No, you cannot skip the Smart ID card for Digital ID today, because Digital ID is not available to the public yet. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) showed a working prototype on 1 October 2026 but has given no launch date, and the green ID book stops being valid on 31 March 2028.
In summary
- Digital ID is a prototype, not a service. Minister Leon Schreiber showed his own working credential on his smartphone, but DHA is still processing public comments on the draft Digital ID regulations.
- No launch date has been announced, and DHA has not published who will be eligible.
- The Smart ID card is staying. DHA says the physical card “will remain available for anyone who chooses to use it” and that using Digital ID will be voluntary.
- DHA has not said whether you need a Smart ID card first. Treat any claim that you can go straight from the green ID book to Digital ID as unconfirmed.
- The green ID book deadline is fixed. Production stops on 31 March 2027 and the book stops being valid on 31 March 2028.
- Waiting carries a risk and switching costs nothing extra. At participating bank branches DHA says a replacement takes about five minutes with no booking or paperwork. Our green ID book deadline guide has the full dates.
What DHA has said about Digital ID
These points come from the Minister’s keynote address, published by DHA on 1 October 2026.
| Question | What DHA said |
|---|---|
| Does it exist yet? | A first working prototype has been built. The Minister demonstrated a credential issued through the population register and bound to the chip on his smartphone. |
| Is it available to the public? | No launch date has been given. |
| What stage are the rules at? | DHA is processing public comments on the draft Digital ID regulations before it finalises them. |
| Is it compulsory? | No. Use of the system will be voluntary. |
| Will the Smart ID card go away? | No. The physical Smart ID card will remain available for anyone who chooses to use it. |
| How is it secured? | Through the same kind of biometric check you use to unlock a smartphone. |
| What about my data? | DHA says the final regulations will set hard limits on what your data may be used for, and that you will be able to see every time your data is accessed. |
DHA describes the future as two valid forms of ID, the Smart ID card and a smartphone-based Digital ID, which it says will complement each other, in the same way a digital bank card sits alongside the physical one.
Can you skip the Smart ID card and go straight to Digital ID
Not today. Nobody can apply for a Digital ID yet, so the only route open to a green ID book holder is the Smart ID card.
What happens once Digital ID launches is not known. DHA’s address does not say whether you will need a Smart ID card first, whether a green ID book holder could go straight to Digital ID, or who will be eligible. Until DHA publishes the final regulations, the safe assumption is that you need a Smart ID card.
Why waiting for Digital ID is risky
- The deadline does not move for Digital ID. The green ID book stops being valid as ID on 31 March 2028, under section 25(1)(b) of the Identification Act, according to the same address.
- There is no launch date to plan around. You could wait for a service that arrives after the book stops working.
- Queues are likely to grow. About 14.7 million South African citizens and permanent residents hold only a green ID book, down from 16 million six months ago. Switching all of them in 18 months needs about 800,000 people a month, against about 220,000 a month over the last six months (our own arithmetic from DHA’s figures).
- Switching is quick now. DHA says 515 bank branches offer walk-in Smart ID replacement, that it takes as little as five minutes, and that no prior booking or paperwork is needed. Capitec also needs a Capitec account.
- Nothing in DHA’s address says a card would count against you. DHA calls the two forms complementary, so having a Smart ID card now should not stop you adding a Digital ID later, though DHA has not confirmed how the two will connect.
Key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 October 2026 | The Minister announces the green ID book dates and shows the first working Digital ID prototype. |
| Before 31 March 2027 | DHA says it will open Smart ID applications to the remaining naturalised citizens, permanent residents and South African citizens abroad. |
| 31 March 2027 | Green ID book production stops and the machines are decommissioned. |
| 31 March 2028 | The green ID book is no longer valid ID. |
| Not announced | Digital ID public launch and eligibility rules. |
DHA’s 2026/27 strategic plan, as reported by BusinessTech in April 2026, lists a Digital ID system and a digital wallet as mid-term goals, with digital identity and e-Passports to follow by 2029. Treat any date you see for Digital ID as unconfirmed until DHA publishes it.
What Digital ID is meant to do
DHA’s vision is that you can access Home Affairs documents through your smartphone and verify yourself with your face. The Minister also described a future where Home Affairs contacts you, only if you have chosen to be contacted, about six months before your passport expires, with your renewal application already prepared. That is DHA’s stated goal, not something you can use today.
How to get a Smart ID card now
- Choose where to apply. A participating bank branch (walk-in, no booking at the walk-in branches), or a DHA office. See which banks offer Smart ID and passports and which Capitec branches do Smart ID.
- Book if you need to. Branches that work through eHomeAffairs need a booking. See our guide to booking a Home Affairs appointment.
- Take your green ID book. Your fingerprints and photo are captured on the day. The fee is R140, and it is free for first-time applicants and citizens aged 60 and over. Capitec adds a R10 service fee.
- Wait for the SMS. Home Affairs sends an automated SMS when your card is ready, usually within 10 to 14 working days. See how to check if your Smart ID is ready.
- Collect it in person at the branch where you applied.
For the full process, see our Smart ID complete guide. If you are a naturalised citizen or permanent resident, see what is available to you now.
Frequently asked questions
Can you skip the Smart ID card and go straight to Digital ID?
Not today, because Digital ID is not available to the public. DHA has also not said whether a Smart ID card will be required first, so treat the Smart ID card as the only route until DHA publishes the final rules.
Is Digital ID available now?
No. Minister Leon Schreiber demonstrated a first working prototype on 1 October 2026, but DHA is still processing public comments on the draft Digital ID regulations.
When will Digital ID launch?
DHA has not announced a launch date. Treat any date you read elsewhere as unconfirmed until DHA publishes it.
Will I need a Smart ID card to get a Digital ID?
DHA has not said. Its address does not state that a card is required, and it does not say that you can go without one. Until the regulations are final, the safe assumption is that you will need a Smart ID card.
Will Digital ID replace the Smart ID card?
No. DHA says the physical Smart ID card will remain available for anyone who chooses to use it, and that the Smart ID card and Digital ID will complement each other.
Is Digital ID compulsory?
No. DHA says use of the Digital ID system will be voluntary.
Will the government be able to watch me through Digital ID?
DHA says the final regulations will set hard limits on what your data may be used for, and that you will be able to see every time your data is accessed. The regulations are still in draft, so read the final version when it is published.
What will Digital ID be used for?
DHA says it will let you access Home Affairs documents through your smartphone, verified with a biometric check. DHA’s stated goal is to move towards ending routine applications, for example by preparing a passport renewal for you before it expires, if you have chosen to be contacted. None of this is available yet.
When does the green ID book stop being valid?
On 31 March 2028, according to DHA’s address of 1 October 2026. Production of new green ID books stops on 31 March 2027.
Should I wait for Digital ID before replacing my green ID book?
No. Digital ID has no launch date and its eligibility rules are unpublished, while the green ID book deadline is fixed. DHA is urging everyone who holds only a green ID book to switch immediately.
How much does a Smart ID card cost?
R140 for most applicants. It is free for first-time applicants and for citizens aged 60 and over. Capitec adds its own R10 service fee on every application.
Do I need a booking or documents to get a Smart ID at a bank?
DHA says that at its walk-in bank branches the switch takes as little as five minutes and needs no prior booking or paperwork. Capitec requires a Capitec account, and branches that work through eHomeAffairs need a booking.