Apple has confirmed that U.S. passport support for its Digital ID feature will arrive later in 2025, following its omission from the public release of iOS 26. The clarification appeared in an updated version of Apple’s iOS 26 feature page, with outlets including MacRumors and 9to5Mac noting the timing change.
Apple’s Digital ID Roadmap
The company first previewed Digital ID at WWDC in June, highlighting that iPhone and Apple Watch users would be able to create a passport-based credential in Wallet.
Apple emphasized that the feature is designed to be private and secure, with no replacement of a physical passport and no support for international border crossing. Instead, Digital ID is framed as an additional option for identity verification in domestic travel contexts. Apple’s newsroom announcement reiterated that the feature would complement existing identity documents rather than supplant them.
The delay matches early reviews of iOS 26, which noted that most new features shipped on schedule but that Digital ID was absent, pending activation in a future update. Six Colors singled out Digital ID as the main missing feature expected later this year.
For context, ID Tech has reported on how Wallet is evolving into an identity hub alongside competing platforms. Related coverage includes the TSA’s expansion of mobile ID acceptance across U.S. airports and Google Wallet’s rollout of passport-based Digital ID.
TSA Integration And Use Cases
When launched, Apple’s Digital ID with passports will be usable at selected TSA checkpoints for domestic flights. TSA already accepts mobile driver’s licenses and state IDs from participating states at hundreds of security lanes nationwide, though its guidance continues to advise travelers to carry a physical ID. TSA’s digital ID program page confirms that mobile credentials are currently an option, while its participating states listing outlines where acceptance is active.
Apple has repeated that the passport-based credential is not valid for international travel or border control, and that it is designed to streamline verification in airport settings. As with mobile driver’s licenses, availability will depend on TSA’s rollout schedule and the readiness of specific airport checkpoints.
Outlook And Next Steps
Remaining questions include which devices will be supported, which airports will participate at launch, and how Apple will deliver the feature—either as a server-side activation or as part of a point update to iOS 26. No international timelines have been announced, and Apple continues to position physical passports as required for travel outside the U.S. The update comes as U.S. identity modernization proceeds under REAL ID requirements, with digital IDs expected to play a larger role in air travel workflows in the years ahead.
Sources: MacRumors, Six Colors, PCMag
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By Ji-seo Kim
