South Africa to phase out green ID books by March 2028

The South African Department of Home Affairs has announced that the green ID book will no longer be a valid form of identification after March 31, 2028. This deadline affects approximately 14.7 million citizens and permanent residents.

To meet this deadline, the department must significantly increase its processing speed. Current data shows that Home Affairs has processed 1.3 million upgrades in the last six months, averaging 217,000 per month. To reach the target, the department needs to process roughly 855,000 upgrades per month, which is nearly four times the current rate.

Efforts to accelerate the transition include the ‘HomeAffairs@Home’ scheme and partnerships with banks. Currently, 515 bank branches offer walk-in replacements, with Capitec having processed over half a million applications. The department aims to expand to 1,000 service points by the end of 2026. Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber has pledged to ensure the remaining cohort, including naturalised citizens and lawful permanent residents, can upgrade before the deadline.