For years, South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has been working to move its identity document (ID) system online, aiming to eliminate collection delays caused by backlogs. In April 2016, the eHome Affairs system was launched, allowing people to apply for smart ID cards and passports online, but the system struggled to keep up with demand.
In 2025, Home Affairs partnered with banks to streamline the process, and by March 2026, several banks rolled out the digital system, making it easier for citizens to apply.
To help you navigate the process, we have put together a simple step-by-step guide on how to apply.
How to apply for a Smart ID at South Africa’s banks
South Africans can get their smart ID at a bank in two ways. One is to start online through eHomeAffairs and then finish the process at a bank. The other option is to use the new fully digital in‑branch service, available at selected Capitec and Standard Bank branches.
1. Option 1: Apply online, collect at a bank (eHomeAffairs)
First, check which bank branch is closer to you. The list of banks that offer ID services is below.
Register on eHomeAffairs
- Go to the official site: https://ehome.dha.gov.za/ehomeaffairs.
- Click “Register” and create a profile. Enter your ID number, personal details, set a password, and answer the security questions.
- Enter the one-time password (OTP) sent to your cellphone to verify your number.
Start a Smart ID application
- Log in with your ID number and password.
- Choose “New Application,” then select application types.
- Complete the application form by filling all required fields and submit
Supporting documents
- Uploading documents online is not mandatory; however, upload any required supporting documents if prompted, for example, a certified copy of a birth certificate or a parent or guardian ID for first‑time IDs; originals must still be shown at the bank.
- Submit the application and note the reference number.
Pay online via your bank.
eHomeAffairs will ask you to pay the smart ID fee of R140 via internet banking.
- On eHomeAffairs, select your bank and confirm payment.
- Log in to your bank’s mobile app or online banking platform.
- Go to “government payments” or similar, choose the pre‑populated “Home Affairs payment” and approve it. Note that the amount and reference are already filled in.
- Once payment clears, eHomeAffairs updates your application to ‘paid’.
Booking information
- On eHomeAffairs, pick Bank Branch as your office.
- Choose your bank and specific branch, e.g. “Absa Sandton”
- Select a date and time slot if the branch requires online booking. This is still mandatory at most eHomeAffairs bank sites.
- You will get a confirmation with:
- Your application reference number
- Booking date/time
- Chosen bank branch
Take that confirmation (printed or on your phone) plus your original supporting documents to the bank.
Go to the bank for biometrics and collection
- Check in at the dedicated Home Affairs counter inside the bank.
- Staff will capture your fingerprints and take your photo; you do not need ID photos at smart ID‑enabled sites.
- They will confirm your details on the system and submit biometrics to Home Affairs.
- After processing, you will get an SMS when the card is ready. Collect it at the same bank branch you chose for the application, with your current ID or temporary ID and SMS.
2. Option 2: Skip eHomeAffairs and apply directly at certain banks
At certain Capitec and Standard Bank branches, customers can walk in and do everything in‑branch without using eHomeAffairs or booking online.
Capitec’s self‑service terminals:
- Walk into a participating branch during normal trading hours (no booking).
- At the smart ID self‑service terminal:
- Authenticate with your fingerprints and possibly facial recognition.
- Confirm your personal details on the screen.
- Pay the application fee on the terminal or via your Capitec account; Capitec says this step takes about five minutes.
- Your application goes directly to Home Affairs over a secure API; no separate eHomeAffairs login needed.
- You will get an SMS when the ID is ready for collection at the same branch.
Standard Bank’s in‑branch route is similar, but staff assist you rather than a self‑service kiosk.
What you must have ready
- Your current green ID book or existing smart ID.
- First‑time ID 16+, your birth certificate, and often a certified copy of a parent/guardian’s ID.
- Proof of residential address (e.g. municipal bill, bank statement).
- Application fee in your bank account or available card limit.
