How to Add Your Passport to Google Wallet

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Airport security will likely always be a hassle, but one thing you can potentially minimize is using a digital ID instead of a physical one. And if you’re an Android user, your passport added to your Google Wallet ID is officially accepted by the TSA.

While it’s certainly convenient to not have to carry or track your physical passport while traveling, a digital passport in your ID can help you get through security checks if you don’t have a REAL ID after the requirements go into effect on May 7th. However, your digital passport does not completely replace your physical document, which you will still need during international travel and in situations where you will have to show your ID outside of TSA.

Here’s how to digitize your passport and other identification documents for your next flight.

How to add your passport to Google Wallet

To add your passport to ID Pass, open Google Wallet on your Android device and tap the + icon . Click ID > ID Card , then click the Get Started button. The app walks you through a series of instructions to scan your passport and your face. It will take a few minutes to complete and approve.

You can also add a state-issued ID (such as a driver’s license) to Google Wallet using the same process: Simply select ID > Driver’s License or State ID instead of ID.

How to use other digital IDs for travel

At the time of writing, Apple Wallet and Samsung Wallet do not support passports, and the Google Wallet ID is the only digital passport accepted by the TSA for domestic travel. However, your driver’s license or ID stored in Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet , or a state-specific mobile app can also help you pass a security check if it is issued by one of the following states :

  • Arizona

  • California

  • Colorado

  • Georgia

  • Hawaii

  • Iowa

  • Louisiana

  • Maryland

  • New Mexico

  • New York

  • Ohio

  • Puerto Rico

  • Utah

  • Virginia

  • West Virginia

To add an ID to Apple Wallet, tap the + icon in the app and tap Driver’s License or State ID . Select the appropriate state and follow the prompts. For Samsung Wallet, click the + icon , tap Digital IDs > Driver’s License/State ID , and follow the instructions to scan your ID and face and authenticate with your fingerprint or PIN. Please note that in some of the states listed (such as New York and Utah), you must use a dedicated digital ID app instead of your device’s digital wallet.

Even if you have a digital ID, don’t expect to be able to use it at every airport. Before you leave home , check your TSA Digital ID card to make sure any airport you’re traveling through accepts the appropriate digital IDs.

(On the other hand, TSA PreCheck members traveling on Delta Airlines, United Airlines, and Alaska Airlines at select airports can undergo security screening solely through facial recognition—no physical or digital documents are required.)

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