Google Wallet can now store a digital version of your U.S. passport, allowing you to pass through certain TSA checkpoints more quickly. You’ll still need to carry your physical passport with you, though.
Any Android phone with the Google Wallet app can take advantage of this new feature, from the Google Pixel 9 to the Samsung Galaxy S24.
Google calls this passport-like pass a digital ID, and as the name suggests, it’s not a complete replacement for your passport. The company says you’ll still need to carry the relevant physical ID with you when traveling, at least “for now.”
Users can create a digital ID by scanning the photo page of their passport, scanning the security chip on the back of the passport, and taking a selfie video. This information is then sent to Google for review.
Once your digital ID is approved, it is stored encrypted. Access is kept safe behind your phone’s fingerprint scanner, passcode or PIN.
Digital ID is coming to Google Wallet as part of a broader expansion of ID support. Support for California IDs was added in August, with state-issued IDs and driver’s licenses for Iowa, New Mexico and Ohio to follow “in the coming months.”
Google says it is working with partners to expand the usefulness of digital IDs. Examples of possible future applications include account recovery, identity verification and car rentals.
More options for commuters
Google Wallet’s update also brings new options for commuters in the US.
In the US, Google has added support for prepaid commuter benefit cards, starting with Edenred and HealthEquity. Additionally, tickets and booking confirmations sent to Gmail are now automatically imported into the Google Wallet app.
And new notifications will alert you when a pass changes, such as your assigned seat. Live train status updates, including train times and delays, will also be available soon.
Plus, you can now access your passes online at wallet.google.com, so you no longer need to have your Android device handy to check your tickets, passes, and IDs.
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