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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Apple’s new Digital ID stores your passport data on your iPhone.
- The ID is currently accepted at 250 TSA checkpoints in the US.
- You’ll still need your physical passport for international travel.
A physical passport is an unwieldy document to carry around when you need to prove your identity to someone. Now, Apple has officially launched a way to store your passport information directly on your iPhone.
Available today, the new Digital ID allows you to scan the photo page of your physical passport and its embedded chip. A selfie snaps your photo to prove that you’re the same person pictured in the passport. If all looks good, your Digital ID is added to the Wallet app on your iPhone. You can then present the ID through your iPhone or Apple Watch.
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Valid for domestic flights only
Sounds handy. But there are a few limitations.
The digital version of your password isn’t meant to replace your physical passport. Rather, its purpose is to provide you with an additional form of ID that you can store on your iPhone. Here, the Digital ID serves to prove your identity if you don’t have a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or a state ID.
Currently, the Digital ID is accepted as a beta method by more than 250 TSA checkpoints at airports in the US. However, the ID is only valid for domestic flights to prove your identity. You can’t use it as an actual passport for international travel or border crossing. In those instances, you’ll still need to present your physical passport.
The launch of Digital ID for passports follows a similar feature for driver’s licenses and state IDs. Using Apple’s Wallet app, residents in several US states can scan their IDs or licenses to store them on their iPhones. Certain states offer their own variations for storing a digital wallet.
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Storing your passport info on your phone certainly seems convenient. But is this a privacy risk?
As with credit cards and other IDs stored in Apple Wallet, Digital ID taps into the privacy and security features built into the iPhone and Apple Watch, according to Apple. The security measures in place are designed to prevent tampering and theft of your private information. The Digital ID data itself is encrypted, while the passport information is stored only on your device.
When you try to show or scan your Digital ID, you must authenticate the process with Face ID or Touch ID. Only the information needed for a transaction is shared, which you can review before authorization. You don’t need to unlock, show, or hand over your iPhone to present your ID. Additionally, Apple cannot determine where or when you used your Digital ID or which data was shared.
How does this all work?
To get started, open the Wallet app on your iPhone. Tap the + icon at the top to add a new card. At the next screen, select Driver’s License and ID Cards. After that, choose Digital ID and then tap Continue.
You’ll be prompted to scan the photo page of your passport. Line up your phone over the page, and the scan is automatically taken.
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Next, place your iPhone on the inside back cover of your password with the barcode at the bottom. Allow your phone to read the chip, which it should do automatically as long as you placed it properly. This step can be tricky, as you have to line up your phone just right for it to read the chip.
Now it’s selfie time. Tap Continue to snap a photo of your face. You’ll then have to perform multiple facial maneuvers to capture different aspects of your face. After you’re done, the data is verified to make sure you match the person in the passport.
To show your Digital ID in person, double-click the side button or press the Home button to access Apple Wallet and then select Digital ID. You can then place your iPhone or Apple Watch near an identity reader or scanner, view the requested information, and authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID to proceed.
What comes next
You can also retrieve the details captured from your physical passport, such as your date of birth, age, sex, ID number, expiration date, and nationality. For that, open the ID in the Wallet app and tap the Info icon. After you’re authenticated through Face ID or Touch ID, the information appears on the screen.
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In the future, Apple aims to expand the use of Digital ID. That means you’ll be able to confirm your identity at other types of businesses and organizations, both in person and online.
For now, the biggest drawback is that you can’t use your digitized passport as a replacement for your physical passport when travelling abroad. But keep in mind that this is just the first phase of a work in progress. Plus, this type of expansion would require buy-in from other countries and a global standard to support the digital documents you’d need for international travel.
