Smartphones have changed the way tourists travel around the world. Technology makes it easy to store frequent flyer numbers, credit cards, and even some state identification cards in virtual wallets.
However, one important identification document has eluded world travelers: a passport. But even that may be coming to an end thanks to a recent announcement from global tech titan Google.
Coming soon: digital passports
According to one Google blog postthe company will soon test the ability to store a US passport as digital identification in a Google Wallet app on a smartphone.
The new digital passport is currently being launched with the technology available at select TSA checkpoints. Initially it will only be available domestically, so travelers will still need to carry a physical passport when traveling abroad for the time being.
However, knowing that digital identifications and passes are being accepted around the world, it will only be a matter of time before the system is out of beta and available in more popular travel destinations around the world.
How to add your passport
Adding a digital passport will be more complicated and therefore more secure than simply adding a credit card or other frequent flyer card to a Google Wallet smartphone app.
To add a passport, once the technology is available on an approved device, select the prompt for “add to wallet” and then “ID”.
There will be an option to “create an ID card with your US passport.” The traveler must then have their physical passport ready to complete the rest of the process.
The next step is to scan the biometric security chip on the back of the passport. Once the passport is scanned, the final step is for the traveler to take a selfie to ensure that the person entering the passport into the Google Wallet app matches the passport information.
After a few minutes and a confirmed match of the selfie photo and the passport data, the tourist receives a notification on his smartphone that the digital passport stored in Google Wallet is available for use by the traveler.
Air travel: just the beginning
Google says that using passport information for travel is just one of many possible uses they envision for the technology.
They also expect that the digital passport system could streamline other travel tasks, such as identity verification and even car rental.
Tourists should stay tuned for more details and updates as the technology becomes more widely available using the “advanced security features” of smartphones.
What travelers need to know
Before writing this story, I noticed that there was a pending update for my Google Wallet app and I was hoping I could share a first-hand experience with the technology. No luck.
I suspect my phone is not part of the rollout of this technology, and Google’s September 12 blog post does not indicate when the technology will be available. I have a fairly recent Android phone, so we’ll have to wait and see.
While the technology sounds nice to tech early adopters like me, the limited use of the Digital Passport in domestic locations will limit adoption of this technology. Although it would be handy to have my identification in the same digital wallet as my boarding pass.
According to Google, users must authenticate with a fingerprint, PIN or passcode before they can use the digital passport. The tech company also recommends always having a physical passport on hand, especially during the beta testing period.
While the technology is certainly still in its early stages, digital passport technology could ultimately be yet another way in which smartphones change the way we travel the world.
