Permanent residents in SA and Smart IDs: What the LAW says
Permanent residents in SA are fully entitled to apply for Smart ID cards, as of a law change in May 2025. For years, naturalised citizens and permanent…
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Permanent residents in SA are fully entitled to apply for Smart ID cards, as of a law change in May 2025. For years, naturalised citizens and permanent residents had no path to the Smart ID. The Department of Home Affairs’ excuse was plausible. It said its IT systems had no way of linking the citizen’s database to a non-citizen one.
Therefore, previously, the only option was the green barcoded ID book. However, the old ‘green mamba’ is easier to forge and becoming increasingly unwelcome as proof of identification as a result. It’s no wonder that for the millions who had built a life in South Africa, the lack of a Smart ID card became a daily reminder of their second-tier status in the country.
PERMANENT RESIDENTS IN SA & SMART IDS
However, back in May 2025, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber ended that exclusion. All naturalised citizens and lawful permanent residents in SA became eligible for the Smart ID for the first time in the country’s history. Roughly 1.4-million people qualified overnight. It was framed by the department as the biggest milestone yet in its digital overhaul. Nevertheless, due to eHomeAffairs IT challenges, the rollout still has to happen in phases. And this is where portions of lawful permanent residents in SA are still tetchy:
CITIZENS VERSUS PERMANENT RESIDENTS
According to reports, even once issued, the card does not erase the legal distinction of permanent residents in SA. A South African ID number carries an eleventh digit that flags the status:
Moreover, until that time, permanent residence does not open every door full citizenship does. A South African passport remains reserved exclusively for citizens only. Permanent residents travel on their foreign passport and use their South African ID to prove status inside the country.
HOW TO APPLY FOR AN ID IN SOUTH AFRICA
But what do you think? Do you agree that permanent residents in SA and naturalised citizens should have access to Smart ID Cards and passports? Have you been through this application process since May 2025, and have any insights? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below …