Capitec and FNB app to enable ID and passport applications

Home Affairs has announced Capitec and FNB as its first banking app partners to deliver Smart ID and passport services.

Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber says Capitec Bank and First National Bank have elected to sign up to its new digital partnership model that will expand access to Smart ID and Passport services from the current 30 to hundreds more bank branches in both urban and rural areas across South Africa, as well as to digital banking applications.

This ties into a fulfilment target set by Cabinet, which tasks Home Affairs to expand its services to 1 000 bank branches by 2029, according to a media statement.

Other banks like Absa, African Bank, TymeBank, Discovery Bank, Investec Bank, Nedbank, and Standard Bank were also invited to join the digital-first phase as part of the DHA’s existing collaboration with the banking sector.

According to an FNB media statement, since the partnership began, it has issued over 570 000 Smart IDs and passports through seven participating branches. This includes 312 000 Smart IDs and 258 000 passports.

Over the upcoming months, FNB says customers will be able to apply for reissuance via the FNB Banking App or the existing DHA’s online booking system.

“On the Banking App, customers can apply for their Smart ID or Passport to be reissued and delivered to their address or collected at one of our branches, and should a customer require assistance, they will continue to visit one of our designated branches, as they currently do, for photographs and fingerprints and can collect from the same branch.”

The bank adds that it will “enable status tracking for the customer to view where in the process their Smart ID or Passport is once the application is completed”.

Meanwhile, Capitec says it will take a “phased approach for the rollout to ensure it delivers the highest-quality service”.

In a media statement, it says: “We will start by rolling out the service at 10 branches and then expand to 100 branches by early 2026. Our goal is to continuously enhance the process for the optimal client experience.”

Capitec further explains how the system will work:

1. Photo capture: If DHA does not have a suitable ID photo on file, clients can visit a special Smart ID terminal in select Capitec branches.
2. Biometric verification: Clients enter their ID number, have their photo taken, and the system verifies their identity against the DHA database in real time.
3. Collection: The Smart ID will be ready for collection at the same branch within weeks.
4. Future expansion: For even greater convenience, functionality through the Capitec app and home delivery will be introduced later. Additionally, passport renewal will be added soon.

Schreiber will be visiting Capitec and FNB banks in Cape Town this week to provide further information on how it will benefit South Africans.