If you’re one of the many Brits who finds rifling through drawers to find your passport a bit of a faff, there’s some good news; from today, you can use a digital version of it in Google Wallet to prove who you are.
While it doesn’t mean you can leave your passport at home and hop on a plane abroad – not just yet, anyway – it does allow you to prove your identity and age when buying railcards online.
Yes, the UK has taken its first official step towards digital identity with the launch of Digital ID support in Google Wallet, and it’s kicking off with rail travel. Hey, you’ve got to start somewhere, right?
Use a digital ID to buy age-restricted railcards
From today, customers can use a digital passport stored in Google Wallet to verify their age when applying for either a 16-25 or 26-30 Railcard at railcard.co.uk.
Instead of uploading scans or typing out passport numbers, as you’ve had to do until this point, eligible Android users can simply select their ID pass in Wallet to seriously streamline the process.
This should make the whole process not just simpler, but potentially faster – no more typing errors, blurry images or waiting for documents to be manually reviewed if automatic verification fails. If you’ve got a passport and an Android phone with Google Wallet, you’re basically good to go.
Apple has this too – but not in the UK
If you’re thinking, “hang on, doesn’t Apple do something similar in the US?”, you’d be absolutely right. Apple Wallet already lets iPhone users in select US states add their Driver’s License or State ID, and even use it at TSA checkpoints in airports. But in the UK, there’s currently no equivalent for iPhone users – at least not yet.
At launch, this new digital passport support is Android-only and requires Google Wallet and the Chrome browser to work. There hasn’t been any word on when or if Apple will roll out similar functionality for UK users, but given where this is all headed, it’s likely just a matter of time.
Why does this matter?
Aside from being the first time Brits can use a government-issued ID digitally via Google Wallet, it signals a wider shift.
The UK government has already said it wants to make passports available in digital form for a broader range of services by 2027 – including domestic flights and accessing public services – and this Railcard rollout is a very real starting point.
That said, it’s not time to ditch your physical passport just yet. You’ll still need the real thing for international travel for now, but it is a sign of things to come. Google’s Jonathan Hill calls it “a quicker and easier” way to prove eligibility for age-based discounts, and this kind of verification could eventually extend to flights, driver’s licenses and beyond.
So, while you shouldn’t immediately shred your paper passport, this move puts us one step closer to a future where you might only need your phone – and your face – to prove who you are.
