Nedbank Rolls Out Smart ID Renewals in Branches
The bank plans to offer smart ID renewal services at its South African branches in partnership with the Department of Home Affairs.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Nedbank plans to offer smart ID renewal services at its branches across South Africa, in partnership with the Department of Home Affairs. Passport renewals will follow in the second phase of the partnership.
Why it matters
Home Affairs has set a two-year window for South Africans to obtain a smart ID card as green ID books are withdrawn. Green ID books are increasingly forged and manipulated to facilitate crime.
Nedbank's rollout begins with 9 pilot sites across multiple provinces, within a partnership that includes more than 450 bank branches. Partner branches have distributed 700,000 smart ID cards since March, while the timetable for full national scaling remains unconfirmed.
The players
Nedbank
Nedbank is one of South Africa's major commercial banks, offering retail, corporate and digital banking services across the country.
Department of Home Affairs
The Department of Home Affairs is the South African government department responsible for identity documents, passports and civil registration.
The details
Nedbank's smart ID services will be delivered through integration between Home Affairs' systems and the bank's digital banking platforms, with technical testing already underway. The bank is also developing a self-service option using bank-owned kiosks.
Timeline
Capitec and Standard Bank launched in-branch smart ID services on 9 March 2026.
Nedbank services go live to internal employees in November 2026.
Additional pilot sites are expected to roll out in early 2027.
Nedbank plans to activate its national scaling phase in 2027.
Market Landscape
The bank partnership with Home Affairs extends the government's withdrawal of green ID books by giving citizens a distribution channel beyond state offices. Green ID books are being forged and manipulated to facilitate crime, which drives the shift to smart IDs.
South Africans holding green ID books should plan to obtain a smart ID within the two-year window set by Home Affairs. Bank branches participating in the partnership can be used for the renewal once services reach the public.
The takeaway
Green ID books will stop being usable within two years, so South Africans who still hold them should start the smart ID process early. Bank branches are becoming a practical alternative to state offices for this renewal.
What happens next
Nedbank services go live to internal employees in November 2026, and additional pilot sites are expected to roll out in early 2027.
Further reading
For related branch and service changes, see Openings & Closings in the business section.
Live Poll
Do you plan to get a smart ID card before green ID books stop working?
