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How to Apply for a Smart ID Card Online: eHome Affairs and My Home Affairs Online

Published - Updated

South Africa's Home Affairs online services let you apply for a smart ID card without queuing at a branch just to hand in paperwork. If you have a green barcoded ID book, are replacing a damaged card, or are getting your first smart ID, this guide walks you through every step. It also covers something most guides still get wrong: Home Affairs now runs two separate online systems, and you will probably need both. Your smart ID is also the basis for South Africa's new digital ID.

What Is eHome Affairs?

eHome Affairs is the Department of Home Affairs' online portal for submitting smart ID card and passport applications digitally. Instead of visiting a branch to queue for an application form, you complete and submit the application online, pay for it, and then visit a designated bank branch so your fingerprints and photo can be captured.

In the department's own wording, eHome Affairs is for South African citizens by birth. In practice the online route covers:

  • South African citizens by birth aged 16 and older
  • Persons applying for their first smart ID card
  • Persons replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged smart ID
  • Persons upgrading from a green barcoded ID book to a smart ID card

Naturalised citizens and permanent residence permit holders are not served by the portal, but that does not mean you cannot get a smart ID. Home Affairs states that identity documents are issued to South African citizens and permanent residence permit holders from age 16, and that smart ID cards are applied for at modernised offices: participating bank branches, Home Affairs offices in malls, and mobile offices. If the portal will not accept you, apply in person at one of those instead.

The Two Home Affairs Online Systems, and Which One You Need

This is the step that trips people up. Home Affairs splits the job across two websites, and the appointment booking system moved in 2026, so older guides point at an address that no longer runs it.

  • eHome Affairs (ehome.dha.gov.za) is where you apply and pay. You create a profile, capture the application, attach supporting documents, and make payment. A branch visit is still mandatory afterwards so your photo, fingerprints, and signature can be captured.
  • My Home Affairs Online (myhomeaffairsonline.dha.gov.za) is where you book the branch appointment. Its front page lists four services, two of which matter here: "Book a DHA Branch Appointment" and "Apply for your Smart ID card through a Partner Branch". The Branch Appointment Booking System used to sit at services.dha.gov.za, and that address now simply points you across to this one.

The short version: apply and pay on eHome Affairs, then book, reschedule, or cancel the branch appointment on My Home Affairs Online. If you are re-issuing a card rather than applying for a first one, the partner branch option on My Home Affairs Online is worth checking first. To see which branches near you offer the service, read our guide to Home Affairs bank branches.

What You Need Before You Start

Gather the following before opening the portal:

  • Your South African ID number (13 digits)
  • A valid South African mobile number
  • An active email address
  • Internet banking or a debit/credit card, for the application fee
  • A digital copy of your current ID document or green ID book (JPEG or PDF, under 2MB)

Not sure if your ID number is valid? Use the SA ID checker tool on our homepage to verify it before you start.

Step-by-Step: How to Apply for a Smart ID Card Online

Step 1 - Register on eHome Affairs

Go to the eHome Affairs portal at ehome.dha.gov.za/ehomeaffairsv3. If you do not have an account, click Register. You will need your ID number, name, date of birth, email address, and mobile number. A one-time PIN (OTP) is sent to your phone to verify the number. Note the exact address: there is no separate "ehomeaffairs.dha.gov.za" website, and searching for one is a common dead end.

Step 2 - Log In and Start a New Application

Log in with your ID number and password. On the dashboard, select Apply for Smart ID Card. You will be asked to confirm your personal details as they appear on your current identity document.

Step 3 - Complete the Application Form

Fill in the online form. You will need to:

  • Confirm your full name, date of birth, and ID number
  • Indicate the reason for your application (first-time, replacement, upgrade from ID book)
  • If replacing a lost or stolen card, provide a case number from the South African Police Service (SAPS)
  • Upload a scan or clear photo of your existing ID document

Step 4 - Choose a Bank Branch Appointment

Home Affairs works in partnership with ABSA, FNB, Nedbank, and Standard Bank. Select a participating branch near you and choose an available slot for your biometric capture. Appointment slots are managed through My Home Affairs Online, so if the booking screen hands you off to a different Home Affairs address, that is expected rather than a fault.

Note: you do not need to be a customer of the bank you choose. Any eligible applicant can use any participating branch.

Step 5 - Pay the Application Fee

The current fee for a smart ID card is R140 for a re-issue. First-time smart ID applicants (16 and over) and applicants aged 60 and older receive the card free of charge. Payment is made online through the portal using internet banking, a debit card, or a credit card. Keep your proof of payment, as you will need it at your appointment. For the full fee schedule, see our guide on smart ID card costs and Home Affairs fees.

Step 6 - Attend Your Bank Appointment

On your appointment date, go to your chosen branch with:

  • Your existing green ID book or smart ID card, if you have one
  • Proof of payment from the portal
  • Your appointment confirmation (SMS or email)

A Home Affairs official stationed at the bank captures your fingerprints digitally, takes your photo, and finalises the application on the spot. It usually takes around 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 7 - Collect Your Smart ID Card

Smart ID cards are typically ready within about two to three weeks of your appointment, and up to four weeks when workload is high. You will get an SMS when the card is ready. In the meantime you use the Temporary Identity Certificate issued at your appointment as interim proof of identity.

Collection is from the Home Affairs branch you selected, not the bank. Book a collection slot through the branch appointment system on My Home Affairs Online rather than arriving unannounced, and read our guide to ID collection at Home Affairs first.

How to Check Your Application Status

The most reliable way to track progress is to log back into your eHome Affairs profile and open the status tab under your application. Your collection notification arrives by SMS. Our guide to checking your ID status online sets out each method and what each status message means, so you know whether your card is still in production or already waiting at a branch.

Once the card is in hand, check the 13-digit number on it is correctly formed with our free ID number checker, and see what each digit encodes in our guide to the South African ID number format.

Common Questions

What is the difference between eHome Affairs and My Home Affairs Online?

eHome Affairs is the application portal: you register, complete the smart ID form, upload documents, and pay there. My Home Affairs Online is the appointment and branch layer: it hosts the Branch Appointment Booking System, which moved off the old services.dha.gov.za address, and a partner branch route for smart ID cards. Most applicants use both, in that order.

Can I apply for a smart ID card online without a bank account?

Yes. You do not need to bank with one of the participating banks, you just need to visit one of their branches for the biometric appointment. Any eligible applicant can use any participating branch regardless of where they bank.

What happens if I miss my bank appointment?

Rebook the appointment through My Home Affairs Online. There is no penalty for rescheduling, but you cannot reclaim a slot once it has passed, so book a new one as soon as you can.

Can I apply for a smart ID at a Home Affairs office instead?

Yes. The online process is optional. You can visit a modernised Home Affairs office, complete a paper application, and have your biometrics captured there. The online route is usually faster because it removes a queue, but it is not compulsory.

What if I have never had a South African ID before?

First-time applicants aged 16 and over can apply through eHome Affairs. Under 16, a parent or legal guardian must accompany the applicant to the appointment.

Summary

Applying online is a two-system job: apply and pay on eHome Affairs, then book and manage the branch appointment on My Home Affairs Online. Have your ID number, contact details, and a digital copy of your current ID ready, budget R140 unless you qualify for a free issue, and expect about two to three weeks from appointment to collection. Before you start, check your ID number is valid so a typo does not hold up the application.