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The Permanent Residence ID Document: What to Apply for Once Your Permit Is Granted

By The Expat Club · Updated November 2026

Getting permanent residence (PR) approved is not the last step. Home Affairs issues identity documents to permanent residence permit holders aged 16 and over, so you then apply in person for your own South African ID document, bringing your original PR certificate, a Home Affairs-certified copy of it, and your fingerprints. Home Affairs also says you must have a PR ID number and document before you apply for a naturalisation certificate, so treat this as part of finishing your PR.

Most people assume the permit is the finish line. It proves your status, but the ID document is the separate piece that lets you use that status in daily life, and many guides skip it.

Three different documents, often confused

It helps to separate three things that get lumped together:

The permanent residence permit or certificate. This records Home Affairs' decision that you qualify for PR, under whichever route applied to you. Our guide to permanent residence in South Africa covers the routes, documents and timelines for getting there.
The identity document (ID), with its own ID number. A separate application, made after the permit is granted. It is issued as a green barcoded ID book or, where your group is covered, a Smart ID card.
Proof or verification of permanent residence. Home Affairs issues an official proof of your current status on Form 46. Separately, it can verify an existing permit when you want to apply for an identity document, for citizenship, or when a third party wants to check the permit is real.

This guide is about the second one. If you are still working out which PR route applies, start with the permanent residence guide above. If you are thinking about what comes next, our guide to South African citizenship by naturalisation covers that step.

Why this document matters more than it sounds

Home Affairs lists many everyday situations where you will be asked for an identity document: housing, education, healthcare, a driver's licence, a job, business agreements and Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) registration. A visa or PR permit on its own is not the same thing.

The second reason is citizenship. Home Affairs' civic services FAQ says you have to apply for a permanent residence ID number and document before applying for a naturalisation certificate. It adds that the naturalisation process starts when Immigration Services verifies and confirms your permanent residence as valid. If citizenship is ever part of your plan, this is a prerequisite rather than a nice-to-have.

Who can apply, and when

Under the Identification Act, an identity document is issued as soon as you are eligible, which Home Affairs puts at 16 and over. Its identity document page confirms that these documents go to citizens and to permanent residence permit holders. We found no published deadline in days for a new permanent resident, so the sensible move is to apply once your PR is confirmed, because you will need the ID for ordinary life.

One thing can add time. Home Affairs says a request to verify an existing permit is processed when you want to apply for an ID, and for the green barcoded ID book this can be done at its front offices. The department describes it as a formal request, with a copy of the permit attached, that explains why verification is needed. If your permit is several years old, do this early rather than discovering it mid-application.

The application process

The application is made at a Home Affairs office, because a full set of fingerprints is part of it. People living abroad can apply at South African missions or consulates, but Home Affairs warns that delivery then takes longer, since every application is processed at head office in Pretoria. A typical sequence looks like this:

Get your permit in order. If you cannot produce your PR certificate, Home Affairs says to apply for a reprint or copy before you submit the ID application. If the permit is old, ask about verification as above.
Choose an office. Smart ID cards are only handled at modernised offices (these include some bank branches and Home Affairs offices in malls), while the green barcoded ID book is where Smart ID is not offered. Home Affairs also lists the eHome-Affairs portal and its branch appointment booking system for booking.
Submit your application with your documents and have your fingerprints and photograph taken.
Collect your document. Home Affairs sends progress updates to the cellphone number you give. A green ID book can only be collected from the office where you applied, while a Smart ID card can be collected at the modernised office you choose when applying.

For a first application as a permanent resident, Home Affairs lists these documents: your original permanent residence certificate and a copy that Home Affairs certifies, a certified copy of your birth certificate or reference book, two identical colour photographs and a full set of fingerprints. Lists change and offices can differ, so confirm with your office before you go.

Worth knowing: Home Affairs states that the ID number given to permanent residents is different from the one South Africans receive. If a bank, employer or online form queries your number, show the PR documents behind it rather than assuming it is a mistake.

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Green ID book or Smart ID card?

South Africa is moving from the green barcoded ID book to the Smart ID card, and permanent residents are being brought in step by step. Home Affairs opened Smart ID applications to naturalised citizens and permanent residents on 12 May 2025, as a first phase for people who already held a green barcoded ID book and came from a country on its visa-exempt list.

