Apple Says U.S. Passport Feature on iPhone is Coming Soon

You will "soon" be able to add a digital version of your U.S. passport to your iPhone, according to Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.

ios 26 digital id passport wallet
Bailey reiterated that the feature is coming soon during her keynote at the Money20/20 USA conference in Las Vegas on Sunday.

On its iOS 26 page, Apple says the delayed feature will be "coming later this year."

Apple's website previously said a software update would be required to use the feature, but it no longer mentions that. As a result, it is unclear if the feature will require an update like iOS 26.1 or iOS 26.2, or if it will be enabled with a server-side update.

After creating a digital passport in the Wallet app, you will be able to present it in person at TSA checkpoints in select U.S. airports for identity verification purposes during domestic travel. However, Apple says it is not a replacement for a physical passport, and it cannot be used for international travel and border crossing purposes.

Apple says the Digital ID feature is secure, private, and compliant with REAL ID.

It will also be possible to use the Digital ID feature for age and identity verification in apps, online, and in stores, according to Apple.

Apple says the feature will be compatible with U.S. passports only. However, perhaps it will expand to additional countries in the future.

Other details mentioned by Bailey:

  • Apple Pay is available in 89 countries and regions
  • Apple Pay is accepted by 90% of retailers in the U.S.
  • Apple Wallet's car key feature is available in more than 300 vehicle models across 29 brands
  • Apple Wallet app's hotel key card features works with more than 65,000 hotel rooms
  • Tap to Pay on iPhone is live in 48 countries and regions
Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26
Related Forum: iOS 26

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.4 and iOS 27 Features Revealed in New Leak

Friday December 12, 2025 10:56 am PST by
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28. The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Leak Reveals Foldable iPhone Details

Monday December 15, 2025 9:09 am PST by
The first foldable iPhone will feature a series of design and hardware firsts for Apple, according to details shared by the Weibo leaker known as Digital Chat Station. According to a new post, via machine translation, Apple is developing what the leaker describes as a "wide foldable" device, a term used to refer to a horizontally oriented, book-style foldable with a large internal display....
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.2 With Alarms for Reminders, Lock Screen Changes, Enhanced Safety Alerts and More

Friday December 12, 2025 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.2 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features on Your iPhone

Thursday December 11, 2025 8:49 am PST by
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon. Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week. iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
macOS Tahoe 26 Thumb

Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.2 With Edge Light

Friday December 12, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.2, the second major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.2 comes five weeks after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.1. Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Tahoe 26.2 includes Edge Light, a feature that illuminates your face with soft...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3

Thursday December 11, 2025 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
airpods max 2024 colors

AirPods Max 2 Likely to Offer These 10 New Features

Monday December 15, 2025 7:41 am PST by
Apple released the AirPods Max on December 15, 2020, meaning the over-ear headphones launched five years ago today. While the AirPods Max were updated with a USB-C port and new color options last year, followed by support for lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio this year, the headphones lack some of the features that have been introduced for newer generations of the regular AirPods and the ...
apple beta 26 lineup

Apple Leak Confirms Work on Foldable iPhone, AirTag 2, and Dozens More Devices

Monday December 15, 2025 2:05 pm PST by
Last week, details about unreleased Apple devices and future iOS features were shared by Macworld. This week, we learned where the information came from, plus we have more findings from the leak. As it turns out, an Apple prototype device running an early build of iOS 26 was sold, and the person who bought it shared the software. The OS has a version number of 23A5234w, and the first...

Top Rated Comments

212rikanmofo Avatar
7 weeks ago
Enough with all this SATANIC digital ID, AI crap. It's just leading us one step closer to mark of the beast. All this crap under the guise of "convience, quick, for our safety, etc.". Yeah right, the truth is much further than that.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jole Avatar
7 weeks ago

Do not put digital IDs on your phone, for any reason.

""But if you hand over your unlocked phone to a police officer and offer to show them something, “it becomes this complicated factual question about what consent you’ve granted for a search and what the limits of that are,” Brett Max Kaufman, a senior staff attorney in the ACLU’s Center for Democracy, told The Verge. “There have been cases where people give consent to do one thing, the cops then take the whole phone, copy the whole phone, find other evidence on the phone, and the legal question that comes up in court is: did that violate the scope of consent?”"
Never hand over your phone. Ever.

(Digital ID does not require nor imply handing over your phone)
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrono1081 Avatar
7 weeks ago

Data hoarding end-game right there!
No it isn't. You're just fear mongering for no legitimate reason. You do realize this is the EXACT same data already present on a physical passport (which you scan) correct? No one is getting any additional information from this.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Powerguru Avatar
7 weeks ago
It’s great that it will be available in US this year. ?? I can just imagine the work that goes behind something like this to secure and work right everytime. Only possible is America ??
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nickerbocker Avatar
7 weeks ago
I have had a state issued digital ID for two years now that I haven't used once. I tried last time I flew at TSA because they said they took them but then their machine wasn't working and after 3 tries I just handed them my physical ID because I was holding up the line.

It might be cool if they ever get the system worked out.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FlavorfulTreat Avatar
7 weeks ago
Do not put digital IDs on your phone, for any reason.

""But if you hand over your unlocked phone to a police officer and offer to show them something, “it becomes this complicated factual question about what consent you’ve granted for a search and what the limits of that are,” Brett Max Kaufman, a senior staff attorney in the ACLU’s Center for Democracy, told The Verge. “There have been cases where people give consent to do one thing, the cops then take the whole phone, copy the whole phone, find other evidence on the phone, and the legal question that comes up in court is: did that violate the scope of consent?”"
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)