Home Affairs Bank Branches: Smart ID & Passport [2026]

Standing in a Home Affairs queue from before sunrise is fast becoming a thing of the past. Through a digital partnership between the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and South Africa's major banks, you can now apply for and collect a Smart ID card or passport at a participating bank branch, often in minutes rather than hours. This guide explains which banks take part, what you can do there, how to apply through eHomeAffairs, and what it costs in 2026.

If you are not yet sure whether you qualify for a Smart ID, you can first check your South African ID number with our free validator to confirm it is valid and reads correctly before you start an application.

What Are Home Affairs Bank Branches?

Home Affairs bank branches are ordinary bank branches that have been fitted with DHA Live Capture equipment, the same biometric system used inside a Home Affairs office. Under the eHomeAffairs digital partnership model, selected branches can capture your fingerprints and photograph, process a Smart ID or passport application, and hand over the finished document when it is ready.

The programme has expanded quickly. From a handful of pilot branches it has grown to 372 participating branches across all nine provinces as at August 2026, and more than half a million South Africans have applied for a Smart ID Card this way since the partnership launched on 9 March 2026. Home Affairs has stated it intends to scale the network to 750 branches by the end of 2026. Because the list changes almost every week, the most reliable source is the department's own online branch finder, covered in full further down, or the official Department of Home Affairs bank list.

Which Banks Offer Home Affairs Services?

Seven banks currently take part in the programme, each with a different number of enabled branches:

Those per-bank figures are a June 2026 snapshot and understate the network as it stands today: the national total reached 372 branches by August 2026, so treat the table as a guide to relative scale rather than a current count. For the live position, use the branch finder described below. If your usual bank is not on the list, you are free to use any participating branch from another bank, subject to that bank's own client rules covered below.

What You Can Do at a Bank Branch

Participating branches handle the two highest-demand Home Affairs documents:

• Smart ID card: first issue at age 16, replacing a lost or damaged card, or switching from the old green ID book to the Smart ID card.
• Passport: a new adult or child passport, or a passport renewal.

What you cannot do at a bank branch is anything outside these two services. Birth, marriage and death certificates, citizenship applications, permanent residence and visa matters still need a Home Affairs office or the relevant channel. For those, see our guide to Home Affairs branches and offices.

How to Apply for a Smart ID or Passport at a Bank

The bank-branch route runs through the online eHomeAffairs portal, not over the counter. The steps are:

1. Create a profile on the eHomeAffairs portal at ehome.dha.gov.za using your ID number and a valid email address.
2. Complete your application for a Smart ID, passport, or both, and upload any required supporting documents.
3. Pay the fee online by card. Payment is taken upfront through the portal, which is why you do not pay anything extra at the bank.
4. Book an appointment at a participating bank branch that suits you, choosing a date and time slot.
5. Visit the branch to have your fingerprints and photograph captured. This biometric step usually takes five to ten minutes.
6. Collect your document at the same branch once you are notified that it is ready.

If you would rather complete the whole process at a Home Affairs office instead, our walkthrough of the Home Affairs online booking system covers that path. You can also read the dedicated guide to applying for a Smart ID online.

How Much Does It Cost in 2026?

The fees are exactly the same as applying at a Home Affairs office. The bank does not charge an additional service fee for the Live Capture appointment.

For the full passport fee schedule, including emergency travel certificates and replacement penalties, see our breakdown of how much a passport costs in South Africa and the Smart ID card cost guide.

Do You Need to Bank With That Bank?

This is the most common point of confusion. Some banks, such as FNB, restrict the in-branch Home Affairs service to their own clients, while others have opened it more widely. Because policies differ and change as the programme expands, check the specific bank's terms before booking, or simply choose a branch of the bank you already use. The eHomeAffairs profile itself is open to every eligible South African citizen regardless of who you bank with.

Bank Branch vs Traditional Home Affairs Office

Both routes issue identical documents. The differences are practical:

• Speed and queues: bank branches are designed for short, appointment-based visits and generally have far shorter queues than busy Home Affairs offices.
• Hours: many bank branches keep mall trading hours, including some Saturday availability, which can be more convenient than standard office times. Check our note on Home Affairs working hours for comparison.
• Services: a Home Affairs office handles every service; a bank branch only does Smart IDs and passports.
• Payment: the bank route requires online card payment upfront, so you need a working card and eHomeAffairs profile before you arrive.

How to Find a Participating Branch Near You

On 3 August 2026, Home Affairs launched a dedicated online branch finder for exactly this question. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber announced it at a digital partnership event with FNB in Cape Town, and it is now the quickest way to find your nearest participating branch.

Use the official Home Affairs branch finder

The service lives at myhomeaffairsonline.dha.gov.za. It lets you search participating bank branches anywhere in South Africa from one page, and the department has said branches are added to it in real time as they go live, so it does not drift out of date between updates the way a static list does.

Other ways to check

Three fallbacks are worth knowing. The official Department of Home Affairs bank list carries the same programme information in list form. Your own bank's website usually has a branch locator that flags which of its branches offer Home Affairs services. And inside the eHomeAffairs portal, available bank branches appear when you reach the appointment-booking step, so you can see live availability in your province before committing to a slot.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Arriving at a branch without first completing and paying for your application on eHomeAffairs. Walk-ins are not accepted for the bank route.
• Assuming every branch of a participating bank offers the service. Only enabled branches do, so confirm before travelling.
• Forgetting that the fee is paid online by card, not in cash at the counter.
• Using an incorrect or mistyped ID number on the portal. Verify your ID number first to avoid a rejected application.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which banks work with Home Affairs?

Capitec, Standard Bank, FNB, Absa, Nedbank, Discovery Bank and Investec all take part in the Home Affairs bank-branch programme, offering Smart ID and passport services at selected enabled branches. Capitec has the largest network, followed by Standard Bank.

Can I get an ID card at a bank?

Yes. You can apply for and collect a Smart ID card at a participating bank branch, provided you complete the application and pay on the eHomeAffairs portal first and book a biometric appointment at an enabled branch.

How do I make an appointment at a bank for Home Affairs?

Create a profile on eHomeAffairs, complete and pay for your Smart ID or passport application online, then select a participating bank branch and an available time slot during the booking step. You attend that appointment to have your biometrics captured.

Which Absa branch does ID cards?

Absa offers Smart ID and passport services at selected branches that expand as the programme grows. The current Absa branches appear on the official dha.gov.za/banks list and inside eHomeAffairs when you book, rather than at every Absa branch.

Do I have to be a customer of the bank?

It depends on the bank. Some, such as FNB, limit the in-branch service to their own clients, while others are more open. Check the bank's terms or pick a branch of the bank you already use. The eHomeAffairs profile is open to all eligible citizens.

Is it cheaper to apply at a bank or at Home Affairs?

The cost is the same. Banks charge no extra fee for the Live Capture appointment, so you pay only the standard Home Affairs fee, R140 for a Smart ID re-issue and from R600 for a passport, through the eHomeAffairs portal.

The bank-branch model is one of the biggest convenience upgrades Home Affairs has rolled out in years. It sits alongside the department's wider push towards South Africa's new digital ID. Before you start, take a moment to validate your South African ID number so your application goes through cleanly the first time.