Home Affairs' own page, which we opened on 5 November 2026, still describes it that way. Phase 1 replaces the green ID books of naturalised citizens and of permanent residents from the listed countries, and each applicant is checked against the National Population Register. Permanent residents are also checked for country of birth, which must be one of the 106 listed countries. Applicants who do not verify positively may be accommodated in Phase 2, which the page says is in the planning stage and will include excluded groups such as first-time applicants.

In practice, if you already hold a green ID book as a permanent resident born in a listed country, you may be able to swap it for a Smart ID card. If you are applying for your first ID, or were born elsewhere, expect the older-style document for now. Either way, check your own eligibility with Home Affairs directly, because the phases can change.

What it costs and how long it takes

Home Affairs' identity document page says no payment is required for a first-time Smart ID application, and that re-issuing a green ID book or a Smart ID costs R140. Its Smart ID page for naturalised citizens and permanent residents says all Phase 1 applications carry the R140 fee, with no payment from age 60. A Temporary Identification Certificate, valid for two months, can be issued for R70, subject to positive verification of your fingerprints.

We did not find an official turnaround time for this application, so we will not quote one. Applicants report anything from a few weeks to several months, and processing at head office in Pretoria is part of why. Treat any timeline you see online as a rough steer, and confirm fees with Home Affairs before you go, because tariffs change.

If your permit is old, lost, or needs re-confirming

Home Affairs' permanent residency page explains that proof of permanent residence is an official document showing your current status, applied for on Form 46. Verification is a separate request, used when you want to apply for an identity document, for citizenship, or when another organisation wants to check that a permit is authentic. If you cannot produce your PR certificate, the identity document page says to apply for a reprint or copy before you submit the ID application. Ask your nearest office which of these routes fits your situation.

Getting it right

Once your permanent residence is granted, treat the ID application as the next task rather than a someday task. It makes your status usable in daily life and, if citizenship is on your horizon, Home Affairs says the PR ID number and document come before the naturalisation certificate.

None of this replaces proper advice. Requirements, fees and the Smart ID phases have all shifted over the past two years, so confirm the current position with Home Affairs or a registered immigration practitioner before you book, especially if you have an older permit, were born outside the visa-exempt list or have lost a document.

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Frequently asked questions

Do permanent residents in South Africa get a South African ID number?

Yes. Home Affairs says permanent residence permit holders qualify for a South African identity document from the age of 16. The ID number given to permanent residents is different from the one citizens receive, so you are identified through the same system without holding citizenship.

What documents do I need to apply for an ID document as a permanent resident in South Africa?

Home Affairs asks permanent residence permit holders for their original permanent residence certificate plus a copy that Home Affairs certifies. A first-time applicant also needs a certified copy of a birth certificate or reference book, two identical colour photographs and a full set of fingerprints, which are taken at the office. If you cannot produce the certificate, apply for a reprint or copy first. Lists can change, so check with your Home Affairs office before you go.

Can permanent residents get a Smart ID card in South Africa?

Only in part so far. Home Affairs' first phase replaces the green barcoded ID books of naturalised citizens and of permanent residents born in one of 106 visa-exempt countries, for a fee of R140 (free from age 60). Its page says the second phase, which will cover groups currently excluded including first-time applicants, is in the planning stage. Until your group is covered, you may be issued a green barcoded ID book instead.

Why do I need the ID document before I can apply for South African citizenship?

Home Affairs' civic services FAQ says you have to apply for a permanent residence ID number and document before you apply for a naturalisation certificate. It also says the naturalisation process starts once Immigration Services verifies that your permanent residence is valid, so a permit that has never been verified can hold things up.

Sources, checked 5 November 2026

Identity documents (Department of Home Affairs): who is issued an ID, required documents, fees and the temporary certificate.
Smart ID cards for naturalised citizens and permanent residents (Department of Home Affairs): the phases, the 106-country condition and the R140 fee.
Civic services FAQs (Department of Home Affairs): PR ID number and document before naturalisation, and verification of permanent residence.
Permanent residency (Department of Home Affairs): Form 46, proof of permanent residence and verification of a permit.
Home Affairs commends uptake of Smart IDs for naturalised citizens, permanent residents, 12 May 2025 (SAnews, South African Government News Agency): the first phase of the Smart ID rollout.

General information only, not legal/immigration/tax/medical advice: confirm current rules and consult a qualified professional.