Google Wallet's US passport storage is rolling out

Back in September Google announced that it would be bringing the capability to add US passports to Google Wallet, and that feature is now rolling out to users. With a digital passport option now in play travelers can more quickly get through certain TSA checkpoints at airports.

It’s worth noting that Google doesn’t mention any airports in the US specifically, so you’ll want to check with your particular airport to see if this is something they would even accept at this point. Adding the digital ID for your passport is fairly easy and can be done mostly within the Google Wallet app. The only part that isn’t done within the app all happens on Google’s end to verify you.

So as far as users are concerned, they simply need to provide Google with a few things. This includes a photo of the passport page with your passport information. You also need to provide passport information from the security chip in your passport. Lastly, Google asks for a “brief video of your face.” This is so it can match the photo in the passport to you. Google doesn’t say how long the verification process takes, however.

US passports in Google Wallet aren’t a replacement for your actual passport

This likely isn’t something that’s obvious to everyone. So it should be made clear that, even with this feature, you still want to keep your physical passport on you. Google confirms that the digital ID created for your US passport is not a replacement for the real thing. With that being said, TSA at your airport may not accept a digital ID for verification yet. So that’s one reason why keeping the actual passport on you is a good idea.

The last thing you’d want is to get to the airport without your physical passport and be told you need it

All users in the US should have access in the coming weeks

The feature is rolling out now but not all users will have it right away. Google has confirmed that it’s rolling out to all users over the coming weeks. So if you’re planning a trip before then, you’ll still need to verify yourself at TSA checkpoints with your physical passport.

Google has steadily been adding more forms of ID to Google Wallet. Recently, it added the capability to store New Mexico state IDs. It’s also recently rolled out to new countries