Can pensioners get a Smart ID without paying the bank fee?

For older South Africans still carrying the green barcoded ID book, switching to a Smart ID card doesn’t necessarily mean another expense.

Home Affairs’ fee structure provides an exemption for pensioners aged 60 and older applying for their first Smart ID card.

But there is an important distinction for pensioners considering using a bank branch: the Home Affairs fee and a bank’s own service fee are not necessarily the same thing.

Home Affairs does not charge qualifying pensioners for a Smart ID

The Department of Home Affairs’ Smart ID requirements state that first-time Smart ID issuance for pensioners aged 60 and above is free of charge.

The same Home Affairs guidance lists a R140 fee for other citizens, making the age-based exemption particularly relevant to older people who need to move from a green ID book to a Smart ID.

But what if you use a bank?

This is where pensioners need to be careful.

Home Affairs has increasingly moved Smart ID services into participating bank branches. The department said in August that 372 bank branches were offering the service.

Banks may, however, charge their own service or convenience fee.

Capitec, for example, currently lists the total cost of its Smart ID service as R150, consisting of the R140 Home Affairs fee plus a R10 Capitec service fee.

That creates an important distinction for pensioners.

The R140 Home Affairs charge CAN be waived for qualifying pensioners, but that does not automatically mean a bank’s separate service charge is also waived.

In other words, pensioners should not assume that every bank-based application will be completely free simply because Home Affairs does not charge them.

The issue of replacing green ID books with Smart ID cards is becoming more important as Home Affairs prepares to phase out the old green ID.

Deputy Director-General for Operations Thulani Mavuso has said green ID books will no longer be functional within the next two years. However, the department has not yet announced the exact final date.

Home Affairs has also acknowledged the practical difficulties older people can face when accessing its services and says elderly people are prioritised during the collection process.