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The Google Wallet began to accept passport registration as a digital identity in Brazil, along with the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Taiwan. The feature allows confirmation of age and identity directly from the phone in places that accept the identification pass. The process requires a photo of the data page, reading of the document’s security chip, and a short video of the face, with everything saved with encryption on the device.
The Google Wallet has quietly released a feature that could change the way Brazilians use their passport in everyday life. The app now accepts the registration of the document as a digital identity, creating an identification pass that allows for the confirmation of age and identity directly from the phone in establishments and services that accept verification. Brazil has joined the list of countries included alongside the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Taiwan, expanding the use of the digital wallet beyond payment and boarding cards.
The feature does not replace the physical document, and Google itself recommends that users keep the original passport with them. The identification pass acts as an additional layer of convenience for situations where confirmation of age or identity is necessary, such as purchasing alcoholic beverages, accessing age-restricted events, or identity checks in digital services. The registration process involves encryption, facial video, and reading the security chip, mechanisms that ensure the document is authentic and that the registration is being done by the holder.
How to register the passport in the Google Wallet step by step
According to information from the Tudo Celular portal, the procedure follows the already known standard for adding any card to the app. The user must open the Google Wallet, tap the add button (+) on the home screen, and look for the “ID” option, which appears as the last alternative in the first block of options. From there, the app guides the registration process in sequential steps.
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The following screens request three types of information: a photo of the passport page that contains personal data and the holder’s photograph, reading the information from the security chip of the document, and a short video of the user’s face. Google uses this information to verify if the passport is valid and if the request is being made by a real person, comparing the image captured in the video with the photo registered in the document. The entire process can be completed in a few minutes directly from the phone.
The encryption and security of passport data on the phone
One of the natural concerns when registering such a sensitive document as the passport in an app is data security. Google states that the identification pass is saved with encryption on the device that performed the registration, which means that the information is protected locally and is not accessible by other apps or by anyone who may have physical access to the phone without authentication.
Reading the security chip of the passport adds a layer of verification that prevents the registration of counterfeit documents. The chip contains biometric data and information encrypted by the issuing government that the app validates during the process, ensuring that the document is authentic. The facial video complements the verification by confirming that the person registering is the same as the one appearing in the passport photo, creating a three-layer authentication system that makes fraud difficult.
What the identification pass allows you to do in practice
The identity pass created from the passport can be used to confirm age or identity in locations and services that accept verification via the Google Wallet. In practice, this means that the user can present their phone instead of the physical document to prove they are over 18 years old, for example, or to confirm their identity on digital platforms that require document verification.
The functionality does not replace the presentation of the physical passport at airports, borders, or official immigration situations. Google is explicit in recommending that the original document be kept with the user, which positions the digital pass as a complement and not as a substitute. The adoption of the feature depends on merchants, platforms, and service providers integrating the verification of the Google Wallet into their systems, a process that is still in the early stages in Brazil.
How to remove your passport from Google Wallet if you change your mind
Google offers two ways to delete the registered passport. Through the app, the user must swipe the screen to find the ID, tap on the passport, click on the three vertical dots in the upper right corner, and select “remove.” The process is immediate and deletes the identification pass information from the device.
The second option is through the Google account in the browser. The user accesses the account management page, clicks on “personal information,” locates the ID section, and selects the passport they wish to delete. The possibility of complete data removal is an important aspect for those who are wary of keeping sensitive information registered in digital services. Control remains entirely with the user, who can add and remove the document as many times as they wish.
What the arrival of the feature in Brazil signals for the future of digital identity
The approval of passport registration in the Google Wallet for Brazil is part of a global trend of document digitization that is advancing at a rapid pace. The country already has the National Identity Card (CIN) in digital format and the electronic version of the CNH, which indicates that the acceptance of documents on the cell phone is becoming normalized among both citizens and service providers.
For Google, including the passport as a digital identity option is a way to expand the use of the wallet beyond payments, making the app a centralized platform for personal documents. The simultaneous arrival in Brazil, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Taiwan suggests that the feature will be expanded to other countries in the coming months, as more governments and document issuing bodies validate the integration. The digital passport on the cell phone does not yet replace the paper one, but is moving in that direction.
Would you register your passport in Google Wallet or do you prefer to keep the document only in physical format? Let us know in the comments if you already use digital identity on your cell phone and what you think about trusting such sensitive data to an app.
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