Passport booking slots at banks so scarce that South Africans are told to try Home Affairs

Johannesburg – South Africans trying to apply for or renew passports through banks are struggling to secure biometric appointment slots, with some applicants being advised to bypass the bank-based system and go directly to Home Affairs.

According to MyBroadband, the problem affects the older eHomeAffairs system still operating at 32 bank branches operated by Absa, Discovery Bank, FNB, Investec, Standard Bank and Nedbank. The system requires applicants to complete their application and payment online before securing a date and time for biometric capture.

The report cited the experience of an applicant who had completed and paid for a child’s passport application at FNB Centurion Lifestyle Centre, only to find that no booking branches were available. MyBroadband said similar complaints had surfaced online, with some applicants reporting that they had struggled for weeks to secure an appointment.

Some users have suggested checking the system during the early morning hours for cancellations, while others have recommended simply going to a Home Affairs office with proof of payment and the payment reference number. MyBroadband reported that some applicants said they were assisted quickly at Home Affairs branches after doing so.

Possible exploitation 

The shortage has also raised concerns about the possible exploitation of booking slots. MyBroadband reported that some users claimed they were only able to secure bank appointments by paying third parties a facilitation fee, amid allegations that slots were being booked and resold.

The problem comes as Home Affairs attempts to replace the older booking model with a new digital partnership with banks. In March, SAnews reported that the department had begun rolling out a system allowing citizens to apply for Smart IDs at participating bank branches without prior bookings.

The new model was designed to process applications within five to 10 minutes, using a secure digital connection between banks and Home Affairs. Initially focused on Smart IDs, the department said it planned to add passport applications as the system stabilised.

Secure courier delivery

By April, the department said 110 bank branches were already participating in the new programme, with Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber promising that passport applications would also become available through the expanded system.

“Over the coming weeks, first time Smart ID applications, Passport applications, secure courier delivery of IDs and Passports, as well as applications submitted via digital banking apps will all become reality,” Schreiber said, according to the South African government website. 

However, MyBroadband reported that the passport functionality had not yet fully resolved the immediate shortage, with Schreiber saying in July that adult and minor passport applications would be added to the new bank partnership by the end of 2026.

The department has also introduced a new My Home Affairs Online booking platform aimed at preventing the manipulation and resale of appointments. The DA, in welcoming the system, said it was intended to ensure booking slots were “freely available to the public rather than being monetised by syndicates”.

For now, passport applicants unable to find a bank appointment may have to consider a traditional Home Affairs office, while the department works to expand its new digital partnership and bring passport services into the system.