The short answer
Home Affairs now has a system where you can check the status of your application by SMS.
The whole question
I am a 25-year-old male. I matriculated in 2013. From 2014 to 2016 I studied at a TVET College. I never knew my parents. I was brought up by guardians.
In 2013 I applied for an ID. It never arrived and I wrote my matric with my duplicate. When I followed up, Home Affairs said I must re-apply, but did not say why. I applied again but have still not received an ID.
Now I can't get a job because I have not got an ID.
The long answer
In September 2024 the new Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber announced that a backlog of almost 250,000 ID applications had been cleared. He said that Home Affairs was aiming to create a digital system where people could submit ID applications from their homes, and that the IDs would also be delivered to their homes. This system would be called “Home Affairs @ home”.
The new eHomeAffairs online system allows you to submit ID applications online, make online payments for applications and make bookings. But a branch visit is mandatory to capture and\or verify your biometric details, i.e. photo, fingerprints and signature. You can also finalise your application at any Home Affairs offices and no appointment is required.
The process is explained in full here: https://groundup.org.za/qanda/653/.
You can still apply for an ID at a physical Home Affairs office near you. Home Affairs has launched an online booking system for some offices. To book an appointment, go to https://services.dha.gov.za/#/authenticate/identity.%C2%A0.
Home Affairs now has a system where you can check the status of your application by SMS. You send an SMS to 32551 with the letters ID, followed by a space, followed by your ID number. Each SMS costs R1.
You can also contact them by email: hacc@dha.gov.za or at this number: 0800 601 190 If that doesn’t come up with anything, maybe you should just cut your losses and start again.
| Types of Applications | Cost of Applications | Photographs |
|---|---|---|
| Smart ID Card | Free for first-time applicants | No photos needed |
| Replacement of an ID or Smart Card | R140 | Two identical ID photos (phone ahead – some offices take photos for you) |
| Temporary ID | R70 | Two identical ID photos (phone ahead – some offices take photos for you) |
Answered on Feb. 20, 2019, 4:01 p.m.
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