In a significant improvement to service delivery, 30 bank branches across seven South African provinces are now offering faster and more convenient Smart ID card and passport renewal services, surpassing many Department of Home Affairs (DHA) offices.
These branches provide these services through the DHA’s online eHomeAffairs platform, which allows applicants to submit personal information and make payments online, significantly reducing the time required for physical visits. Applicants only need to visit the branches to capture fingerprints and photos and to collect their ID card or passport once ready, with the entire process being paperless.
This system helps users avoid the notorious long queues commonly seen at DHA offices. The limited number of slots available for biometric capturing ensures branches can handle applications efficiently. Furthermore, bank branches often offer better seating, waiting areas, and air conditioning compared to DHA offices, enhancing the overall customer experience. Banks are also equipped with high-speed internet and backup systems to minimize downtime.
Several users have reported positive experiences with the service, noting that both visits to the branches took less than an hour. However, the service remains restricted to about 30 branches, limiting its accessibility.
As of March 2024, approximately 665,694 Smart ID cards have been issued at DHA-enabled branches, representing just 2.6% of the 26 million Smart ID cards issued nationwide. The branches are heavily concentrated in the most populous provinces, with Gauteng alone hosting over half of them. Meanwhile, North West and the Free State have no branches, forcing residents to use traditional DHA offices or travel to other provinces.
The six banks participating in the eHomeAffairs pilot have branches in Gauteng, with the Western Cape having the second-highest number of branches, all located in or around Cape Town. KwaZulu-Natal has three branches, all in Durban, while the Eastern Cape has two branches in Gqeberha. Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and the Northern Cape each have one branch.
Here is a summary of the bank branches supporting Smart ID card and passport renewals:
Gauteng (17)
- Absa Centurion Lifestyle Centre: C/o Lenchen and Old Johannesburg Rd, Centurion Lifestyle Centre, Centurion
- Absa Key West Krugersdorp: Shop 80, Key West Shopping Centre, c/o Paardekraal Drive and Viljoen Street, Krugersdorp
- Absa Sandton City: C/o Rivonia Road and 5th Street, Sandton
- Absa Towers: C/o Commissioner and Troye Streets, Johannesburg
- Discovery Bank Head Office: 1 Discovery Place, c/o Rivonia Road and Katherine Street, Sandton
- FNB Centurion Lifestyle Centre: C/o Lenchen and Old Johannesburg Rd, Centurion Lifestyle Centre, Centurion
- FNB Glen Shopping Centre: Shop U2, The Glen Shopping Centre, Glenvista
- FNB Lynnwood: Shop L04 Upper-level Cnr Simon Vermooten & Lynnwood Rd Equestria Pretoria
- FNB Merchant Place: 4 Merchant Place c/o Rivonia and Freedman Dr Sandton
- Investec Bank Sandown: 100 Grayston Dr, Sandown, Sandton
- Nedbank Arcadia: Shop 25, Nedbank Plaza, Beatrix Street, Arcadia
- Nedbank Constantia Kloof: 16 Constantia Boulevard Constantia Kloof Roodepoort
- Nedbank Rivonia: 135 Rivonia Road, Sandown, Sandton
- Standard Bank Centurion Lifestyle Centre: C/o Lenchen and Old Johannesburg Rd, Centurion Lifestyle Centre, Centurion
- Standard Bank Jubilee Mall: Shop no. 47 Jubilee Mall corner Jubliee and Harry Gwala Road Temba Hammanskraal
- Standard Bank Killarney Mall: Killarney Mall, Riviera Rd, Killarney, Johannesburg
- Standard Bank Simmonds Street: 5 Simmonds St, Selby, Johannesburg
Western Cape (5)
- Absa Stellenbosch: Oude Bloemhof Building, c/o Plein And Ryneveld Streets, Stellenbosch
- FNB Greenpoint: Shop 1 & 2, ERF 176300, Media Quarter, Somerset Road, Greenpoint
- Nedbank St George’s Mall: Shop 3 The Box, St Georges Mall c/o Riebeeck Street
- Standard Bank Canal Walk: Shop 599, Upper Level, Canal Walk Shopping Center, Century Blvd, Century City
- Standard Bank Mitchell’s Plain Promenade: C/o AZ Berman Road and Morgenster Road, Mitchell’s Plain
KwaZulu-Natal (3)
- FNB Cornubia: Shop U56, Cornubia Boulevard, Cnr N2 Highway & M41, Durban
- Nedbank Durban North: 57 Adelaide Tambo Dr, Durban North, 4051
- Standard Bank Kingsmead: 1 Kingsmead Way, Durban
Eastern Cape (2)
- Absa Port Elizabeth: 682 c/o Bagshaw & Govan Mbeki Avenue, Gqeberha
- Standard Bank Newton Park: 1 Pickering St, Newton Park, Gqeberha
Mpumalanga (1)
- Nedbank Nelspruit: Shop 65, The Crossing Shopping Centre, c/o Samora Machel and Madiba Drive, Nelspruit
Limpopo (1)
- FNB Burgersfort: Shop 55, Twin City Complex, Dirk Winterbach Street, Burgersfort
Northern Cape (1)
- Standard Bank Kathu Mall: Shop 62, Village Walk Shopping Centre Kathu, Hendrik Van Eck Street, Postmasburg
Despite the limited number of branches, this initiative provides a much-needed alternative to traditional DHA offices, offering a more efficient and pleasant experience for South Africans renewing their Smart ID cards and passports.
