The Department of Home Affairs has expanded South Africans’ access to Smart ID services by an impressive 250% in just 19 weeks, compelling evidence of the progress with its digital transformation programme, Home Affairs @ home, which uses technology to securely bring government services directly to citizens.

Delivering the keynote address at the Xpatweb Global Mobility Conference in Bryanston on 21 July 2026, Minister of Home Affairs Dr Leon Schreiber said the Smart ID milestone is just one of many achievements realised over the past 24 months as the department modernises its services.

By the end of 2026, Home Affairs aims to expand this digital partnership with banks from just over 300 participating branches to more than 750, increasing access by more than 400% in a matter of months.

By then citizens will also be able to obtain Passports at participating bank branches and have the option of courier delivery of their ID and Passport, directly to their doorstep. 

The Minister has a clear vision. Instead of forcing 63-million South Africans to queue at one of the department’s 214 Home Affairs offices to obtain or collect a replacement Smart ID, Home Affairs will come to them.

It will almost feel as if the Minister of Home Affairs himself is knocking on your door.

From Paper-Based Bureaucracy to a Digital-First Future

"After decades of paper-based and manual processes, as well as fragmented systems and growing backlogs, few believed that Home Affairs could become a modern, digital-first department," Schreiber told conference attendees.

He said the Home Affairs @ Home reform programme is built around embracing digital transformation and technology to decentralise access to services.

He proudly announced that more than 422 000 South Africans have already applied for Smart IDs through the digital partnership with banks in just over four months, without completing paperwork, booking an appointment or standing in long queues. 

Schreiber said the rapid expansion has been achieved without placing an additional burden on the public purse. “We have delivered all of this without any increase in headcount or budget, and the partnership has not meant any additional cost for taxpayers.”

Green ID Book Set for Eventual Retirement

The Minister said the unprecedented expanding of access to Smart ID services paved the way for the imminent announcement of the roadmap towards the discontinuation of the Green ID book. “This will strike a powerful blow against fraud, identity theft, and eliminate a key pull factor for illegal immigration.” 

In June 2026, at media briefing of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration, the Minister said there are studies showing that the Green ID is the most defrauded identity document on the African continent. As it has a physical photograph that can be manipulated, exchanged or swapped it increases the risk of fraud is someone loses their Green ID, or it gets stolen.

There are about 16-million Green IDs still in use.

ETA: A New Digital Operating System for Immigration

The Minister expanded on the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), describing it as the flagship reform on immigration. Two years ago, it still only existed as an “ambitious proposal”. 

The ETA is replacing an entire operating system with a modern, intelligent platform that will give South Africa one of the most sophisticated visa processing systems anywhere in the world, moving away from paper-based applications, manual verification and human judgment exercised after an application reaches an official's desk.

“Once again, Home Affairs @ home.”

Since that initial pilot was launched late in 2025, the system has already processed over 203 000 applications. During the same period, the ETA identified more than 5 700 fraudulent applications that were rejected after machine learning detected fraudulent passports, manipulated documents, and other indicators of fraud before those travellers could even board a flight to South Africa.

“No immigration official, no matter how experienced or dedicated, could manually compare every passport and supporting document against millions of data points within seconds. But the ETA now can.” 

From the outset, it was designed as the digital operating system that will underpin South Africa's entire future immigration system and will be in future be expanded for use in more countries and visa categories

Implementation While Work Continues

Every day, of every week, of every month, the Department is working to implement, implement and implement. 

“Just two years later, we are comprehensively proving the cynics wrong. The work is not yet complete,” Schreiber said.

Marisa Jacobs, Managing Director of Xpatweb, says these welcome reforms are helping to create a more enabling environment for economic growth and boost investor confidence.

“The various initiatives and new technologies introduced, not only benefit Home Affairs employees, citizens, tourists and everyone using departmental services, but South Africa as a whole.”

The Minister acknowledged that challenges remain but expressed confidence that the reforms represent a revolution in the entire Home Affairs – and government – operating model.

Imagine a future where government services no longer require citizens to come to government, but where government comes to them. Home Affairs @ home is the start of that.

Written by Xpatweb