From August 2026 naturalised citizens and some permanent residents can apply for Smart ID cards through eHomeAffairs, DHA offices or participating banks. Phase 2 dates unannounced.
Standard Bank and Home Affairs have expanded Smart ID services to selected bank branches, allowing customers to apply for Smart ID cards and replacements in branch.
Home Affairs reports a 61% drop in system downtime, cutting lost working hours from 35,426 to 13,867 in 2025/26 after network and application upgrades.
Home Affairs reports a 250% increase in Smart ID access; 422,000 applications processed via partner banks and rollout set to pass 750 branches by end of...
Absa Bank has begun offering Department of Home Affairs Smart ID card application services at selected branches, expanding access to identity services under the department’s Digital...
The Department of Home Affairs has expanded Smart ID replacement services to 203 bank branches nationwide, the department said, marking what it described as a major...
Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber announced that the department will cancel more than 2,000 fraudulently obtained study visas following a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe...
South Africa’s move to phase out the green barcoded ID book and replace it with biometric Smart IDs and a digital identity platform raises urgent questions...
Home Affairs moving key ID services online overview The Department of Home Affairs is accelerating a digital transformation that aims to move key services online, including...
For years, getting a Smart ID in South Africa has meant two things: patience and luck. Patience for the queues, and luck if you managed to...