Where to apply for a smart ID in the bank
| Bank | Address | Contact | Booking | Passports |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gauteng | ||||
| Absa Centurion Lifestyle Centre | Shop 36 c/o Lenchen and Old Johannesburg Road, Centurion Lifestyle Centre, Centurion | 066 460 0356 | Online booking | Yes |
| Absa Towers | Cnr Commissioner And Troye Streets, Johannesburg | 011 350 4111 | Online booking | Yes |
| Absa Key West | Shop 80 Key West Shopping Centre, cnr Paardekraal Drive and Viljoen Street, Krugersdorp | 079 900 6457 | Online booking | Yes |
| Absa Sandton | Cnr Rivonia Road and 5th Street, Sandton | 066 290 3314 | Online booking | Yes |
| Capitec Eyethu Mall Orange Farm | Shop L15, Eyethu Orange Farm Mall, Link Rd, Orange Farm, 1805 | 0860 102 043 | Walk-ins | No |
| Capitec Sandton City | 83 Rivonia Road, Sandhurst, Sandton, 2196 | 011 326 7462 | Walk-ins | No |
| Discovery Bank Head Office | 1 Discovery Place, c/o Rivonia Road and Katherine Street, Sandton | 0860 998 877 | Online booking | Yes |
| FNB Centurion Lifestyle Centre | Cnr Lenchen and Old Johannesburg Rd, Centurion Lifestyle Centre, Centurion | 066 460 0530 / 012 653 2661 | Online booking | Yes |
| FNB Lynnwood | Shop L04 Upper-level, Cnr Simon Vermooten & Lynnwood Rd, Equestria, Pretoria | 066 460 0130 | Online booking | Yes |
| FNB Merchant Place | 4 Merchant Place, c/o Rivonia and Freedman Dr, Sandton | 066 290 3307 | Online booking | Yes |
| FNB Glen Shopping Centre | Shop U2, The Glen Shopping Centre, Glenvista | 061 495 4441 | Online booking | Yes |
| FNB Krugersdorp President Square | Shop 4, Market St, President St, Paardeplaats, Krugersdorp, 1739 | 087 345 3290 | Online booking | Yes |
| Investec Bank Sandown | 100 Grayston Dr, Sandown, Sandton | 011 286 7000 | Online booking | Yes |
| Nedbank Arcadia | Shop 25, Nedbank Plaza, Beatrix Street, Arcadia | 066 460 0122 | Online booking | Yes |
| Nedbank Constantia Kloof | 16 Constantia Boulevard, Constantia Kloof, Roodepoort | 011 639 4208 | Online booking | Yes |
| Nedbank Lakeview Office Park | 1st Floor, Lakeview Campus, Lakeview Office Park, 16 Constantia Blvd, Constantia Kloof, Roodepoort, 1709 | 080 055 5111 | Online booking | Yes |
| Nedbank Rivonia | 135 Rivonia Road, Sandown, Sandton | 066 290 3257 | Online booking | Yes |
| Standard Bank Centurion | Cnr Lenchen and Old Johannesburg Rd, Centurion Lifestyle Centre | 012 671 4042 | Online booking | Yes |
| Standard Bank Killarney Mall | Killarney Mall, Riviera Rd, Killarney, Johannesburg | 011 486 0002 | Online booking | Yes |
| Standard Bank Jubilee Mall | Shop 47, Jubilee Mall, Jubilee Road, Hammanskraal, 0407 | 011 351 7814 | Online booking | Yes |
| Standard Bank Maponya Mall | Shop 86, Maponya Mall, Chris Hani Rd, Klipspruit, Soweto, 1809 | 086 010 1341 | Walk-ins | No |
| Standard Bank Rosebank | 50 Bath Ave, Rosebank, Johannesburg, 2196 | 086 010 1341 | Walk-ins | No |
| Standard Bank Simmonds Street | 5 Simmonds St, Selby, Johannesburg | 011 631 1624 / 011 639 4205 | Online booking | Yes |
| Standard Bank Westgate | Shop 160, Entrance 3, Westgate Shopping Centre, 22 Douglas St, Horizon View, Roodepoort, 1724 | 086 010 1341 | Walk-ins | No |
| Western Cape | ||||
