{"id":645669,"date":"2026-05-06T11:01:38","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T09:01:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/?p=645669"},"modified":"2026-05-06T12:29:54","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T10:29:54","slug":"apply-for-a-smart-id-in-8-minutes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/banking\/645669-apply-for-a-smart-id-in-8-minutes.html","title":{"rendered":"Apply for a Smart ID in 8 minutes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Standard Bank said customers spent less than eight minutes on average completing their smart ID applications in branches offering the service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The statistic came with the bank\u2019s announcement that it had added 50 new bank-assisted smart ID processing branches through its partnership with the Department of Home Affairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Standard Bank said it had met its target of opening the additional branches by the end of April 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Standard Bank’s head of personal and private banking, Kabelo Makeke, said the milestone showed the value of stronger collaboration between government and business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe committed to adding 50 new branches offering the Smart ID service by the end of April, and we have delivered on that promise,\u201d Makeke said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since expanding its smart ID branch network, Standard Bank said it had increased processing capacity and improved access for its clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bank had completed 5,272 applications through the new branches, with more than half of the smart ID cards already collected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It added that the average turnaround time for clients to receive their smart ID cards was around two weeks from application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are now processing multiples of the number of applications compared to just a year ago,\u201d Makeke said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut our branches are managing these volumes efficiently, demonstrating how our trusted infrastructure can support secure, broader economic activity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Standard Bank said only its own clients could use the service for the time being to ensure stability while it scaled it across its branch network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it planned to broaden access in future, particularly in high-demand areas where Home Affairs capacity remained constrained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Standard Bank said it now aimed to grow its smart ID processing network to 112 branches by the end of 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The expansion forms part of Home Affairs\u2019 digital partnership with nine major banks to increase access to the department\u2019s services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The digital partnership agreements were signed in August and September 2025, when Home Affairs set a target of 100 new locations by the end of March 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the department and its partner banks missed that target, they made substantial progress and passed 100 new smart ID branches early in April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most participating banks had planned to launch their first new branches before the end of March 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aside from Capitec, only Standard Bank met that deadline, while FNB launched its first new smart ID branches on 1 April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Standard Bank smart ID and eHomeAffairs branches<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As of 6 May 2026, the Standard Bank branches supporting smart ID applications were as follows. eHomeAffairs branches require making a booking, but also support passport renewals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gauteng (22)\u200b<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n