Over 1m South Africans get smart IDs through banks as Green ID book deadline looms

Home Affairs has previously announced plans to stop producing Green ID Books by 31 March 2027. More than one million South Africans have applied for replacement Smart ID cards through the department of home affairs’ partnership with the banking sector, according to figures released by the department. The department said 1 002 773 people have used the service since it was launched in March 2026. According to the department, the system is currently available at 669 participating bank branches nationwide, where citizens can apply for replacement Smart ID cards through a fully digital process. ID services The expansion forms part of home affairs’ broader effort to increase access to identity document services while reducing reliance on its offices. The department said the digital application process uses biometric verification and takes an average of five minutes to complete. It argues that moving away from manual paperwork and in-person processing can improve efficiency and reduce opportunities for fraud and manipulation. Home affairs said it is also preparing to expand services available through participating bank branches. The department said it expects to introduce passport applications, first-time Smart ID applications and home delivery options in the coming months. Green ID book The milestone comes as the government continues its campaign to phase out the Green ID Book. Home Affairs has previously announced plans to stop producing Green ID Books by 31 March, 2027, with the document set to lose its status as a valid form of identification by 31 March 2028. Home affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the service’s uptake showed strong public demand for more accessible, streamlined government services. “We are deeply inspired by the scale at which the public has embraced our home affairs @ home reforms, and by the difference that this programme has already made to the lives of over one million South Africans in just seven months,” Schreiber said. Digital systems He added that the department believes digital systems can help address long-standing service delivery challenges, including lengthy queues and administrative inefficiencies. The department has encouraged citizens who still use Green ID Books to switch to Smart ID cards ahead of the planned withdrawal of the older document.