Home Affairs Targets Doorstep Delivery for Smart IDs and Passports Across South Africa

• Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber announced that South Africans will soon receive renewed Smart IDs and passports delivered to their homes
• The department has already expanded its services to 327 bank branches across the country in just over four months
• Over 422,000 Smart ID applications have been processed through participating banks as Home Affairs aims to reach 1,000 branch locations

South Africans fed up with long queues at Home Affairs offices may soon have a reason to breathe easy. The department is preparing to roll out home delivery for Smart IDs and passports, meaning citizens could receive their renewed identity documents at their front doors, much like receiving a new bank card. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber shared the plans during an interview with Hot Business, as reported by BusinessTech.

Bank branches already easing the queue

He outlined how the department intends to make the renewal process far more convenient by bringing documents directly to applicants rather than requiring them to make repeated trips to government offices. The shift is already underway. Home Affairs has partnered with financial institutions to offer Smart ID and passport application services, expanding to 327 bank branches in just over four months.

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Leon pushed back against suggestions that this approach shifts long queues from government buildings to banks, pointing to more than 422,000 Smart ID applications that have already been processed smoothly through the participating branches. The minister said the goal is to eventually bring that number up to 1,000 branch locations across the country, widening access for South Africans who live far from traditional Home Affairs offices.

What to expect from home delivery

The home delivery model would work in the same way that banks courier new cards to customers. Once a renewal application is approved, the document will be dispatched and delivered directly to the applicant's registered address. The department has not yet confirmed an exact rollout date for the service, but Schreiber's comments signal that the groundwork is being laid. For millions of South Africans who have spent hours in queues or taken days off work to collect documents, the change could mark a significant shift in how citizens interact with government services.

5 Briefly News Home Affairs-related articles

• Absa Bank announced the rollout of Smart ID and passport application services in its branches, a service which already exists in major lenders, expanding the reach of Home Affairs services to more South Africans.
• South Africans with blocked IDs can contest the status by submitting a specific set of documents to the Department of Home Affairs.
• A local news outlet has reported on a corrupt former Home Affairs official who has been sentenced to 12 years in prison following a passport fraud scandal.
• A 59-year-old man from Limpopo was handed a 22-year sentence after her was found guilty of four counts of crime for placing fraudulent residence permit stickers and entry stamps in immigrants' passports.
• Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber warned bribe payers that illegal shortcuts will not be tolerated following 114 staff dismissals and multiple arrests in 2026.

Source: Briefly News