SA Sets Date To Stop Green ID Book Production, Smart ID Deadline Announced
- Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber announced that green ID book production will permanently cease on 31 March 2027
- The 14.7 million South Africans still holding only a green ID book will have 12 months after that date to switch to a Smart ID card
- South Africans reacted with a mix of concern and confusion about what the deadline means for elderly citizens and permanent residents
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Source: UGC
South Africa's green ID book has been given an official expiry date. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber confirmed on 1 October 2026 that the machines used to produce the green ID book will be permanently switched off on 31 March 2027.
Speaking at Constitution Hill, Schreiber described the green ID book as one of the most fraud-prone identity documents on the African continent. Because it is paper-based and contains a photograph that can be swapped or altered, the document has long been linked to identity theft and illegal immigration. The minister said its continued use is incompatible with a modern society.
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What happens after March 2027
Once production stops, the roughly 14.7 million citizens and permanent residents who still only hold a green ID book will have until 31 March 2028 to make the switch to a Smart ID card. After that date, the green ID book will no longer be recognised as a valid form of identification under the Identification Act.
Schreiber noted that, ahead of the March 2027 cut-off, the department will extend Smart ID access to groups that were previously excluded, including naturalised citizens, permanent residents, and South Africans living abroad. First-time applicants and those aged 60 and older will remain exempt from paying the application fee.
The minister also pointed out that the switch no longer requires a lengthy trip to a Home Affairs office. Over 515 bank branches now offer Smart ID replacement services, with the number expected to exceed 1,000 by the end of 2026. The process takes as little as five minutes and requires no prior appointment or paperwork.
View the South African post here.
Mzansi weighs in on the deadline
Not everyone was reassured by the announcement. South Africans took to the comments section on the page with practical concerns:
Christa Erasmus wrote:
"This is trouble now. My mother is 96 and runs very heavy. How do you make parking spaces in front of banks in our town at night?"
Ap Nech said:
"That small card is very much easier to get lost, even in your pockets."
Anelisa Gantsho commented:
"It must be free for everyone who still has their green book ID."
Preloved clothes 4 juniors wrote:
"So if I don't change it I'm no longer South African?"
More Briefly News stories on Smart IDs
- Home Affairs has revealed the deadline for phasing out South Africa’s green ID books, urging millions of holders to switch to Smart IDs.
- Home Affairs has expanded Smart ID eligibility to naturalised citizens and permanent residents, giving more than 1.4 million people access to the cards.
- More South African bank branches are offering Smart ID services, making it easier for citizens to replace their old green ID books.
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Source: Briefly News
