Passport and first-time Smart ID applications is getting far easier in SA
· The South African
South Africans will soon be able to apply for passports and first-time Smart ID cards directly at participating bank branches as the Department of Home Affairs dramatically expands its digital banking partnership programme.
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Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber announced the move during his Budget Vote speech on Friday, 15 May, saying the new services would be rolled out within the next few weeks.
The expansion marks a significant shift in how South Africans access key civic services, with government aiming to reduce pressure on Home Affairs offices while making applications more accessible nationwide.
Major expansion of Smart ID and passport services planned
The department signed digital partnership agreements with nine banks in 2025, with the first new branches under the programme launching in March 2026.
Currently, the system mainly supports:
- Smart ID renewals
- Replacements for lost or stolen cards
- Damaged Smart ID reissues
First-time Smart ID applications still require a visit to a Home Affairs branch, while passport applications outside government offices have been limited to 32 eHomeAffairs-enabled bank branches.
That is now set to change.
“Over the next few weeks, we will also roll out first-time smart ID and passport applications through this new secure system,” Schreiber said.
750 bank branches targeted
The minister said the department’s partnership with banks had exceeded expectations, prompting government to accelerate the rollout.
“I can announce today that by the end of 2026, we aim to roll out this service to at least 750 bank branches, extending them into every single corner of South Africa,” Schreiber said.
The expansion forms part of Home Affairs’ longer-term plan to phase out South Africa’s green barcoded ID book entirely.
According to Schreiber, the department ultimately wants all South Africans to migrate to Smart ID cards as the country modernises its identity systems.
Doorstep delivery also plannedIn another major change, Home Affairs also plans to introduce courier delivery for official documents.
Schreiber said South Africans will soon be able to have Smart IDs and passports delivered directly to their homes for the first time.
“South Africans will shortly have the option of having their enabling document securely couriered to their doorstep, without the need to travel just to do a collection,” he said.
The department believes the move will significantly improve convenience while reducing congestion at collection points and Home Affairs branches.
The banking partnership has become one of Home Affairs’ flagship digital modernisation projects.
Participating banks currently provide dedicated in-branch facilities where qualifying clients can complete biometric verification, photographs and document processing.
Government has not yet confirmed which banks or branches will be included in the next expansion phase, but the goal is to dramatically widen access beyond major metro areas.