{"id":842206,"date":"2025-11-06T12:04:56","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T10:04:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=842206"},"modified":"2025-11-06T17:01:45","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T15:01:45","slug":"20-new-bank-branches-for-smart-id-and-passports-in-south-africa-are-on-the-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/banking\/842206\/20-new-bank-branches-for-smart-id-and-passports-in-south-africa-are-on-the-way\/","title":{"rendered":"20 new bank branches for Smart ID and Passports in South Africa are on the way"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Standard Bank has announced that it will be launching 20 additional bank branches for Smart ID and Passport services in early 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The group said that it has reached a milestone in its ongoing collaboration with the Department of Home Affairs for the services and has procured all the necessary devices and infrastructure needed for the rollout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bank said it has moved from “concept to execution”, with the first two branches already selected for the pilot testing phase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This involves integrating and testing with the Home Affairs, which is critical to ensuring that all systems, processes, and technologies are fully aligned before the broader rollout begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two pilot branches will trial the new systems in real-world conditions and will serve as the validating platform for the bank\u2019s readiness to scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pilots will also identify any refinements needed to optimise the service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Standard Bank said that staff at these branches have undergone specialised training, and the infrastructure has been configured to support biometric data capture, secure document handling, and real-time system integration with DHA platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To support the pilot phase, Standard Bank has introduced a \u201cFriends of the Program\u201d initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This initiative invites a select group of clients to participate in early-stage testing and provide feedback on their experience. Their insights will be used to fine-tune the service before it is rolled out more broadly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This development marks a major step forward in the bank\u2019s commitment to bringing essential government services closer to the communities it serves,” it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“With the next phase of implementation now firmly in motion, the bank is focused on ensuring operational readiness and delivering a seamless, secure, and client-friendly experience.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How the new branches will work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The process for accessing DHA services through Standard Bank is designed to be as simple and efficient as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Clients begin by visiting a \u201cDepartment of Home Affairs\u201d enabled Standard Bank Branches to complete their Smart ID application. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • At the branch, clients complete a biometric verification process that includes fingerprint scanning and photo capture. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • A dedicated Standard Bank consultant will assist them to ensure a smooth and efficient experience.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Once the application is submitted and payment is made through Standard Bank\u2019s Internet Banking platform, clients will receive regular updates on the status of their application, right up to the point when their document is ready for collection at the same branch. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    “This streamlined process eliminates the need for multiple visits to DHA offices and significantly reduces waiting times,” the bank said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It noted that, while Standard Bank facilitates the collection of biometric data and the handover of documents, the Department of Home Affairs retains full control over the application process, including appointment scheduling, document processing, and turnaround times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    “With the necessary infrastructure for 20 new branches already in place, Standard Bank is well-positioned to begin the next phase of its rollout in 2026,” it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The 20 new branches have been “strategically selected” to ensure geographic diversity and to serve communities where access to DHA services is currently limited. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Standard Bank said that the needs analysis is still being done to determine the exact location for the new services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    However, it is assured that a balance of Metro and Rural Branches will be selected, with a strong focus on branches where there is a high concentration of clients who still hold Green ID Books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Alongside Standard Bank, the DHA has secured partnerships with all major retail banks in the country to roll out the new Smart ID and passport services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The banks, also including Absa, FNB, Capitec, Nedbank, African Bank, TymeBank and Discovery, have committed to equipping hundreds of branches with the DHA services over the next few years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The DHA has a target of adding 100 new branches by March 2026 and 1,000 branches by 2029.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The broader goal is to eventually digitise the entire process and have Smart IDs and passports delivered straight to your door.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Standard Bank has announced that it will be launching 20 additional bank branches for Smart ID and Passport services in early 2026, with two pilot branches already running.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":779211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[961],"tags":[17969,6230,499],"class_list":["post-842206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-banking","tag-dha","tag-smart-id","tag-standard-bank"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/842206","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=842206"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/842206\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":842259,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/842206\/revisions\/842259"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/779211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=842206"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=842206"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=842206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}