South Africans Can Now Apply For Smart IDs And Passports At Banks In 2025

For decades, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has been notorious for slow queues, system outages, and inefficiency. The dreaded phrase, “the system is offline”, became a part of South African daily life. But 2025 marks a turning point.

Since joining the government of national unity in June 2024, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has championed a digital-first strategy aimed at modernising services and stamping out corruption.

By digitising applications and verification processes, Schreiber believes Home Affairs can finally deliver efficient, reliable, and transparent services to millions of South Africans.

Smart IDs and Passports Now Available at More Banks

A key milestone in this transformation is the expansion of the eHomeAffairs programme, which previously offered smart ID cards and passports through just 30 bank branches. After years of stalled negotiations, Schreiber announced a new partnership that brings seven major banks on board.

Capitec and FNB were the first to join, followed quickly by Absa, African Bank, Discovery Bank, Nedbank, and Standard Bank. This means thousands of new branches will soon allow South Africans to apply for critical documents without setting foot in a Home Affairs office.

Crucially, applicants don’t have to be customers of the bank where they apply. For example, a Capitec client can apply for a passport at an FNB branch.

Improved Technology Ensures Faster, More Reliable Service

One of the biggest hurdles to scaling up eHomeAffairs was the old Online Verification System (OVS), which failed almost half the time and often returned incorrect information. “Sometimes, responding to a request could take up to 24 hours,” Schreiber explained, adding that these delays created opportunities for fraud and corruption.

That changed in April 2025 with the launch of a new, upgraded OVS boasting a 99% success rate. With this breakthrough, banks are now confident in expanding their services.

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In the coming months, several banks will go even further by offering smart ID and passport applications directly through their mobile apps, with home delivery of documents on the horizon.

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