Good news for South Africans who bank with FNB

FNB has announced the launch of Smart ID Card application services at four of its branches in Gauteng as part of its phased national rollout. 

This rollout will see the service expand to 16 branches by the end of April 2026, building on the bank’s existing seven Home Affairs-enabled branches. 

FNB’s launch comes after Capitec and Standard Bank were the first two banks to roll out Smart ID services to some of their branches at the beginning of March. 

The bank plans to enable applications via its banking app in the near future.

“This expansion means more people can access Home Affairs services closer to home, making everyday admin simpler and more convenient through our Smart ID‑enabled branches,” FNB CEO Lytania Johnson said. 

“This demonstrates what is possible when the public and private sectors work together. By the end of April, we will have enabled 16 branches that deliver real help to communities by making important public services easier to access.”

While FNB ultimately plans to scale the service to over 240 branches over the next year, the service is currently available at the following branches, with no appointments necessary. 

• FNB Woodmead Branch
• FNB Lakeside Mall
• FNB Krugersdorp
• FNB Pretoria CBD

FNB said that branch availability will be updated regularly on the FNB website and Banking App as additional locations are enabled.

The bank said its participation builds on a successful collaboration with the DHA dating back to 2015, during which the bank has issued more than 570,000 Smart IDs and passports via seven designated branches. 

This includes over 258,000 Smart IDs and more than 312,000 passports, reflecting strong demand and proven operational capability. 

This service will continue for customers who require a passport or a first-time issuance of a Smart ID Card by appointment only via the DHA’s website.

During the initial phase, customers will pay only the standard DHA application fee of R140, with no additional fees.

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has said that enabling banks to process Smart ID applications strengthens the integrity of South Africa’s national identification system. 

This partnership between Home Affairs and South Africa’s major banks is about expanding access to the department’s services and reducing the burden on Home Affairs offices across South Africa. 

However, it is also part of a wider competition between South Africa’s major banks, as competition intensifies to be “front-of-wallet” for clients. 

South African banks have steadily expanded their personal and private banking offerings to lock clients into their ecosystem and ensure they are “main-banked clients”. 

These clients are more lucrative for banks and are significantly stickier than individuals using secondary bank accounts or single products with financial institutions. 

As a result, banks have been eager to participate in the new phase of an existing collaboration between Home Affairs and the country’s banking sector.

Home Affairs is looking to expand this project, with a medium-term goal to extend these services to 1,000 bank branches, as part of its “Home Affairs@home” strategy.