| Absa Stellenbosch | Oude Bloemhof Building, Cnr Plein And Ryneveld Streets, Stellenbosch | 021 809 2311 | Online booking | Yes |
| Capitec Cape Town V&A Waterfront | V&A Waterfront | 087 563 6270 | Walk-ins | No |
| Capitec Hermanus | Shop 4, Fashion Square, Main Rd, Hermanus, 7200 | 086 010 2043 | Walk-ins | No |
| Capitec Stellenbosch | Shop AW07, Eikestad Mall, Bird St, Stellenbosch Central, Stellenbosch, 7600 | 086 010 2043 | Walk-ins | No |
| Capitec Swellendam | SwellenMark Mall, Shop 18 Voortrek St, Swellendam, 6740 | 086 010 2043 | Walk-ins | No |
| Capitec Tygervalley | Shop BL143, Tyger Valley Centre, Carl Cronje Dr, Bellville Park, Cape Town, 7530 | 086 010 2043 | Walk-ins | No |
| Capitec Vredenburg | Shop 4, Main St, Vredenburg, 7380 | 086 010 2043 | Walk-ins | No |
| FNB Greenpoint | Shop 1 & 2, ERF 176300, Media Quarter, Somerset Road, Greenpoint | 087 345 6090 | Online booking | Yes |
| Nedbank St George’s Mall | Shop 3 The Box, St Georges Mall, c/o Riebeeck Street | 0800 555 111 | Online booking | Yes |
| Standard Bank Canal Walk | Shop 599, Upper Level, Canal Walk Shopping Centre, Century Blvd, Century City | 021 529 8216 | Online booking | Yes |
| Standard Bank Parow | Shop 30B, Parow Centre Cnr De La Rey Street, Voortrekker Rd, Parow East, Cape Town, 7501 | 086 010 1341 | Walk-ins | No |
| Standard Bank Mitchell’s Plain Promenade | Corner AZ Berman Road And Morgenster Road, Mitchell’s Plain | 0860 123 000 | Online booking | Yes |
| KwaZulu-Natal | ||||
| Capitec Pietermaritzburg Central | Shop 2, 400 Church St, Pietermaritzburg, 3201 | 086 010 2043 | Walk-ins | No |
| Capitec Howick | Harvard St, Howick, 3290 | 086 010 2043 | Walk-ins | No |
| FNB Cornubia | Shop U56, Cornubia Boulevard, Cnr N2 Highway & M41, Durban | 031 308 7900 | Online booking | Yes |
| Nedbank Durban North | 57 Adelaide Tambo Dr, Durban North, 4051 | 0800 555 111 | Online booking | Yes |
| Standard Bank Kingsmead | 1 Kingsmead Way, Durban | 031 308 7900 | Online booking | Yes |
| Eastern Cape | ||||
| Absa Port Elizabeth | 51 Govan Mbeki St, Gqeberha Central, Gqeberha, 6001 | 041 404 8319 | Online booking | Yes |
| Capitec Jeffreys Bay | Fountains Mall, St Francis St, Fountains Estate, Jeffreys Bay, 6330 | 086 010 2043 | Walk-ins | No |
| Standard Bank Newton Park | 1 Pickering St, Newton Park, Port Elizabeth | 041 404 8319 | Online booking | Yes |
| Northern Cape | ||||
| Capitec Kathu | Shop 8 Hendrik Van Eck Rd, Kathu, 8446 | 086 010 2043 | Walk-ins | No |
| Standard Bank Kathu Mall | Shop 62 Village Walk Shopping Centre, Kathu, Hendrik Van Eck Street, Postmasburg | 053 723 9610 | Online booking | Yes |
| Limpopo | ||||
| Capitec Matoks | N1 Botlokwa Plaza, Matoks, 0812 | 086 010 2043 | Walk-ins | No |
| FNB Burgersfort | Shop 55 Twin City Complex, Dirk Winterbach Street, Burgersfort | 072 457 8619 / 013 216 0098 | Online booking | Yes |
| Mpumalanga | ||||
| Nedbank Nelspruit | Shop 65 The Crossing Shopping Centre, c/o Samora Machel and Madiba Drive, Nelspruit | 081 336 5941 | Online booking | Yes |
Free State and North West currently have no branches.
The department also plans to roll out a national digital ID system before year-end, a move that could allow other government departments to link their services digitally and improve public access.
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