Good news for South Africans who need a new passport or Smart ID

The Department of Home Affairs has expanded its Digital Partnership programme, making it easier for South Africans to obtain a new Smart ID or passport.

On Wednesday, 22 July 2026, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber announced that Absa had joined the programme.

Absa introduced the first bank-based Home Affairs mobile unit, which will take secure Smart ID services to remote, peri-urban and underserved communities.

The mobile unit launch builds on the expansion of the Digital Partnership since it went live on 9 March 2026.

Over the last five months, the Department of Home Affairs has expanded digital services to 327 participating bank branches.

It has also modernised 214 of its own offices, which means South Africans can now access Smart ID services at 541 locations.

“By the end of the year, the Digital Partnership is expected to expand to approximately 750 participating bank branches,” Schreiber said.

“Together with the Department’s own offices, this will give South Africans access to around 1,000 locations where they can apply for a Smart ID Card.”

The Digital Partnership will also continue to expand before the end of the year to include adult and minor passports.

The next steps will focus on first-time Smart ID Card applications and on the delivery of identity documents to citizens’ homes.

“We are making it easier for South Africans to replace the green barcoded ID book with the secure Smart ID Card,” Schreiber said.

“We are closing the chapter on the green ID book and opening a new chapter of secure, digitalised identity services.”

Capitec proved the success of the service

Capitec was one of the first banks to join the Department of Home Affairs’ digital partnership model for smart ID applications.

The service’s success was illustrated by the significant uptake across South Africa over the last few months.

Capitec Head of Card, Eugéne Vivier, said they are processing 2,000 smart ID applications per day through its new self-service terminals (SSTs).

Vivier said the partnership had already helped thousands of citizens apply for smart IDs quickly and efficiently.

Since the new digital partnership model launched in March 2026, Capitec has rapidly expanded access to smart ID services through its branches.

As of mid-July 2026, it offered the services at 159 bank branches, representing 53% of all bank branches in South Africa that offer digital smart ID services.

The remaining bank branches offering smart ID services are spread across the networks of Absa, FNB, and Standard Bank.

Capitec said the digital partnership with Home Affairs enabled its clients to apply for smart ID cards within minutes, without prior booking.

“The seamless, paperless process takes less than five minutes to complete and is fully integrated with Department of Home Affairs systems,” Capitec CEO Graham Lee said.

Capitec customers who apply for a smart ID through one of the bank’s SSTs will pay the standard Home Affairs fee of R140, plus a R10 Capitec service fee to cover logistics.

The bank’s proprietary technology enables applications to be completed without paperwork, improving the user experience while also enhancing security.