Everything you need to know about the end of green ID books

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber answers your questions about the end of green ID books.

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber joined Breakfast with Martin Bester to answer South Africans’ questions after announcing that the department plans to stop producing green barcoded ID books by 31 March 2027.

From voting to queues and smart ID eligibility, he explained what the transition means for South Africans and how technology is changing access to Home Affairs services.

Schreiber confirmed that South Africans can still use their green ID books to vote this year.

“Yes, you absolutely can. There’s nothing that has been gazetted yet.”

He distinguished between stopping production on 31 March 2027 and the planned end of recognition on 31 March 2028.

“So it absolutely has no impact on your ability to vote or on its status as valid ID until that date in March 2028.”

However, he encouraged people to switch ahead of time, saying the green ID book is “extremely vulnerable to identity theft and other kinds of fraud”.

According to Schreiber, 90 of the department’s 329 offices had not been modernised when he took office.

These offices could not capture the biometrics required for smart ID cards, leaving some communities without an alternative.

The department’s bank partnership has prioritised access in those areas.

“The whole point was that we first had to make sure that everyone has access to the alternative before you can take away the green ID,” he explained.

Schreiber said 515 bank branches had joined the new system in six months, including participating branches of Standard Bank, Capitec, Absa and FNB.

“They do not require any booking whatsoever,” he said.

The automated application process takes about five minutes, according to the minister. Applicants can find participating branches through the MyHomeAffairs online platform.

He said more than 822,000 South Africans had already used the service.

“That’s 822,000 people who did not go and stand in the Home Affairs queue.”

Passport applications, first-time smart ID applications and a courier delivery option are also planned as part of the expansion.

The Electronic Travel Authorisation, or ETA, applies the same approach to visa applications, replacing lengthy manual processes with an online system.

Schreiber said the platform allows applications and secure verification within 24 hours. Machine learning checks passport authenticity, while facial matching compares an uploaded selfie with the passport photograph.

“If your ETA visa is approved, you put it in the wallet on your smartphone. You don’t even print it.”

Travellers undergo facial verification again when arriving in South Africa.

“You can just see the benefits of really embracing technology, both for efficiency but also for security.”

Schreiber said first-time ID applications and IDs for people over 60 would remain free.

Some naturalised citizens and permanent residents from visa-exempt countries already have access to smart IDs. However, he acknowledged that people from non-visa-exempt countries still face restrictions.

Before 31 March 2027, the department intends to extend access to everyone eligible for a South African ID.

“Every naturalised citizen and every permanent resident will be able to do that.”

He said the intention is to facilitate applications through both participating bank branches and Home Affairs offices, making the transition accessible to all eligible applicants.

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Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber answers your questions about the end …

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