South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has announced a new partnership with two major banks, Capitec and FNB, to help people apply for Smart IDs and passports more easily. This initiative will let customers use their banking apps to apply for these official documents, making the process faster and more convenient.
Home Affairs has already teamed up with five banks to offer these services at selected branches. Currently, 30 branches are participating, but the department plans to increase this to 1,000 branches by 2029. This expansion aims to make it easier for people in both city and rural areas to access government services, without needing to visit a Home Affairs office.
The department also plans to introduce a new and improved system. The previous model involved setting up expensive equipment and staff inside bank branches, which was costly and limited in reach. The new system will use modern technology to broaden access to all areas where banks are present, including rural communities, and will allow applications through secure banking apps widely used across society.
This is the first time that applying for a Smart ID or passport through banking apps will be possible in South Africa. Today, millions of South Africans already use banking apps — over 13 million people use Capitec’s app, and FNB has 7.4 million digitally active users.
It is not yet clear if the new system will also enable applicants to receive their IDs and passports by home delivery, which Minister Leon Schreiber has identified as a key goal. The department’s vision is called “Home Affairs @ Home,” aiming to provide government services directly to people’s homes through digital platforms.
Other government services, like booking driving tests through online platforms, have already been integrated into banking apps successfully. Home Affairs will hold press conferences at Capitec’s Stellenbosch offices on Tuesday and FNB’s Cape Town branch on Wednesday to share more details about this exciting initiative.
The department’s Director-General, Tommy Makhode, has invited all major banks to join this digital partnership. Capitec and FNB are the first to sign up, promising a new era of easier, faster access to essential services for all South Africans.