South Africans will soon be able to renew passports and apply for Smart IDs at major retail stores, thanks to a new partnership between the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and digital bank TymeBank.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber recently confirmed that TymeBank has officially joined the department’s digital partnership model, making it the eighth bank to participate.
The initiative aims to expand access to DHA services across hundreds of physical locations and mobile apps.
South Africans could soon apply for Smart IDs while buying groceries
TymeBank’s involvement is significant because, unlike traditional banks, it operates without branches. Instead, its services are anchored in over 1 450 kiosks located inside Pick n Pay, Boxer, and Foschini Group stores nationwide.
These kiosks will become the access points for Smart ID and passport applications, starting with a pilot phase in Johannesburg before rolling out to other regions.
“Customers will be informed when DHA services are available at their nearest TymeBank location,” the bank said.
Other major banks, including Absa, FNB, Standard Bank, Nedbank, Capitec, and African Bank, have also committed to extending DHA services through their branch networks in the coming months.
TymeBank CEO Karl Westvig said the move reflects the bank’s mission to make essential services simpler and more inclusive.
“We are proud to bring our secure digital capability to support Home Affairs in delivering trusted, citizen-focused services.” Westvig said.
The rollout marks a major step toward taking government services out of long queues and into everyday spaces and bringing Smart ID and passport applications to where people already shop.
Have you used these services at any of the banks before?
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