5 TIPS to help you APPLY for a South African ID

When the time comes to apply for a South African ID, there are two processes you can follow through the Departments of Home Affairs (DHA). We’ve already detailed the DHA’s online service in an earlier article, which you can read HERE.

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However, if you don’t have access to a smart device or the internet to apply for an ID online, there is thankfully an alternative process you can follow. We’ve also received plenty of feedback from our readership saying you’re better off NOT applying online due to technical difficulties uploading and signing documents. Nevertheless, will delineate this in five easy steps below …

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WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR A SOUTH AFRICAN ID?

However, before we explore that in detail, let’s answer who is eligible to apply for a South African ID. According to the DHA, “ID documents are issued to South African citizens or permanent residence permit holders who are 16 years or older.”

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Interestingly, anyone working for the South African government – or one of its statutory bodies outside of South Africa – qualifies for a South African ID document, too. This includes their spouses and children.

HOW DO YOU QUALIFY FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN SA?

According to XPatWeb, there are a few ways to qualify for a Permanent Resident Permit. The top ways are:

• If you have a Critical Skills Work Visa.
• You’ve held a work visa for five years or more.
• If you are married or related to a South African Citizen for five years or more.
• You obtained a permanent job offer in South Africa.

There are more criteria you need to meet to apply for an ID, and we will explore those fully in a future article. But if any of the above apply, you should consider applying for your South African residency.

APPLY FOR A SOUTH AFRICAN ID

Nevertheless, back to the topic of easy tips to apply for a South African ID:

1. Visit the Department of Home Affairs DHA eHome website and navigate to Branch Appointment Booking System (BABS).
2. Input your SA ID number, hit Next and follow the prompts to complete all the relevant forms. Click Authenticate when complete.
3. From there, select Schedule Appointment to choose the nearest/preferred DHA branch. Do this by selecting your Province and City using the menu, and the date range that suits you and/or is available via Find Slots. Click the Agree checkbox and Confirm button once done.
4. When you apply for a South African ID, the DHA will send an SMS to the cellphone number you inputted. This will have the date, time and reference number. To get SMS updates, simply SMS the word ID followed by your ID number to 32551. You will be charged R1 per SMS.
5. At the DHA branch you will have your fingerprints and ID photograph taken. From there, you will receive an SMS telling you when you can collect your new South African ID document. The DHA says it takes on average 14 working days to process.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?

In terms of cost, when you apply for an ID, it’s free for any 16-year-old first-time applicant. However, anyone older than 16-years of age and/or replacing a lost ID document will pay R140.

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Do you need any further assistance to apply for a South African ID? If you have any tips on the process, be sure to share your thoughts with our audience in the comments section below. Send an email to info@thesouthafrican.com.

Or you can WhatsApp us on 060 011 0211. And don’t forget to follow us @TheSAnews on Twitter and The South African on Facebook for the latest updates.