The Home Affairs @ home service is available at 669 bank branches nationwide, where 1 002 773 people have completed applications.
The first participating branch began processing walk-in applications on March 9, allowing applicants to replace Smart ID cards without advance bookings or paperwork.
South Africa (SA) previously had 214 permanent Home Affairs offices providing Smart ID services. The addition of participating banks has increased the number of service points to 873, representing a 308% expansion in access.
Home Affairs said the application process at bank branches was completely digital and secured through biometric verification.
Applications take an average of five minutes, with automated verification reducing the paperwork and human discretion previously associated with corruption and identity fraud. “We are deeply inspired by the scale at which the public has embraced our Home Affairs @ home reforms,” Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber said.
“This milestone serves as unequivocal proof that our focus on the wholesale digital transformation of all departmental processes is rapidly addressing long-standing challenges.”
Passport applications, first-time Smart ID services and home delivery will soon be introduced through participating bank branches.
Home Affairs plans to expand the service to more than 1 000 branches within months.
“Through this reform programme, we are transforming security, eliminating queues and paperwork, combating identity theft and redefining the efficiency of public service delivery, all at once,” Schreiber said.
The initiative supports the campaign to replace 14.7 million fraud-prone Green ID Books still in circulation.
Home Affairs will stop producing Green ID Books on March 31, 2027, before withdrawing recognition of the documents as valid identification on March 31, 2028.
The recently unveiled Digital ID system will complement the expanded bank partnership.
“Five-minute digital applications for all Smart ID and passport services, as well as the option to have these enabling documents delivered to your doorstep, will be available at over 1 000 bank branches throughout the country,” Schreiber said.
–ChannelAfrica–
