Apple lets users store US passports in the official Wallet app. This will allow travelers to present this digital ID as a valid form of identification at TSA checkout lines at airports.
In other words, people with a passport who have not yet upgraded their driver’s license to a Real ID will be able to board a plane without bringing a physical copy of that passport to the airport. This whole Real ID thing is important to many people, so I appreciate any effort to make the journey a little easier.
This ID will appear on both the iPhone and Apple Watch, and Apple says the service is being implemented at TSA checkpoints at more than 250 US-based airports. It is used for ID only on domestic flights; You will still need a physical passport if you plan to travel internationally.
Additionally, the technology to scan these digital IDs has not yet been implemented in all TSA readers, You might want to bring along a paper passport for a while to give TSA and Apple a chance to line up,
Apple
The company plans to extend this facility beyond air travel. Apple says businesses will eventually be able to accept these IDs for age verification purposes. It also adds passports to the list of existing government IDs supported in the Digital ID feature and Apple Wallet.
Adding a passport seems simple enough. Simply go to the Wallet app and follow the prompts. Users must pose for selfies and complete a series of facial and head movements for security.
The wallet platform also accepts driver’s licenses and state IDs, but only in 12 states and Puerto Rico. However, these will not be valid for the flight, as none of them are real IDs or passports.