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South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has announced that it will stop producing the green bar-coded ID book by 31 March 2027. The Minister’s roadmap says the book will stop being recognised as valid identification on 31 March 2028—a separate date that gives holders a further year to switch to a Smart ID. The validity date is an announced policy; check for any later formal legal instrument before treating it as implemented.
What the announcement means—and when
Home Affairs is directing green-book holders to replace the booklet with a Department-issued Smart ID card. The announcement sets out two milestones, not one:
| Milestone | Date | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Green ID book production ends | 31 March 2027 | Home Affairs says it will stop producing the book and decommission the production machines. |
| Green ID book no longer recognised as valid identification | 31 March 2028 | This is the date announced by the Minister for the book to cease being recognised as valid identification. Confirm formal legal implementation before describing it as an effective legal change. |
The Minister said 14.7 million citizens and permanent residents still held only a green book as of 1 October 2026. He said the remaining naturalised citizens and permanent residents needing access, along with South African citizens abroad, would be enabled to obtain Smart IDs before 31 March 2027.
How to switch to a Smart ID
Apply at a participating bank branch
Home Affairs has partnered with banks to offer Smart ID services at participating branches. The Minister said the application could take as little as five minutes, without prior booking or paperwork. That is the Department’s stated minimum, not a guarantee that every visit will take five minutes or that every branch offers the service. Check the Department’s official participating-branch information before travelling, since the rollout is phased and branch availability can change.
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The Department’s March 2026 announcement describes the service as intended for South Africans, qualifying naturalised citizens and permanent residents with green books who want to convert to Smart IDs, as well as existing Smart ID holders seeking re-issues. See Home Affairs’ bank-partnership announcement for the rollout context.
Ask Home Affairs about your eligibility and route
If you are a naturalised citizen, permanent resident or a South African citizen abroad, confirm the available application route with Home Affairs. The Minister said these groups would be enabled before the production deadline; the announcement does not give a single detailed process for every applicant or overseas location.
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Fees and service availability
In the 1 October 2026 announcement, the Minister said first-time Smart ID applicants and applicants over 60 remain exempt from the application fee. The statement does not establish fee rules for other cases, so check current Home Affairs requirements when applying.
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Branch counts in Home Affairs announcements are snapshots, not a substitute for checking a specific location. The Minister said 515 branches offered replacement services on 1 October 2026, and more than 822,500 users had used the service by then. In a 15 May 2026 budget speech, he had reported 167 branches and 118,434 applications processed during the eight weeks covered by that update. Those figures refer to different dates and reporting periods; they should not be read as directly comparable measures of current access. The Department’s branch information is the practical check before a visit.
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Why Home Affairs says it is ending the green book
Home Affairs describes the paper booklet and its manually replaceable or manipulable photograph as security weaknesses. This is the Department’s explanation for the change; the announcement does not provide an independently verified comparative fraud rate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is the 2028 validity date already legally in force?
The Minister announced 31 March 2028 as the date the green book will stop being recognised as valid identification, referring to section 25(1)(b) of the Identification Act. Treat that as the announced roadmap unless and until a formal legal instrument confirms implementation.
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- Secure Versatile Attachment: Equipped with a 360 degree rotating robust metal clip that firmly fastens to belts,pockets,collars,or bags,preventing accidental drops
- Reliable ID and Key Security: Features a transparent PVC clip strip paired with a thick metal snap button,ensuring your ID card,keys,or small tools are securely locked in place and protected against loss
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The distinction matters because earlier public claims about an expiration date were wrong at the time. In 2017, Home Affairs rejected a rumour that green books would expire on 31 March 2018 and said they remained valid identification then: the Department’s statement. A 2013 Gazette notice provided for phased identity-card issuance and said green books would remain valid until a future Gazette notice set an invalidity date, unless an individual’s book had already been cancelled or replaced. That notice is historical background, not confirmation of the 2026 announcement’s legal status: Government Gazette 36648.
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- Extended 27.6" Reach: Enjoy superior convenience with an extra long 27.6 inch heavy duty retractable nylon cord,making scanning or accessing doors effortless without bending or removing your badge
- Secure Versatile Attachment: Equipped with a 360 degree rotating robust metal clip that firmly fastens to belts,pockets,collars,or bags,preventing accidental drops
- Reliable ID and Key Security: Features a transparent PVC clip strip paired with a thick metal snap button,ensuring your ID card,keys,or small tools are securely locked in place and protected against loss
- Compact Professional Design:With a sleek 1.2"x2.2" footprint,this badge reel is perfectly compatible with most standard ID cards,name tags,access cards,and keys,ideal for office and corporate environments
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