Google Wallet, the payment and identity card management application on Android, takes a new step with the integration of the digital passport. This new option, now available for users of Android 9 and above, is primarily aimed at US travelers on domestic flights.
A digital passport limited to the United States
Concretely, passengers can present their passport registered via Google Wallet at TSA (Transportation Security Administration) security checks. A valuable time saver for those who forget their wallet or who want to travel “light”. But be careful, this digital passport does not replace the physical version of the document, and it is unusable for international travel.
To add your passport to Google Wallet, nothing complicated. The process involves three simple steps:
- Take a photo: Scan your passport information page or manually enter the required information.
- Read the chip: Your phone must be able to scan the NFC chip located on the back of the passport. To do this, you must place the document on a flat surface, open the cover and bring the phone closer.
- Video check: Briefly film your face. Google then compares this video with your passport photo to ensure that you are the person holding the document.
Once the information is verified, the digital passport is saved and encrypted in Google Wallet. The user maintains full control over their data, since they can delete them remotely via their Google account in the event of loss or theft of the phone.
To present your passport at security check, there are two options: scan a QR code or hold your phone close to an NFC reader. The user must then validate the information transmitted via their screen.
For the moment, this novelty therefore remains confined to the United States, and only to domestic flights. Digital passports are not yet usable for international travel, and Google insists they are not a replacement for physical or official documents.
« We currently have no visibility on the availability of this functionality in Europe, but there still seems a long way to go before the digital passport becomes an international reality. », Underlines the company. As a reminder, digital identity solutions often must be validated by governments, which complicates their deployment.
On the security side, Google wants to be reassuring. The data collected to create this digital passport (photo, video and document information) is encrypted and used only to verify the authenticity of the passport. The company undertakes to respect its privacy policy and to leave control of the data to the user.
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