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How to get a smart ID card, and what to do if your ID is lost

The smart ID card is replacing the green ID book. Here is how to apply for one, what to do the same day if your ID is lost or stolen, and how to protect your ID number.

Fees and procedures change, so check the current ones with Home Affairs before you go.

Green book or smart card?

The smart ID card is a plastic card with a chip and your photo. When the book was written, the green barcoded ID book was still valid, but it is easier to copy and to forge, and Home Affairs has said that it will stop being accepted in future. If you still have a green book, apply for a smart card before it becomes urgent.

Who may apply, and where

South African citizens and permanent residents may apply from the age of 16.

Apply at a Home Affairs office that issues smart IDs, or at a bank branch that offers Home Affairs services, usually by booking online. Check which offices near you offer the service.

What to take

• your birth certificate, or your old ID book;
• the fee, if you are replacing an ID. A first ID is free;
• for a young first-time applicant, a parent or guardian may need to come along. Ask the office.

What happens

1. You complete the form.
2. Your fingerprints and photo are taken digitally.
3. You pay, if a fee is due, and get a receipt with a reference number. Keep it.
4. When the card is ready, usually some weeks later, you receive an SMS.
5. You collect the card in person, and your fingerprints are checked again. Nobody else may collect it for you.

When you collect it, check every detail: your names, surname, date of birth and ID number.

If your ID is lost or stolen

Act the same day:

1. Report it to the police if it was stolen, and get a case number.
2. Apply for a replacement at Home Affairs or a participating bank branch. Take your birth certificate if you have it, the case number or affidavit, and the fee.
3. Ask for a temporary identity certificate if you need proof of identity while you wait.
4. Register for protective registration with the fraud prevention service, so that credit providers take extra care with applications in your name.
5. Tell your bank.

Protect your ID number

• Do not post photos of your ID online.
• Share copies only when they are needed, and write the purpose across each copy.
• Never give anyone your PINs.
• Keep the original at home unless you need it that day.

Signs of identity fraud

Watch for accounts you did not open, credit enquiries you do not recognise, or a SIM card that suddenly stops working. Report it to the police, check your credit report and dispute anything false in writing.

This guide is based on Chapter 2 of Life Admin, which also covers birth certificates and passports.