The smart ID card requirements in South Africa depend on whether this is your first ID or a replacement. A first-time applicant must be 16 or older and bring a birth certificate and a parent; someone converting from the green bar-coded ID book needs the old book (or an affidavit if it is lost) and the R140 fee. Everyone must attend in person so Home Affairs can capture fingerprints and a photograph.
The South African smart ID card is the card version of the identity document issued under the Identification Act 68 of 1997, and it is replacing the green ID book. Applications are made at Home Affairs offices with smart ID facilities, at participating bank branches, and through the eHomeAffairs portal for booking and payment.
Eligibility Requirements at a Glance
- Age: 16 years or older. Home Affairs issues identity documents to South African citizens and permanent residence permit holders from 16.
- Citizens by birth or descent: eligible for a first smart ID card, a conversion from the green ID book, or a re-issue of a lost, stolen or damaged card.
- Naturalised citizens and permanent residents: Home Affairs is rolling out smart ID cards in phases. Phase 1 covers naturalised citizens and permanent residents born in one of the listed visa-exempt countries who hold a green ID book; others, including first-time applicants in these groups, fall under a later phase.
- Record check: your details are verified against the National Population Register. A blocked or mismatched record must be resolved at a Home Affairs office.
- In person: nobody can apply on your behalf, because your biometrics must be captured.
Documents and Supporting Evidence Required
What documents you need for a smart ID card depends on your application type. These are the lists Home Affairs publishes:
First smart ID card (turning 16)
- certified copy of your birth certificate;
- a parent (one is enough) or, if both parents have died, a legal guardian or informant, who must come with you;
- certified copy of that parent’s, guardian’s or informant’s ID;
- certified copies of the death certificate and the deceased parent’s ID, where a parent has died;
- proof of residence where available, or your residential address.
Replacing a green ID book or an existing smart ID card
- your green bar-coded ID book or old smart ID card, or an affidavit if it was lost, stolen or damaged;
- your marriage certificate if you married and your status changed, or your divorce decree if divorced;
- proof of residence where available, or your residential address.
Naturalised citizens and permanent residents also need their naturalisation certificate, permanent residence certificate or exemption certificate. Photographs are not needed at smart ID offices because your photo is taken digitally. At participating bank branches, Home Affairs says you do not need to bring any documents for a conversion or re-issue.
Application Requirements and Steps
To apply for a smart ID card, choose the route that fits your application:
- Check where you can apply. First-time applicants, name changes and amendments to personal details must go to a Home Affairs office. Green ID book conversions and smart ID re-issues can also be done at a participating bank branch.
- Book or walk in. For a Home Affairs office, register on eHomeAffairs, complete the smart card application and pay online, then book a slot through the Branch Appointment Booking System. At Capitec and Standard Bank participating branches you can walk in without an appointment.
- Attend in person. Your details are checked against the National Population Register, and your fingerprints, photograph and signature are captured.
- Choose your collection office before the transaction is closed. Bank applications are collected at the branch where you applied.
- Wait for the SMS. Home Affairs uses the cellphone number you gave to tell you when the card is ready. Collect it in person.
This is also how to apply for a smart ID card online: the online part is registration, the application form, payment and booking, but the biometric capture always happens at an office or bank branch.
Costs, Processing Times and Key Conditions
- First smart ID card for 16-year-olds: free.
- Citizens aged 60 and over converting from the green ID book: free.
- Everyone else (conversion or re-issue): R140, the Home Affairs fee.
- Bank branches: the R140 Home Affairs fee, plus any convenience fee your bank charges.
- Temporary Identity Certificate: R70, valid for two months, if you need proof of identity while waiting.
Home Affairs does not publish a fixed turnaround time for smart ID cards. Cards are printed centrally and sent to your chosen collection office, and you are notified by SMS. The bank application itself takes about 15 minutes, according to Home Affairs. If the card contains errors in your personal information, Home Affairs replaces it free of charge.
Where and How to Apply
Home Affairs offices: only modernised offices with live capture facilities issue smart ID cards; check the list of smart ID offices on the Home Affairs identity documents page.
Smart ID card at banks: participating branches of Capitec, Standard Bank, FNB and Absa offer green ID book conversions and smart ID re-issues. Not every branch takes part, so check the Home Affairs bank partnership page and your bank’s own site before you go. Banks cannot handle first-time IDs, children’s applications or amendments.
Online: eHomeAffairs is the official portal for applying and paying online and booking an appointment. Use only the dha.gov.za and ehome.dha.gov.za addresses; Home Affairs does not use agents.
Naturalised citizens and permanent residents: see the Home Affairs page for naturalised citizens and permanent residents for the current phase and the country list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a smart ID card?
It is the card format of the South African identity document, replacing the green bar-coded ID book. It carries your names, gender, citizenship status, date of birth and ID number, and is linked to your fingerprints.
How much is a smart ID card?
R140 for a conversion from the green ID book or a re-issue. It is free for a first ID at 16 and for citizens aged 60 or over converting from the green book. Banks may add a convenience fee.
How do I apply for a smart ID card online?
Register on eHomeAffairs, complete the application, pay the fee and book an appointment at a Home Affairs office or bank branch. You still have to attend in person for fingerprints and a photo.
Can permanent residents get a smart ID card?
Yes, in phases. Permanent residents born in the listed visa-exempt countries who already hold a green ID book can apply now. Other permanent residents must wait for the next phase or ask Home Affairs.
Can I apply for the new South African smart ID card while living abroad?
Home Affairs service centres abroad currently offer passports and birth certificates, not smart ID cards. Home Affairs says people living abroad can apply for ID books at South African missions or consulates. Ask your nearest mission, for example in Canada, what it can currently process.
Is the green ID book still valid?
Home Affairs still issues and re-issues green ID books at offices that do not offer smart ID cards, so the book remains a valid identity document. Watch the Home Affairs site for any announcement of a cut-off date.
What if my smart ID card is lost or stolen?
Apply for a re-issue with an affidavit and the R140 fee, at a smart ID office or participating bank branch.
Fees, eligible groups and participating branches change, so confirm them with the Department of Home Affairs before you go. See government application requirements for other applications, and browse all government service requirements.