Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber confirmed on 21 July 2026 that the bank branch smart ID and passport rollout has crossed 428 participating branches across Standard Bank, FNB, ABSA, Nedbank, Discovery Bank, and Investec. This is a 14x expansion since the 2023 pilot and is now, for most South Africans in metros and larger towns, the fastest way to get a smart ID card or an adult passport.
The service is not new, but the reach is. Anyone banking with the six participating institutions can now book a slot at a nearby branch, complete biometrics and photo capture on the bank's Home Affairs terminal, and collect the card 10 to 14 working days later. Fees are identical to a Home Affairs office; the only extra cost is that you must be a client of the bank first.
Which Banks and Where
| Bank | Branches offering service (Jul 2026) | Booking channel | Client-only? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Bank | 112 | eHomeAffairs + bank app | Yes |
| FNB | 106 | eHomeAffairs + FNB app | Yes |
| ABSA | 92 | eHomeAffairs + ABSA app | Yes |
| Nedbank | 78 | eHomeAffairs + Nedbank app | Yes |
| Discovery Bank | 25 | eHomeAffairs + Discovery app | Yes, must be Vitality client |
| Investec | 15 | eHomeAffairs | Yes, private banking |
Full branch lists are on each bank's website and inside their app under "Home Affairs" or "Government Services". The bank app is often the fastest place to see which of the nearest branches has open slots this week.
What You Can Actually Do at a Bank Branch
Available at bank branches
- First-issue smart ID card (age 16+)
- Smart ID replacement (lost, stolen, damaged, or expired green ID book upgrade)
- Adult passport (tourist or maxi)
- Passport renewal
- Biometric enrolment and photo capture
Not available at bank branches
- Birth registration or unabridged birth certificates
- Marriage or divorce registration
- Death registration
- Name change or gender marker change
- Refugee, asylum, or citizenship applications
- Child passport (under 16) - still Home Affairs offices only
- Late birth registrations
If you need any of the items in the second list, you must visit a Home Affairs office. The bank branch service is deliberately limited to smart ID and adult passport because those are the two highest-volume applications and are the easiest to standardise on the bank's biometric hardware.
Fees
| Document | Home Affairs fee | Bank branch fee | Extra bank charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart ID first issue (age 16+) | Free | Free | None |
| Smart ID replacement | R140 | R140 | None (bank absorbs handling) |
| Adult passport (tourist, 32 pages) | R400 | R400 | None |
| Adult passport (maxi, 48 pages) | R600 | R600 | None |
| Passport renewal | R400 | R400 | None |
Payment is done via card at the bank branch or via eHomeAffairs when you book. There is no cash payment for this service.
How to Book
The 6-step booking process
- Step 1: Register on eHomeAffairs at eservices.dha.gov.za. Use your ID and a working email address.
- Step 2: Log in and choose "Apply for Smart ID" or "Apply for Passport".
- Step 3: Fill in the application form; the system pre-fills your marital status from Home Affairs records. Check this carefully - see next section.
- Step 4: Choose "Bank Branch" as the collection channel and pick your preferred bank and branch.
- Step 5: Pay online via card or via your bank's app.
- Step 6: Book the appointment slot at the branch. Slots open 3 to 21 days ahead. Confirmation SMS is your entry proof.
The One Mistake That Kills Most First-Time Applications
Marital status mismatch
eHomeAffairs pulls your marital status from Home Affairs' record. If you married under civil, customary, or religious rites and the marriage was never registered with Home Affairs, the record still shows you as single. If the application shows "single" and you know you are married, the application is flagged for manual review at production and your card is delayed by 4 to 8 weeks.
Fix before you apply: verify marital status on eHomeAffairs (the field is on your profile page). If wrong, submit a marital status update form (BI-130) at a full Home Affairs office before booking the bank appointment. Do not try to shortcut it; the bank cannot fix marital records.
Other common issues:
- Old fingerprints on record: If your last biometric enrolment was pre-2010, the smart ID system sometimes cannot match. Home Affairs will re-take fingerprints at the branch, adding 10 minutes.
- Name inconsistencies: If your bank has "T Nkosi" and Home Affairs has "Thabo Precious Nkosi", the bank teller may query. Bring your existing green ID book if you have one.
- Passport photo rejected: The bank uses standard-issue Home Affairs backdrop and camera; your prior photo is not re-used. Do not arrive in white unless the bank confirms the backdrop is not white that day.
Wait Times: Bank vs Home Affairs
| Metric | Bank branch | Home Affairs office |
|---|---|---|
| Median queue time at slot | 10 minutes | 90 to 180 minutes |
| Biometric capture | 15 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Smart ID production and delivery | 10 to 14 working days | 14 to 30 working days |
| Passport production and delivery | 10 to 14 working days | 14 to 21 working days |
| Collection location | Same branch, at counter | Same Home Affairs office |
The time saving is not in production (both routes use the same central printer in Pretoria), it is in the queue on the day. For a first-time smart ID with all details correct, the bank branch typically saves 90 to 150 minutes of standing time.
Collecting Your Card
You receive an SMS when the card is ready for collection at the same branch you booked. Collection requires you in person, with the confirmation SMS and your existing green ID book (or the previous passport for renewals). No proxy is allowed - the bank confirms your face against the biometric on file before releasing the card.
Quick tips that save an hour
- Book the first slot of the day (usually 09:00) to avoid morning walk-in banking traffic.
- Bring your existing green ID book, even for a first smart ID application - the bank teller uses it to short-cut identity checks.
- Turn up 10 minutes early, not more; branches are strict about slot windows.
- Wear a solid dark colour for the photo. Avoid white, patterns, or logos.
- If you need both smart ID and passport, book them as separate slots; the biometric session cannot do both in one sitting.