# Non-citizen South African ID



## Skilled (May 10, 2011)

Does anyone know the current turnaround time of getting an ID from Home Affairs? I applied for mine today.

Is the home affairs going to issue Smart Card IDs to the permanent residents?

Thanks


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## attuu (Mar 14, 2014)

Skilled said:


> Does anyone know the current turnaround time of getting an ID from Home Affairs? I applied for mine today.
> 
> Is the home affairs going to issue Smart Card IDs to the permanent residents?
> 
> Thanks


they told me to follow it up in 3 months time, I assume it can easily go beyond 6 months.
i also want to know if it will be smart card or not?


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

Personally speaking, I know someone who is waiting since November last year. That's 5 months and counting.


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## Skilled (May 10, 2011)

I went to the Licensing Department today and they refused to book me for a Leaners Exam saying i should wait for the SA ID. For those who had work permits were told to bring along employer confirmation. I have a traffic register certificate and they didn't accept it.

That is Langlaart office.

*furious*


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## attuu (Mar 14, 2014)

Skilled said:


> I went to the Licensing Department today and they refused to book me for a Leaners Exam saying i should wait for the SA ID. For those who had work permits were told to bring along employer confirmation. I have a traffic register certificate and they didn't accept it.
> 
> That is Langlaart office.
> 
> *furious*


They were just talking craps!! 

I got my license while I was studying in Pretoria, all I gave them was my traffic registration paper, they confirmed that it's my ID for all traffic department.


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

As written elsewhere on this forum:

1. One can apply for a South African driver’s license whilst on a temporary residency permit, but you would have to redo your driver’s test.
2. Otherwise you can drive on your foreign license whilst you are on your temporary license.
3. Lastly, if you have received PR, then within one year you MUST do a South African driver's license test and use an SA driver's license.


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## explorer1 (Dec 1, 2013)

LegalMan said:


> As written elsewhere on this forum:
> 
> 1. One can apply for a South African driver’s license whilst on a temporary residency permit, but you would have to redo your driver’s test.
> 2. Otherwise you can drive on your foreign license whilst you are on your temporary license.
> 3. Lastly, if you have received PR, then within one year you MUST do a South African driver's license test and use an SA driver's license.


I agree with the above but you might have over looked a minor detail. Receiving your PR entitles you to apply for an ID. Due to the magnitude of fraud and missing connections between State Information Systems there is no direct channel for the Traffic Department to Validate the PR Sticker/Certificate. Thus they let the process of new ID Application cover all the investigations related to validating the PR. This validation process is just like check and balance for DHA to ensure that the PR was issued correctly. (You might ask how do they verify validity of TRP, I do not know and I do not think they to validate them lol)

There is also an administration over burden because as it stands you do not have an ID number, the id number is used as part of ID of your License. 

Just like most places, banks, certain employers your PR sticker (You are still using your passport as your primary identity document) is not really useful they want the ID related to the PR, only then you can truly say you have a PR.


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## Skilled (May 10, 2011)

I have never had any problem whatsoever in banks, work, licensing dpt in EC, estate agents, etc with my passport. I actually hold an expired Leaners License that was issued to me after producing only a traffic register. I will try other offices recommended by friends earlier today. These people wanted a bribe. 

I applied for my SA ID but that will take several months to be issued.


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## TawandaM (Mar 31, 2014)

Skilled said:


> Does anyone know the current turnaround time of getting an ID from Home Affairs? I applied for mine today.
> 
> Is the home affairs going to issue Smart Card IDs to the permanent residents?
> 
> Thanks


The Official told me it will take 6 months. I just hope I receive it earlier.

The Home Affairs is not yet issuing smart IDs to permanent residents (although their website says otherwise). 

I hope this helps. please tell me when your ID is out because we applied at the same time.


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## rubelbgdsa0 (Jul 23, 2011)

I applied mine today after I got the PR verified. I hv been also told, it will take 3 months. They also give me a ref number nd its will work after they capture it on the system. did u guys already got ur application captured? Nd how long after u gt the sms?


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## TawandaM (Mar 31, 2014)

rubelbgdsa0 said:


> I applied mine today after I got the PR verified. I hv been also told, it will take 3 months. They also give me a ref number nd its will work after they capture it on the system. did u guys already got ur application captured? Nd how long after u gt the sms?


I haven't receive and reference number or SMS yet. I will call month end if I still haven't received anything.


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## Skilled (May 10, 2011)

I appllied for my ID late March. It is the 4th month now and I am still to receive an SMS with a reference number. What do you think is the maximum period of time before one thinks of doing another application? Following up with them is useless as they will most certainly do not know where it is.


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## Skilled (May 10, 2011)

A friend of mine applied end of January 2014 and got it last week in Eastern cape.


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

So today one of our clients just went to Home Affairs (Paarl) to see if perhaps that ID book was in fact ready and the SMS was never sent. Turns out the ID book was there and now she has it.

Perhaps check in if you can - seems SMSs are more than unreliable.


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## tapsmatenga (Apr 8, 2014)

wat is the procedure to get PR verified? i could not open a bank account because they told me i need proof that i applied for an ID so im worried about that PR verification thing.


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

You simply hand over your certificate and they check it. You have to come back once that is done and then can finally apply for PR. I sure hope VFS has a better system in place...


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## tapsmatenga (Apr 8, 2014)

thank you Mr Legal Man


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## Skilled (May 10, 2011)

I do not think you can apply for an ID at VFS center. You have to go to the civil section with your

PR Certificate (original and a copy)
Your Passport (original and a copy)
Birth Certificate (original and a copy)

They will give you two forms to fill and they will get the copies of the above documents. They MUST give a reference number (even if its not captured yet). The reference number is the bar-code number on your application. After that the wait begins. 

They will do the verification themselves and after they receive it from Head office they will then capture your application. You do not verify it yourself and you don't need to make another round trip to the office.

I have been waiting for 4 months now but a friend of mine got his last week after 6 months.


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

Internal documents like IDs and SA passports will still be at Home Affairs.


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## tapsmatenga (Apr 8, 2014)

thank you skilled. so i just go to home affairs close to were i stay. i will go to the Randburg. I thought i will have to wait to get the verification first then apply for the ID.


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## explorer1 (Dec 1, 2013)

tapsmatenga said:


> thank you skilled. so i just go to home affairs close to were i stay. i will go to the Randburg. I thought i will have to wait to get the verification first then apply for the ID.


Randburg is way better than JHB CBD office, I applied for my ID there and got my SMS before I left their offices. I applied on 25 Jan and I'm still waiting. I was told there was a delay on my application as resources where redirected to prioritize citizen applications due to elections and public holidays in April. I call every week and it seems like my app is moving and I was told its one or two stages away from completion. I already have my id number.

Good luck.


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## Skilled (May 10, 2011)

explorer1 said:


> Randburg is way better than JHB CBD office, I applied for my ID there and got my SMS before I left their offices. I applied on 25 Jan and I'm still waiting. I was told there was a delay on my application as resources where redirected to prioritize citizen applications due to elections and public holidays in April. I call every week and it seems like my app is moving and I was told its one or two stages away from completion. I already have my id number.
> 
> Good luck.


Thanks. I now know where to put a new application if this doesn't come.


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## irishexpat (May 25, 2011)

Now here's a question. Assuming my PR gets processed this year, and assuming an ID gets issued 6 months later...
When I renew my driving license almost immediately after, they will have to put my new ID number on it rather than the traffic certificate number. I lost that piece of paper years ago.
Is reconciling the new me with the old me likely to be a problem?


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