Skip the queue! Apply for your South African ID card online

Following calls for online ID applications perhaps by former Minister Motsoaledi, the South African Department of Home Affairs now allows you to apply this way. Just before his ousting from the position, the Minister said the department wanted to: “Do away with the green ID booklet entirely,” reported Business Tech.

Since then, a massive Cabinet reshuffle has taken place under the Government of National Unity (GNU). And Motsoaledi has been replaced by an ambitious Leon Schrieber (35) of the Democratic Alliance (DA). While Motsoaledi has been dispatched to the Department of Health to help enact the National Health Insurance bill (NHI).

DO AWAY WITH THE ‘GREEN MAMBA’

Nevertheless, just days before Motsoaledi departed, he had some telling comment about the future of South African ID documents. “The time has come for the country to drop one of the two forms of identification. We have been busy for the last 18 months with the CSIR to upgrade our IT systems, because they are very problematic, leading to people having to wait in lots of queues. But in the same vein, we want to do away with the green barcoded ID booklet. The smart ID card has been around since 2013 and we think it’s long enough that we’ve kept dual identity documents going,” concluded Motsoaledi.

APPLY FOR A SOUTH AFRICAN ID CARD ONLINE

So, let’s assume Schrieber stays the course and you’re one of the people who must apply for a South African ID card online. What do you do and how much does it cost? To apply for a South African ID card online, you must be 16 years of age or older and/or be a South African citizen.

You will need to produce your old green ID booklet (if you have one) and/or a South African driver’s licence/passport as proof of identification. In certain instances, if you were born elsewhere but have South African citizenship through naturalisation/descent, a foreign ID card/passport may be used. It’s still unclear whether the unfortunate bias of South African citizens by naturalisation/descent not qualifying for ID cards will continue under Schrieber’s control. Watch this space …

DOCUMENTS YOU’LL NEED

When applying for a South African ID card online, submit the following documents (if you have them):

• Green ID booklet.
• Birth certificate for new applicants.
• Travel/ID documents of old Transkei, Bophutatswana, Venda, or Ciskei homelands.
• Documentation verifying a legal guardian in case of adoption.
• Your parents’ IDs.
• Your parents’ death certificates (for any or all deceased parents).
• Proof of address (a utility bill with your name and address on it that’s no older than three months).
• Permanent resident certificate if born elsewhere.
• Sworn and signed police affidavit (with case number) if you’ve lost or had your ID stolen.
• 16-year-old first-time applicants can apply for a South African ID online for free.
• The cost to apply for a South African ID card online is R140 if you are older than 16.

HOW TO APPLY ONLINE

Visit the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) eHome website:

• Click on Apply Online for Your South African ID or Passport.
• Select Go to Registration.
• Fill in all your details: Name, ID number, passport number or birth certificate number, date of birth, email address, and cell phone number.
• Press Next.
• Upload all the necessary documents listed earlier.
• Make an EFT payment online. If you don’t have digital banking, visit your bank in-person to make a deposit payment.
• After payment is confirmed, select a convenient Home Affairs branch near you.
• This is where you will provide your fingerprints, ID photograph and other biometric data.

HAVE YOU APPLIED FOR AN ID CARD ONLINE?