I am cell phone illiterate. I still use US service while living in Europe. Never costs me more than the base amount because all my calls are TMobile Wifi calls which I don’t understand at all, I just know that you can call my US number and the phone will ring when I am in Airplane mode but on Wifi and there is no charge. I can call out the same. Texts are the same. Just works somehow.
Okay, but that’s not my question. My credit and debit cards are mailed to my US address. So, I don’t have any of them any longer. I have a friend open my mail, photograph them then I put them in my Samsung flip phone Google Wallet thing. Only learned how to do that about 18 months ago. Works fine.
Then I noticed I could put other things in the google wallet too. So, my passport. Click on a photo of the passport and Google Wallet built a cover page that says US Passport at the top and displays all the important information almost like an index card. Love it. Then I tried it with my US Drivers License. Google Wallet identified the photo as being a Texas Drivers License and built the index card with the important information that the program sucked out of the photo.
So far so easy. So, I added my Hungarian Residency Card. I was amazed, Google Wallet correctly identified what it was, translated the important information and built the index card in English. Then the same for my Hungarian Social Security Card. Pretty freeking amazing.
Okay none of the copies are legal anythings, but they have worked for old folk confirmation on the metro and for discounts on drugs at the pharmacy. The less I have to pull out the read documents the better I feel. But its still the law here to carry legal documents.
So, my S.O. got a new IPhone last week. Hey, IPhone has Apple something or another and they invented this wallet stuff, so put all your stuff so when we travel …. Man, so far credit cards yes, if she had a US Passport that would be a yes but that’s where it ends. Or is she missing something? (yes, finally my question).
Posted by
Duluth, MN🌲
12335 posts
I'm looking at my Apple Wallet right now. I have my US passport in there, a gift card that I received from a class action lawsuit, around 12 credit cards, 2 debit cards, a ticket to an event tomorrow night that I'm going to with a friend, my COVID vaccination card, a booking for Premier Inn in December, my Icelandair Saga Club card, several library cards, my Delta Skymiles card, my Flying Blue card, my YMCA membership card, and my IKEA Family Card. That's all the active ones.
In my archives, I have all of my boarding passes going back for a number of years, expired event tickets, expired train tickets in Europe, and an expired apartment ticket, expired tour tickets, more boarding passes, and a Stadium Tour ticket for the Tottenham Spurs stadium.
OK, I'll stop there. You get the drift. You can put a lot of stuff in Apple Wallet. I cannot put my driver's license in there yet, because Minnesota doesn't have that capability at this time. Hopefully in the future. Pretty much everything else you can put in there, so she should be able to.
ETA: if she goes to the very top, to the right of where it says "wallet" in big bold letters, she will see a plus sign, search icon, and three horizontal dots. Click on the horizontal dots, and that will give her some insight into other things that she can add. There are also links to Apple support that will explain how to get things like orders in there and so forth. She can also add some transit cards on there.
What it's worth, even if I could put my Social Security card in there, I wouldn't do it. I never need my Social Security card for identification, and it just pretty much stays hidden away in my house most of the time.
Posted by
The Heartland USA
9719 posts
I use Apple Wallet. I haven't yet, but I believe you can put your insurance and Medicare cards in there too.
It may not be useful outside the US, but if you buy Major League Baseball tickets (which you buy through the MLB app) you can put those in your Wallet so you don't need a good wifi connection to pull them up. at the gate. Maybe thats true for other sports events.
Posted by
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
469 posts
Just like the sporting tickets, performing arts tickets can frequently go in the wallet. I just added tickets for a venue that will only take them in the Apple or Google wallet because of dynamic code - no screen shots. I assume they have some kind of backup option for patrons who don't use a smart phone.
Posted by
near San Francisco
6456 posts
This 2024 thread may have some answers regarding the capabilities and limitations (at that time) of adding things to Apple Wallet:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/tech-tips/google-wallet-adding-all-of-my-qr-activity-tickets
Perhaps (other) things have (also) changed in 18 months.
Posted by
OP
Republic of Texas / U.S.A. / Magyarország / Budapest
26591 posts
Mardee, I lost my US Social Security Card in 1975. Never replaced it. But you and I in the US have a life of privilege. If your family name were Ramirez, and you looked it, and you did minimum wage work, you arent getting hired in the US without the card in hand. But my text above said Hungarian Social Security Card which I must present every time I go to the pharmacy. I love that google wallet saw the photo and provided the correct English translation. The world isn't the US. The locals are amazed that we have no mandatory ID. Here, almost every day I must show my Residency Card, or Address Card, or Social Security Card. Some are happy with a photo and the Google Wallet works. Some, like the bank or phone company demand the actual Address Card and Residency Card and Passport.
Posted by
CA
2293 posts
I use the wallet on my Iwatch. I never have to get the phone out. It’s magic I say!
Posted by
OP
Republic of Texas / U.S.A. / Magyarország / Budapest
26591 posts
diane, I am giving that a try. but I still have to pull out the phone when it rings
https://i.etsystatic.com/22741248/r/il/09e16f/7582606765/il_fullxfull.7582606765_hxa9.jpg
Posted by
Victoria, Australia
85 posts
Mr E, if you have an Apple watch, or any Android watch linked with your Android phone, you can just answer the call on the watch. No need to pull it out of your pocket. However, the call is on the watch's speaker, unless you have Bluetooth earbuds in your ears.