Business

Great News for TymeBank Customers: Smart ID and Passport Services Are Coming to Your Neighbourhood

Published

2 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Chiraag

TymeBank Smart ID passport rollout, South Africa digital ID services, DHA kiosk partnerships, TymeBank kiosks Johannesburg, Home Affairs Smart ID upgrade

Here’s how Home Affairs and TymeBank are changing the way South Africans get their documents

Getting a Smart ID or passport in South Africa has never been a walk in the park. Queues, limited branch availability, and outdated systems have long frustrated citizens looking for something as simple as a green booklet or a biometric card. But now, thanks to a tech-forward push by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), that’s about to change, and TymeBank just joined the revolution.

Announced this week by Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, TymeBank is officially the eighth bank to sign on to the department’s digital expansion plan. This means customers will soon be able to apply for Smart IDs and passports through TymeBank’s extensive network of kiosks nationwide.

A digital-only bank with a real-world impact

Unlike traditional banks, TymeBank does not operate brick-and-mortar branches. Instead, it’s built around over 1,450 digital kiosks in Pick n Pay, Boxer, and Foschini Group stores across the country. These self-service points are now set to play a much bigger role, giving customers access to Home Affairs services without needing to step into a government office.

The bank confirmed it would start testing the service in Johannesburg, with plans to roll it out to other regions once the system is fully operational. Customers will be notified when services go live at their nearest location.

It’s a game-changing approach for a digital bank and one that sets a new standard for how public services can integrate with modern banking.

Why this matters

The Department of Home Affairs has been quietly rebuilding its backend systems to enable better collaboration with the private sector. Older versions of this programme only reached around 30 bank branches in ten years, due to limited tech integration and bureaucratic delays.

The new live capture system, however, allows for real-time ID verification, biometric data syncing, and faster application processing. Eventually, everything from ID applications to photo capture and delivery will be fully digital and even app-based.

With the addition of TymeBank, only Investec remains unconfirmed. That leaves nearly the entire South African banking sector on board, pushing for what could become a 1,000-branch national footprint by 2028.

What TymeBank says about the move

TymeBank CEO Karl Westvig said the move aligns perfectly with the bank’s mission to deliver secure, inclusive, and accessible digital services to all South Africans. Speaking about the partnership, he noted the importance of helping citizens access government services through trusted and familiar digital platforms.

As a bank already known for its innovation, this collaboration reinforces TymeBank’s position as a tech leader, not just in finance but in public infrastructure as well.

What’s next for TymeBank customers?

Once fully implemented, TymeBank users will be able to:

Apply for Smart IDs and passports at kiosks
Submit ID photos and biometric data
Track application progress digitally
Collect their documents from the same location
Eventually, even complete the entire process through the TymeBank app when integration is finalised

For Joburg residents, the rollout starts soon, with other cities expected to follow.

A new chapter in service delivery

It’s not often that a bank steps up to help fix one of the government’s most frustrating service pain points. But with this move, TymeBank is showing how digital innovation can lead the way in solving real-world challenges.

In a country where time, queues, and access are always at a premium, this partnership might just be the smartest ID move yet.