page of your passport and reading the embedded chip using your iPhone. A selfie is taken for verification.
* Location: Stored within the Apple Wallet app,accessible on iPhone and Apple Watch.
what it’s for:
* Domestic Flights: Primarily intended as an option ID for TSA checkpoints at US airports (currently accepted at over 250).
* REAL ID Alternative: Useful if you don’t have a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or state ID.
* Not a Replacement: It does not replace your physical passport for international travel or border crossings.
How it works:
- Open the Wallet app and add a new card.
- Select “Driver’s License and ID Cards” then “Digital ID”.
- Scan the photo page of your passport.
- Scan the chip on the inside back cover of your passport.
- Authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID.
Privacy & Security:
* Encryption: Passport information is encrypted and stored only on your device.
* Authentication: Requires Face ID or Touch ID to present the ID.
* Data Control: You review what information is shared before authorization.
* Apple’s Limited Knowledge: Apple doesn’t track when or where you use your Digital ID, or what data is shared.
Related Features:
* Apple already offers a similar feature for digital driver’s licenses and state IDs in select US states.
In essence, this is a convenient addition for domestic travel, offering a digital alternative to physical identification, but it’s crucial to remember it’s not a substitute for your physical passport when traveling internationally.