Identity documents are issued to South African citizens or permanent residence permit holders who are 16 years or older. People (including spouses and children) who are working for the South African government or one of its statutory bodies outside of South Africa also qualify to receive a South African ID.
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You can apply for your ID at any office of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) or any South African mission or consulate overseas. All applications are sent to the Department’s head office in Pretoria. There, your fingerprints will be matched with those already on record or entered into the National Population Register. Your application will then be processed and once issued, your ID will be forwarded to the office where you made your application for you to collect.
You will need to do an online booking:
Step 1: Visit www.dha.gov.za.
Step 2: Click on Branch Appointment Booking System (BABS).
Step 3: Enter your South African ID number.
Step 4: Enter your other personal details in the fields provided.
Step 5: Select your province, city and branch.
Step 6: Click on select timeslots
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Applying for an identity document for the first time
First time applicants must submit the following documentation to their nearest DHA office or South African mission or consulate abroad:
• Form BI-9, completed in black ink
• A certified copy of your birth certificate or reference book or a copy of the old Transkei, Bophutatswana, Venda or Ciskei homelands identity or travel documents
• Two identical, colour photographs (not needed at smartcard offices as ID images are captured digitally, however, colour photographs are still needed for temporary IDs)
• Your fingerprints will be taken by a Home Affairs official and imprinted on Form DHA-9.
Correcting errors in the ID Document
If you get your ID book and there are errors in the personal information contained within, the DHA will replace your ID free of charge. To apply to correct information in your ID, simply submit the following to any office of the DHA:
• Forms BI-9 and BI-309 completed with the correct information
• Proof of the error, that shows the correct information e.g. birth certificate
• Two identical colour photographs (not needed at smartcard offices as ID images are captured digitally)
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