Will naturalised citizens and permanent residents get Smart IDs before the new deadline?

Naturalised South African citizens and lawful permanent residents who have been caught up in the country’s green ID book phase-out have been given an important assurance by Home Affairs.

The department has confirmed that the remaining eligible members of these groups will be enabled to obtain Smart ID cards before the green ID book is no longer valid.

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber made the commitment as he announced the final timeline for phasing out South Africa’s historic green ID books.

Smart ID access has already changed

Naturalised citizens and permanent residents were previously among the groups that struggled to access Smart ID cards because of problems with Home Affairs’ systems.

That changed in May 2025, when Home Affairs opened Smart ID applications to naturalised South African citizens and lawful permanent residents for the first time on a broader basis.

The department said the change opened access to more than 1.4 million eligible people and also allowed them to use the eHomeAffairs platform.

However, the rollout has not necessarily meant that every eligible person has already moved from a green ID book to a Smart ID.

Home Affairs promises access before the deadline

Schreiber has now specifically addressed those who remain dependent on the old document.

He said Home Affairs will enable the remaining cohort of naturalised citizens and permanent residents, as well as South African citizens living abroad, to obtain Smart IDs before 31 March 2027.

“Importantly, prior to 31 March 2027, the department will enable the remaining cohort of naturalised citizens and permanent residents, as well as South African citizens abroad, to also obtain Smart IDs.” Minister Schreiber said.

“By including these groups that have historically been excluded, we will ensure that – for the first time ever, every single eligible person is finally able to obtain a secure Smart ID card.” Schreiber added.

That date is important because it is when Home Affairs plans to stop producing green ID books and permanently decommission the machines used to make them.

When does the green ID book become invalid?

Stopping production and making the green book invalid are two different deadlines.

Home Affairs will stop producing green ID books on 31 March 2027.

Existing green books will then have another 12 months before they cease to be recognised as valid identity documents.

The final deadline is 31 March 2028. After this date, the green ID book will no longer be accepted as a valid form of identification.

This means naturalised citizens and permanent residents who still have green books have a clear window in which to move to the Smart ID system.

So, who qualifies?

The Smart ID rollout covers naturalised South African citizens and lawful permanent residents.

A naturalised citizen is someone who became a South African citizen through naturalisation rather than being a citizen by birth. A permanent resident, meanwhile, has permanent residence in South Africa but is not automatically a South African citizen.

Both groups were historically affected by Home Affairs system limitations, but the department says they are now eligible for Smart IDs.

There was initially a phased rollout for permanent residents and naturalised citizens, including a first phase focused on people from visa-exempt countries. Home Affairs said applicants from non-exempt countries would be assisted as the rollout expanded.