South Africa will stop producing its long-used green identity booklets by March 31, 2027, as the government expands the rollout of biometric Smart ID cards.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber announced the deadline on Thursday, saying production of the paper-based identity document would end permanently. However, existing green ID booklets will remain valid until March 31, 2028, after which they will no longer be recognised as valid identification under South African law.
The government says replacing the green booklet with the Smart ID is intended to strengthen identity security and reduce fraud. Schreiber said the paper document is vulnerable to abuse because it relies on manual photographs and can be easier to alter.
About 14.7 million South African citizens and permanent residents still use green ID booklets as their only form of identification, according to government figures. The number has fallen from about 16 million over the past six months as more people have switched to Smart IDs.
Schreiber said the government wants all eligible citizens to replace their green booklets before the final deadline. Naturalised citizens, permanent residents and South Africans living abroad will also be able to access the new identification system.
Applications can be started through the Department of Home Affairs website, although applicants must visit a Home Affairs office to complete biometric registration.
The government has also expanded access through commercial banks. About 515 bank branches currently provide walk-in Smart ID replacement services, with no appointment required, according to Schreiber. He said the application process can take around five minutes.
More than 822,000 people have already registered for Smart IDs through participating banks since the service was introduced in March 2026. The government expects the service to be available at more than 1,000 locations by the end of the year.
South African authorities have linked identity fraud to several problems, including financial crime and the use of fraudulent documents by undocumented migrants. The government says eliminating the paper-based identity system will make it harder for criminals to obtain or misuse official documents.
The announcement comes amid heightened tensions over undocumented migration in South Africa. Anti-immigration groups have staged protests and issued demands for undocumented foreigners to leave the country, raising concerns among migrant communities about possible violence.
The government has also previously suspended or blocked some identity documents while investigating their validity, warning that people who fail to respond to official requests could face permanent cancellation of their documents.
Schreiber urged people who still rely solely on green ID booklets to begin the transition to Smart IDs before the 2028 expiry date.
The government says the move is part of a broader effort to modernise South Africa’s identification system while improving protection against identity theft and document fraud.