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Time to upgrade: Why your iconic green ID book is facing its final days

By Zuko Komisa

Image | Adobe Sotck
  • South Africa has announced firm final deadlines to phase out the traditional green ID book in favour of the modern Smart ID card.
  • Production of the legacy green identification books will permanently cease on 31 March 2027 as printing machinery is decommissioned.
  • Existing green ID books will officially lose their legal validity as official identification a year later on 31 March 2028.

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has established definitive timelines for retiring the iconic green ID book, marking the final stage in the country’s nationwide migration towards secure Smart ID cards.

Led by Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, the ambitious rollout aims to completely phase out legacy paper documents in favour of technologically advanced smart cards.

The phase-out will proceed in two distinct stages. Firstly, the production of green ID books will halt permanently on 31 March 2027, which is when the specialised printing machinery is scheduled to be shut down and decommissioned. Following this, a final twelve-month grace period will be observed, during which existing documents remain usable until they officially become invalid on 31 March 2028.

Minister Schreiber emphasised the importance of this shift, noting that “the transition to Smart ID cards is vital for modernising our national identity system and safeguarding citizens against identity fraud.”

Statistics indicate that approximately 14.7 million South African citizens and permanent residents still rely exclusively on the older green identification books.

To assist citizens with the transition, the Department of Home Affairs has streamlined the application process. Standard Smart ID card applications cost R140, while the cards are provided completely free of charge for first-time applicants and senior citizens aged 60 and above.

Department officials have reiterated their commitment to accessibility, stating, “We are working tirelessly to ensure that every South African can make this leap seamlessly without leaving anyone behind.”

Applications can be submitted directly through Department of Home Affairs offices or conveniently processed via participating commercial bank branches using the eHome Affairs online platform.

Furthermore, eligibility has been progressively broadened to encompass naturalised citizens, permanent residents, and South Africans residing abroad.

Citizens still carrying the legacy green document are urged not to confuse the production halt in 2027 with the ultimate validity deadline in 2028, ensuring they upgrade their identification well ahead of the final cut-off.

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