The Department of Home Affairs is one of the important departments in the South African democratic government. They play vital roles in ensuring that people are who they claim to be and that foreigners legally enter the country through any of its entry ports. The Home Affairs ID online application is yet another key responsibility the department has been saddled with for years now.
The online application has been on for a long time, and thousands of South African s have been complying. If you want to apply online, know the application requirements, track your application process, and get up to speed with their ID services, you will find answers to every aspect of the services in the paragraphs below.
General Requirements To Obtain An Identification Card Or Document
To obtain your document or identification in South Africa is pretty easy. The process only becomes cumbersome when you don’t have the right documentation needed for the application. With that said, the best thing to do if you want to apply for a document is to get the items underlisted ready before you start filling the application form.
If you are a first-time applicant, you must attach the following documentation to your form while applying for an identification card or document at your nearest Department of Home Affairs office or South African mission or consulate abroad.
- A certified copy of your Birth certificate or travel documents or reference book or a copy of the old Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda, or Ciskei homelands identity.
- Form BI-9
- Two identical, color photographs
Note the following:
- Your Form BI-9 must be completed in black ink.
- You don’t need the two identical color photographs at smartcard offices because ID images are captured digitally. That notwithstanding, color photographs are still needed for temporary IDs.
- A Home Affairs official will take your fingerprints and imprint them on Form DHA-9.
For naturalized citizens or permanent residence permit holders, you must attach the following items to your application form:
- Your Form BI-1620
- Your permanent residency certificate and a copy
- Your naturalization certificate and a copy
- Your exemption certificate and a copy
Note the following:
- Your permanent residency certificate, your exemption certificate, and your permanent residency certificate must be certified by Home Affairs.
- Your Form BI-1620 must be completed at a Home Affairs office.
- If the naturalization certificate cannot be furnished, you must apply for a duplicate before submitting the ID book application.
- If the permanent residence permit or exemption certificate cannot be furnished, Form BI-829 must be completed for the issuing of a duplicate thereof.
Follow These Steps To Apply For The SmartCard On The Home Affairs Office Website
Step I: First, you need to register on the e-Home Affairs website via the e-Home Affair portal. Simply enter your personal details, create a password, enter your email, cellphone number, and then enter the captcha verification. Click on this link to get started.
Step II: You will receive an OTP (one-time pin) to confirm your cellphone number. Once it pops up on your phone, enter it in the provided space and click submit.
Step III: Another OTP will be sent to you to log in to your profile. This is after you must have successfully registered if you don’t have an account.
Step IV: Fill your application form for a smartcard.
Step V: Upload the supporting documents where needed.
Step VI: You can now make online payments or pay at a branch of a bank.
Step VII: Make a booking at a Home Affairs enabled Bank branch.
Step VIII: You can go ahead to print your confirmation letter.
Note the following:
- A branch visit is mandatory to capture or verify your biometric details.
- You don’t need an appointment if you are going to Home Affairs office.
- If you want to go to a bank, you need to go along with your ID book (if available) and barcoded confirmation letter.
- Booking an appointment is needed for a visit to a bank.
- If you are 16 years old and above or a pensioner above 60, you will not be charged when applying for the first time. However, if you do not fall into any of the groups, you will pay R140 for the card.
You Need The Following Documents For The Application Of Your SmartCard
For pensioners who are above 60 years and are applying for the first time, you need the following:
- Marriage certificate, if married (for marriage verification status)
- Proof of residence (where it is available) or provide a residential address
- Divorce decree, if divorced (for divorce verification status)
- Green bar-coded identity document/affidavit in case the identity document is lost
For permanent residents of South Africa:
- You need to present the green bar-coded ID you already have in your possession
- Your permanent residence certificate
- Proof of address (If you are a first-time applicant)
For South African citizens who are 16 years and above, you need the following if you are applying for the first time:
- Certified copy of one of the parent/legal guardian/informant’s identity document
- Birth certificate
- Death certificate or certified copy if parents are deceased
- Proof of residence (where it is available) or provide a residential address
For other citizens who are applying for the first time, you need the following:
- Divorce decree, if divorced (for divorce verification status)
- Marriage certificate, if married (for marriage verification status)
- Green bar-coded identity document/affidavit in case the identity document is lost.
- Proof of residence (where it is available) or provide a residential address
- A procession fee of R140.00
As for the URL, still follow the link above.
Here’s All you Need To Know About The Offline Application Process And Other Processes Involved
The offline application platform enables applicants to apply for their ID without doing it on Home Affairs website online. The fact remains that not everyone in the country has access to the internet or internet-friendly devices. Hence, the major reason the offline platform was created.
If you find it difficult to flow or trust the online transactions, or you may not have access to a working internet, you can follow the steps to get your ID sorted out.
Step 1: Visit any office of the Department of Home Affairs or any South African mission or consulate overseas.
Step 2: After that, your application will be sent to the Department’s head office in Pretoria. There, your fingerprints will be matched with those already on record or entered into the National Population Register.
Step 3: You will wait patiently as the depart processes your application.
Step 4: Once it is issued, your ID book will be forwarded to the office where you made your application for you to collect.
Note: Ensure to write down your cellphone number in your application so that the department can keep you up to speed with updates on the progress of your application via SMS.
Can I Download the ID Application Form on The Home Affairs Website?
No. The ID application form cannot be downloaded for use as an application or registration form. The department doesn’t allow that.
How Do I Track MY ID, And How Much Does It Cost?
Once you successfully submit your ID application, you are expected to get regular updates on how the process is moving. You will also be notified once it is ready. However, if you want to track your ID, all you have to do is send the word “ID” followed by your ID number to 32551 via SMS.
This transaction will cost you R1 for each SMS sent. The tracking system of Home Affair’s ID application is very effective. Many applicants make use of it, and it’s been immensely helpful, especially when there are delays in the issuance of IDs.
To Check If Your ID Is Ready For Collection In South Africa
You can call the Contact Centre on 0800 60 11 90 or text “ID” followed by your ID number to 32551 via SMS.
Why You Need An ID Card/Document In South Africa
The need for people who are 16 years and above to get an ID card for themselves can never be emphasized. In South Africa, most operations are gradually being digitalized, and with time, there will be occasions when you will not be attended to unless you present an ID.
There are several reasons why you need an ID, no matter how unimportant you see it. These days, to have access to education, healthcare services, or even housing, you need to present at least a valid ID.
Drivers are required to provide an ID for a driver’s license or to get a job. Even before you enter into business agreements or fill a form for the Unemployment Insurance Fund, you must be requested to present an ID. So, you see, having an ID is important.
The goodness is that you can conveniently apply for one and collect it in no distant time. Whether you want to apply for a passport, study or visit friends and family outside the country, or apply for a visa to work, your ID card is one of the items you must present to authorities.
Importantly, suppose you want your vote to count in general and municipal elections, you must complete your voter registration, and you already know that the registration process cannot be complete without presenting an ID. The choice is yours.
The Department of Home Affairs Is An Important Ministry In The South African Government
Formed May 31st, 1910, the Department of Home Affairs South Africa is saddled with lots of responsibilities, especially those that have to do with verifying the identities of citizens and other residents in the country. Besides that, the department is a protector, custodian, regulator, controller, and facilitator of immigration and movements of people through South Africa’s ports of entry.
The Home Affairs also maintains the National Population Register (the civil registry), including documenting deaths, births, and marriages/civil partnerships. The department is empowered to naturalize permanent immigrants, issue passports and identity documents, issue visas to people who visit South Africa, and handle asylum seekers and refugees in the country. It is also their duty to ensure that people legally enter South Africa through airports, seaports, and land borders.
