Google is rolling out a new option to create a digital ID from your passport, which can be stored in Google Wallet.
As per The Verge, this will function like a regular ID at select Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) checkpoints, helping to speed up the security lines.
In the meantime, Google spokesperson Liz Schulman clarified that “the digital ID can’t be used at immigration and border control.”
As of now, travellers are adviced to bring their physical IDs as a backup in case the digital ID is not accepted or available for use.
To set up a digital ID, open the Google Wallet app and select the option to create an ID pass using your US passport.
You need to scan the chip in your passport and take a selfie video for verification.
After completing these steps, the app will notify you when your Digital ID is ready, which usually takes just a few minutes.
It is pertinent to note that not all airports accept your digital passport. At the moment, 27 states and Puerto Rico have at least one airport that accepts digital identification.
The TSA shares a list of airports and states on its website that accept this feature.
In several months, many states have started accepting digital IDs. New Mexico is the most recent state to allow digital IDs, including driver’s licenses and state IDs, in both Apple and Google Wallet.