Home Affairs plans major new services at bank branches by year-end
· The South African
South Africans could soon be able to apply for their first Smart ID and passport at participating bank branches, with Home Affairs planning a major expansion of its digital services before the end of 2026.
Visit freshyourfeel.org for more information.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said on Wednesday, 12 August, that the department plans to introduce first-time Smart ID applications, passport services and home delivery of civic documents through banks by the end of the year.
The announcement comes as the department’s partnership with the banking sector rapidly expands access to digitalised Home Affairs services.
More than 400 bank branches already offering Smart IDs
Just five months after the programme went live, Schreiber said, as per Mybroadband, that more than 400 bank branches across South Africa were already offering fully digitalised Smart ID replacement services through secure integration with Home Affairs.
And more than 500 000 South Africans have already used the service to replace lost ID cards or the old green bar-coded ID book.
According to Schreiber, customers have been able to complete the process without paperwork, prior bookings or traditional queues.
The digital process is also intended to reduce opportunities for fraud and manipulation.
First-time applications are not available yet
Despite the rapid expansion, there is currently an important limitation.
The new banking partnership allows existing ID holders to replace their Smart ID cards, but does not yet allow people applying for a Smart ID for the first time.
This means South Africans who have never had a green ID book or Smart ID cannot currently use the banking service to obtain their first identity document.
Home Affairs’ older eHomeAffairs system does offer broader functionality, but is available at only around 30 bank branches.
Schreiber also said the next phase will go beyond Smart ID replacements.
By the end of 2026, the department plans to add:
- First-time Smart ID applications
- Passport applications
- Home delivery of civic documents
The expansion would effectively bring banking services closer to the functionality offered through eHomeAffairs, while making them available through a much larger branch network.
The department has been working towards this broader feature set as part of its push to modernise Home Affairs and reduce queues at traditional offices.