In the week marking 100 days in office for the Government of National Unity (GNU), Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has announced a new five-year strategic vision to turn Home Affairs into a digital-first department during the 2024-2029 term of office.
This new approach, called “Home Affairs @ home”, envisions a future where no one has to visit a Home Affairs office in person again to access routine services.
The vision directs that, over the next five years, all the department’s services must become fully automated, digitised and offered online at the fingertips of clients from the comfort of their homes.
Clients in need of a passport will be able to apply online through a secure platform linked to their unique biometrics, in the same way that banks and SARS already verify transactions.
The application will then be processed through an automated risk engine that only requires human intervention in cases where anomalies are detected. All other cases will be processed automatically, digitally and securely.
Once an application is complete, the resultant passport will be shipped directly to the door of the client, regardless of whether they live in South Africa or abroad – as is already done in the case of bank cards and vehicle licences.
Over time, these vital documents will also be made available in digital format on the client’s secure online profile and in the wallet app on their phone.
Immigration services
Instead of endless paperwork and manual processes, travellers, who want to visit South Africa will also be required to register a profile on the secure online platform in order to submit an application for Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).
The application must be adjudicated instantly, only requiring human intervention if an anomaly is detected by the machine.
As part of the ETA application process, travellers will be required to provide their biometrics to Home Affairs.
Over time, this system will replace paper-based visas by issuing the traveller with a unique digital code linked to their passport information.
Once they arrive at a South African port of entry, travellers will be have to scan their ETA code and provide another copy of their biometric information, which will then be verified against their passport and the information provided at the time of application.
Visitors, who want to extend their stay or modify their status, will be able to submit applications through the same secure online platform for instant adjudication.
“Through the implementation of this vision over the next five years, we aim to enable everyone with an Internet connection to access Home Affairs services online – and it will transform every library or community centre equipped with an Internet connection into a virtual Home Affairs office.
“While we undertake the process of digital transformation, these reforms will also be supplemented by the rapid advancement of existing partnerships with accredited banks and retailers, to expand the footprint of Home Affairs across the length and breadth of the country without incurring the costs and delays of investing in new brick-and-mortar buildings,” said Schreiber.
