GREEN identity (ID) books are being phased out, and holders have until March 30, 2028, to switch to card IDs, the smart ID, as a legal form of identification.

Also read: How to apply for an ID

To simplify the process of applying for a smart ID, residents who have Capitec bank accounts can visit the Seadoone Mall branch to apply for one.

First-time applications, however, are only done at Department of Home Affairs branches, including in Prospecton, Durban, and Parke Rynie. These branches also handle smart ID replacement applications.

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber recently announced that production of the green ID book will cease on March 31, 2027, and the machines that produce it will be decommissioned.

He said that one of the reasons to ditch the green ID book was that it is among the most fraud-prone identity documents in Africa because it is paper-based and relies on a manual photograph that can be manipulated. He said it is a critical pull factor for illegal immigrants seeking to obtain fraudulent papers.

“The green ID book sits at the core of the scourge of identity theft in the country. I am calling on all South Africans who still have only a green ID book to help combat abuses such as identity theft, financial fraud and illegal immigration by visiting their nearest participating branch immediately to switch to the smart ID,” said Schreiber.

First-time applicants and applicants over 60 years will remain exempt from paying the application fee for their smart ID.

Following the end of green ID book production in March next year, Schreiber said the 14.7 million South African citizens and permanent residents who still hold only a green ID book will have a further 12 months to make the switch to the Smart ID.

How to apply for a smart ID at the bank

• One needs to be an FNB, Standard Bank, or Capitec customer to apply through a bank branch partnership.
• The service is only available for smart ID replacements, including replacing a green ID book with a smart ID card. First-time ID applications are not available in any branch yet.
• The applicant does not need to bring any documents when applying at their bank.
• The total cost is R150, which includes a R140 Department of Home Affairs application fee and a R10 service fee.

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