1.4m naturalised citizens eligible for Smart ID

Updated May 12, 2025, 2:29 p.m. | By Stacey & J Sbu

Lawful permanent residents and naturalised citizens in SA, your Smart ID card is just a stone's throw away!

A significant development has taken place in South Africa's identification system.

Home Affairs Minister, Leon Schreiber has announced that 1.4 million naturalised citizens and lawful permanent residents are now eligible to obtain a Smart ID.

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This move marks a major milestone in the digital transformation journey of the Department of Home Affairs and is a victory for social inclusion.

According to BusinessTech, the eligible individuals will be able to apply for the Smart ID through the e-Home Affairs platform, although the department will initially prioritise processing applications from visa-exempt countries.

This new development brings an end to the manual processing and invite-only basis that previously caused frustration for these individuals.

The Smart ID will provide these citizens and lawful residents with a secure ID document, enabling them to access various services and benefits.

They will be able to visit any Home Affairs office to obtain the Smart ID and utilize the e-Home Affairs platform like other eligible individuals.

The department had previously faced issues with technology and system problems, restricting access to Smart IDs for these categories.

However, with this announcement, it appears that the department is ahead of schedule in its commitment to ensure all eligible individuals have access to Smart IDs by the end of the year.

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