Get ahead: Apply ONLINE for passports through your BANK

Get ahead of the queue; there are 27 bank branches endorsed by the Department of Home Affairs where you can obtain your smart ID card or renew your passports.

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Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi granted a temporary extension of operational hours for 198 offices, adding an extra two hours to accommodate the increased demand for smart ID card and passport services.

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GET AHEAD: LIST OF BANKS YOU CAN APPLY ONLINE FOR ID’S AND PASSPORTS

“The department plans to expand to an additional 43 locations after signing partnership agreements,” said the department.

Here is a list of bank branches in South Africa where citizens can schedule appointments to renew passports and apply for smart ID cards.

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Currently, Home Affairs offers the service through six banks. Below is the breakdown, according to MyBroadBand:

• Standard Bank: 9
• FNB: 7
• Nedbank: 5
• ABSA:4
• Discovery Bank: 1
• Investec:1

WHAT WILL YOU NEED?

When applying for a smart ID card online in South Africa, you need to provide certain documents (if available) to prevent fraudulent identity cloning:

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• Your green ID booklet
• Ezoic.
• A birth certificate for new applicants.
• Travel or ID documents from the former Transkei, Bophutatswana, Venda, or Ciskei homelands
• Documentation to verify legal guardianship in cases of adoption.
• Your parents’ IDs
• Death certificates for any deceased parents.
• Proof of address (e.g., a utility bill with your name and address)
• Permanent resident certificate for those born elsewhere.
• sworn and signed police affidavit with a police case number if your ID document was lost or stolen.
• First-time applicants who are 16 years old can apply for a smart ID online for free.
• The online application fee for a smart ID is R140 for individuals older than 16, those replacing their green mamba ID, or those replacing a lost or stolen smart ID card.

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Bank branches at which South Africans can book to renew their passport and apply for a smart ID card are listed on the department’s website.

Walk-ins are not allowed; you first do an online application and go collect at the chosen bank.

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