Apple has announced a new feature for its Wallet application that will allow users in the United States to create a digital identification using their passport. This digital ID will be accepted at select Transportation Security Administration checkpoints for domestic travel.
This development continues Apple’s expansion of the Wallet app beyond payments and event tickets into a secure repository for a user’s digital identity. Support for state-issued government IDs in Apple Wallet is already available to residents of twelve states and Puerto Rico, representing approximately one-third of all U.S. license holders. The passport-based digital ID feature, initially expected with the iOS 26 release, is now scheduled for a future software update.
While these new digital IDs will not replace a physical U.S. passport, they are designed to help travelers move through security more efficiently, especially when used alongside digital boarding passes already available in Wallet. This innovation addresses the increased security requirements following the full enforcement of Real ID rules, which made many standard state IDs insufficient for airport security.
The upcoming launch was detailed by Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s Vice President of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, at the Money 20/20 USA conference. During her presentation, Bailey also shared several statistics highlighting the widespread adoption of Apple’s services.
She reported that Apple Pay is now operational in 89 markets worldwide, with support from more than 11,000 banks and networks, including 15 domestic networks. Furthermore, 90 percent of retailers in the United States now accept Apple Pay, a significant increase from just 3 percent at its launch eleven years ago.
Bailey also emphasized the growth of non-payment features within the Wallet app. Users can now store car keys, transit passes, and hotel keys. Transit options are supported across more than 250 regions and 800 cities globally. Over two million hotel room keys have been provisioned, supporting more than 65,000 hotel rooms. Additionally, 29 car manufacturers and over 300 different car models now support the Car Key feature in Wallet.