Hello,
we are ANeT, an EU-based manufacturer and developer of physical access control and attendance systems.
We develop our own access control platform, including:
- our own NFC access readers (PASO),
- access controllers,
- backend and management software (Webguard),
- credential and user management.
Our goal is to support employee/access credentials in Apple Wallet so that users can unlock doors using an iPhone or Apple Watch, ideally also using Express Mode.
We would like to implement this directly into our own access control ecosystem, without using a third-party credential platform or third-party NFC reader hardware.
From the Apple documentation, our understanding is that Access Keys use a credential stored in the Secure Element together with a pass in Apple Wallet, and that communication between Apple Wallet and the reader uses the Aliro protocol over NFC. We also understand that a physical access provider can act as a Credential Manager and that participation in the Apple Wallet Access Program is required.
Our intended architecture is:
Webguard / ANeT backend
→ Apple Wallet Access credential
→ iPhone / Apple Watch
→ our PASO NFC reader
→ ANeT access controller
→ door
We would appreciate clarification on the following technical points:
-
Is this architecture supported for a physical access control manufacturer using its own NFC reader hardware and firmware?
-
What technical requirements must our NFC reader meet to communicate with Apple Wallet Access Keys using Aliro?
-
Are there specific requirements or certification procedures for reader identification, ECP, certificates, keys, or the reader trust chain?
-
Can our Webguard/backend platform act directly as the Credential Manager and provision, manage and revoke Access Keys through the Apple Access Platform?
-
Can credential provisioning be initiated from a web interface using an “Add to Apple Wallet” flow, or is a native iOS application required?
-
Which entitlements, certificates, APIs and technical documentation become available after joining the Apple Wallet Access Program?
-
Is Apple Wallet Access for employee/physical access credentials available for access control providers operating in the European Union, including the Czech Republic?
We contacted Apple Developer Support regarding this integration and were advised to ask the technical questions here on the Developer Forums.
Developer Support case: 102991167219
Our objective is not to create a standard Wallet pass or QR credential. We want to integrate secure NFC-based physical access credentials directly with Apple Wallet, our own backend and our own reader hardware.
Thank you for any guidance on the correct technical integration path.