Naturalised South African citizens and lawful permanent residents who have yet to replace their green identity documents with Smart ID cards have been given an important assurance by the Department of Home Affairs.
The department says eligible people in these categories will be given access to Smart IDs before the country completes the long-running transition away from the traditional green ID book.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber made the commitment while outlining the final timetable for ending the production and eventual use of the historic identity document.
Smart ID Access Was Previously a Major Challenge
For years, naturalised citizens and permanent residents faced difficulties when attempting to obtain Smart ID cards because Home Affairs systems did not fully accommodate them.
That situation began to change in May 2025, when the department expanded Smart ID applications to these groups.
The move potentially opened the system to more than 1.4 million eligible people and also allowed qualifying applicants to make use of the eHomeAffairs platform.
Despite the broader access, however, some naturalised citizens and permanent residents still rely on green ID books.
Remaining Applicants Will Be Assisted Before 2027 Deadline
Schreiber has now sought to address concerns among those who have not yet made the switch.
The minister said Home Affairs would enable the remaining eligible naturalised citizens and permanent residents to obtain Smart ID cards before 31 March 2027.
South African citizens living abroad will also be included in the department’s efforts to expand access before the green ID book production deadline.
Schreiber said the move was intended to ensure that groups previously excluded from the Smart ID system were not left behind during the transition.
He said the department ultimately wanted every eligible person to have the opportunity to obtain the more secure identity document.
Green ID Books Will Stop Being Produced in March 2027
The deadline for obtaining a Smart ID should not be confused with the date on which existing green ID books become invalid.
Home Affairs plans to stop producing new green ID books on 31 March 2027.
The department will then begin the final stage of the transition, with existing green books remaining valid for another year.
This gives current green ID book holders additional time to replace their documents before the old system is completely phased out.
Existing Green Books Remain Valid Until 2028
The final end date for the green ID book is 31 March 2028.
After that date, the document will no longer be recognised as a valid form of identification.
The distinction between the two deadlines is therefore important. While production ends in March 2027, people who still possess valid green books will not immediately lose their identification documents.
Naturalised citizens and permanent residents who remain on the old system therefore have a defined period in which to transition to Smart IDs.
Who Can Apply for a Smart ID?
The expanded Smart ID access applies to naturalised South African citizens and lawful permanent residents who meet the department’s eligibility requirements.
Naturalised citizens are people who acquired South African citizenship through the legal naturalisation process rather than becoming citizens by birth.
Permanent residents are people who have been granted permanent residence in South Africa but have not necessarily acquired South African citizenship.
Both categories had historically encountered limitations within Home Affairs’ identification systems, but the department has since moved to bring them into the Smart ID system.
Rollout Was Introduced in Phases
The expansion of Smart ID access was not introduced to all affected applicants at once.
Home Affairs initially implemented a phased approach for naturalised citizens and permanent residents, with an early stage focusing on applicants from visa-exempt countries.
The department indicated that applicants from non-visa-exempt countries would be brought into the process as the rollout expanded.
The latest commitment from Home Affairs is therefore significant for those who remain on the green ID system, particularly as the country moves closer to the final production deadline.
A Final Push Towards Smart IDs
With less than a year remaining before green ID book production ends, Home Affairs is now under pressure to ensure that eligible people who were previously unable to access Smart IDs are not left without a clear route to the new system.
The department’s commitment means naturalised citizens and lawful permanent residents who still depend on green ID books should be able to transition before production of the old documents ends.
The wider objective is to complete South Africa’s shift to the Smart ID card while ensuring that eligible groups previously affected by system limitations are included in the process.
