Major South African bank shares smart ID services update and pricing
Home Affairs has partnered with major banks to bring Smart ID and passport services closer to citizens, promoting financial and social inclusion through technology and partnership.
In 2025, the Department of Home Affairs announced that it would be partnering with three major banks, First National Bank (FNB), Standard Bank and Capitec, to enable South Africans to apply for Smart ID cards and passports via bank branches and mobile applications.
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This partnership would aim to increase access to these essential services, particularly in rural areas, and promote financial inclusion.
The process is straightforward:
- Simply visit a designated bank branch to undergo photo capture and biometric verification.
- The system verifies your identity against the upgraded National Population Register in real-time.
- Once the application is processed, the Smart Card ID will be ready for collection at the same branch within weeks.
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This partnership will significantly expand the Department of Home Affairs' footprint, bringing its services closer to citizens.
The Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, notes that this digital partnership model will "dramatically increase Home Affairs' footprint and thereby bring us closer than ever before to delivering our vision of Home Affairs @ home."
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This is how many branches will have Home Affairs capabilities:
FNB had services roll out to 15 branches immediately, with 240 branches going live over the next year.
Standard Bank adopted a phased approach, with 20 branches going live in 2025 and 300 over the next year.
Capitec started with 10 bank branches, aiming to bring 100 branches online in 2026 and 300 branches thereafter.
“The conclusion of this partnership marks the most significant milestone to date on our journey of digital transformation, as we unlock the power of technology to expand access, as well as social and financial inclusion, on an unprecedented scale. The Medium Term Development Plan, adopted by Cabinet, tasks Home Affairs with expanding into 1,000 bank branches by 2029. Thanks to your investment in technology and partnership, we are well on track to meet and even beat this target,” said Minister Leon Schreiber about the Capitec partnership.
These partnerships are a significant step towards achieving the Department of Home Affairs' vision of Home Affairs @ home.
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By leveraging technology and partnering with major banks, the department can expand its services to more citizens and promote financial and social inclusion.
Now Capitec has announced its new smart ID pricing.
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According to MyBroadband, the bank has a network of over 850 branches, including those in rural towns and townships, and will offer smart ID applications via its self-service terminals for a small fee.
The cost of services at Capitec:
- R140 DHA (Department of Home Affairs) fee/application fee
- R10 logistics fee
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It's also been reported that the Absa and FNB rollouts are still on track.
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