SA to offer Smart ID and passport services at major retail stores

South Africans will soon renew passports and apply for Smart IDs at major retail stores through a new partnership between the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and digital bank TymeBank.

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber confirmed that TymeBank has officially joined the department’s digital partnership model, becoming the eighth bank to participate.

The initiative seeks to expand access to DHA services through hundreds of physical locations and mobile apps.

South Africans could soon apply for Smart IDs while buying groceries

TymeBank’s participation is significant because it operates without traditional branches. Instead, it offers services through more than 1,450 kiosks inside Pick n Pay, Boxer, and Foschini Group stores nationwide.

These kiosks will serve as access points for Smart ID and passport applications, beginning with a pilot phase in Johannesburg before expanding to other regions.

“Customers will be informed when DHA services are available at their nearest TymeBank location,” the bank said.

Other major banks, including Absa, FNB, Standard Bank, Nedbank, Capitec, and African Bank, have also committed to extending DHA services through their branch networks in the coming months.

TymeBank CEO Karl Westvig said the move reflects the bank’s mission to make essential services simpler and more inclusive.

“We are proud to bring our secure digital capability to support Home Affairs in delivering trusted, citizen-focused services.” Westvig said.

The rollout marks a major step toward taking government services out of long queues and into everyday spaces and bringing Smart ID and passport applications to where people already shop.