[a4xiaoxiami]

They have asked for my ID all the time when I was travelling back into SA. Fortunately I had it. I don't know what would have happened if I didnt have it.
Unless your PRP is dodgy there isnt reason in not wanting to get an ID.

I've never been asked to show my ID book at Or Tambo when I left and returned to SA. The PR Permit and port is good enough.

 

[a4xiaoxiami]

you can cross the border with a PRP only, customs knows by now it takes quite a while to get a green book ID and they can't expect you to just remain in the country and wait for it

yes it goes smoother with an ID, so like I said: it definitely makes things more convenient
I'm just not aware of anything you absolutely can't do without an ID

it's not about wanting an ID or not, it's all about the pain one has to go through to get the old ID, I'd rather wait until the smart ID is allowed for first time applicants with a PRP

had a friend recently try and tell me how wrong I am and she'll definitely go apply for the ID ... she took a day off from work, drove all the way out to Malmesbury to queue before opening time and got sent home at closing time without even making it to the door, suddenly she doesn't think it is such a bad idea to wait a bit longer ...

How do you know the process of getting a smart ID will be easier?

Besides, DHA said you need to have a green ID Book before you can apply for a smart ID. Might change in later stage, but when? In 10 years?

 

[tGuy]

How do you know the process of getting a smart ID will be easier?

Besides, DHA said you need to have a green ID Book before you can apply for a smart ID. Might change in later stage, but when? In 10 years?

no guarantee it will be easier, but for citizens it is easier today:

• it can be done at the bank
• it can be pre-booked
• it can be done at any DHA branch

none of that is true for the green ID book, and yes the current limitation of needing a green ID before you can apply for a smart ID is silly, it has taken about 6 months from not being possible at all to now being possible after the minister said it will be done, doubt the next step will take another 10 years, but who knows

 

[Da Di]

I've never been asked to show my ID book at Or Tambo when I left and returned to SA. The PR Permit and port is good enough.

From what I've observed, it is not a standardized thing. Everyone I know seems to have a different treatment/experience when they travel. I have a friend who routinely gets scrutinized and interrogated and "threatened" with investigation of his PR/ID every so often upon return to SA from his travels( he insists this is because of prejudice towards his Nigerian nationality). He carries and produces his certificate, his verification document (he got his PR way back when the dpt was still issuing 2 documents) AND his green ID book. My brother travels with both as well (certificate and ID) but says that he was only requested to produce the certificate on two occasions/trips. The only thing he's been asked to produce is his ID and port since then. He travels rather frequently, for work in the immediate days after getting his PR, as well as for leisure more recently. Another friend whose mom and dad are longtime PRs says that they both always make sure they carry all documents, especially after a near-miss experience when mom was "detained" at immigration when traveling out of the country and nearly declared undesirable. Luckily, he was able to run to their home, grab the PR certificate, and race to OR to hand it over.

Another friend, who also has no idea why all these inconsistencies exist, suggests that once the official(s) at immigration the movement of the certificate twice (i.e. two round trips) and its authenticity, then the only required document is the green ID book and port thereafter. This only seems to be corroborated by my brother, though. Hence my never-ending confusion to this day.

 

[Da Di]

How do you know the process of getting a smart ID will be easier?

Besides, DHA said you need to have a green ID Book before you can apply for a smart ID. Might change in later stage, but when? In 10 years?

The one thing that the previous minister said is that, the other objective of the migration to the smart card is to help the dpt to "filter" the fraudulent IDs/PRs that some people got in the years past. So essentially what is happening/will happen is that once a PR holder from those years comes forward to update to the smart card, the first step will be an investigation on the PR. I personally know a friend who was on her way to naturalization even, but was informed by the dpt what her induction (that had been scheduled already at that point) was put on hold, pending the verification of her PR and green ID. She is losing no sleep over it, as she's had it for almost 30yrs (she's now retired).

I wonder if what you said there is part and parcel of this entire exercise.....

 

[twrist]

Okay just got off the phone with Home Affairs and confirmed some things.
1) I myself can only get a SmartID once my Physical Green-ID Book comes out not after Stage 1 when they assign a ID number.

That makes sense but it's frustrating. It has now been seven months for me, and after my two-weekly call to the HACC this morning, I was told that it still hasn't progressed and I haven't even been assigned an ID number yet 🫠

I don't mean to be disrespectful, but how long does it take for someone to glue my photo into a little book, really?!

 

[Da Di]

That makes sense but it's frustrating. It has now been seven months for me, and after my two-weekly call to the HACC this morning, I was told that it still hasn't progressed and I haven't even been assigned an ID number yet 🫠

I don't mean to be disrespectful, but how long does it take for someone to glue my photo into a little book, really?!

I truly hope that none of these delays and hurdles and irritations affect anyone's lives negatively. I hope the certificate alone can still secure (better) employment, access to banking, services, travel, etc, enough to live an improved daily life in the meantime. Stay positive, everyone .

 

[jollem]

you can cross the border with a PRP only, customs knows by now it takes quite a while to get a green book ID and they can't expect you to just remain in the country and wait for it

yes it goes smoother with an ID, so like I said: it definitely makes things more convenient
I'm just not aware of anything you absolutely can't do without an ID

it's not about wanting an ID or not, it's all about the pain one has to go through to get the old ID, I'd rather wait until the smart ID is allowed for first time applicants with a PRP

had a friend recently try and tell me how wrong I am and she'll definitely go apply for the ID ... she took a day off from work, drove all the way out to Malmesbury to queue before opening time and got sent home at closing time without even making it to the door, suddenly she doesn't think it is such a bad idea to wait a bit longer ...

We wait to hear your testimony LOL.

 

[makPret]

I thought they had gotten rid of the ID backlog. mine has been processing for 5 months now and still on Stage 1( so no ID number assigned yet) is there something wrong?

 

[tafadzwagonera]

I thought they had gotten rid of the ID backlog. mine has been processing for 5 months now and still on Stage 1( so no ID number assigned yet) is there something wrong?

Thanks for bringing this up. This is actually the third time I’m hearing about the green bar-code ID backlog: the first time was on the "Help and Advice with SA Home Affairs" Facebook group, and the second time was just a few days ago when I spoke to a consultant at the DHA call centre. In both of those instances, I've been told tthat a large number of applications are still stuck at first-issue processing because of the backlog. Now, hearing it again here on Expat Explore makes it clear this issue is still affecting many people. BTW I my application is still at processing since November 2024.

I completely understand your frustration—waiting five months without an ID number can be extremely stressful. Unfortunately, the backlog means that applications remain on "stage 1 (first issue)" far longer than we'd all like. Have you tried visiting the branch where you applied for the green bar-coded ID or the nearest DHA office in-person? I was at the branch where I applied for the ID book last month I'm think of going there again and escalating via email.

 

[jollem]

I thought they had gotten rid of the ID backlog. mine has been processing for 5 months now and still on Stage 1( so no ID number assigned yet) is there something wrong?

If you are married it may take longer depending on how quickly your home country responds with verification of your marital status in your home country.