Johannesburg - FNB has issued over 400 000 smart IDs and passports since 2015 through its branches in support of service delivery efforts to improve access to these critical identity papers through its relationship with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA).
According to Lee-Anne van Zyl, Chief Executive of FNB Points of Presence, the bank issued 192 954 Smart IDs and 233 026 passports during the period at branches at 4 Merchant Place, Lifestyle Centre Centurion, Lynnwood, and The Glen (Gauteng), as well as Cornubia (KwaZulu-Natal), Burgersfort (Limpopo), and Green Point (Western Cape).
"We are humbled," Van Zyl said, "by how our customers have continued to embrace this service by collecting their IDs and passports at our branches."
"This collaboration provides an excellent framework for improving access to essential services, which have a profound social and economic impact, and an identity document is essential for gaining access to economic opportunities such as employment, financial services, and even mobile telecommunications."
"We'd also like to take this opportunity to remind our valued customers that booking ID and passport documents are facilitated through eChannel, a Home Affairs online booking portal that captures the applicant's personal information."
Customers can apply online through the Department of Home Affairs' booking system and pick up their Smart IDs and passports at any of the seven partnering FNB branches, said Van Zyl.
"After the application is processed online, the customer can schedule a time to visit their preferred branch for fingerprint verification, and the final stage is an SMS confirmation informing the applicant that the document is ready for collection."
"Our goal is to continue collaborating with the Department to expand this critical service to additional sites or branches across our footprint."
"This is also based on our appreciation that our branches exist to serve communities, and it is critical for us to use our infrastructure to make services other than banking easily accessible," Van Zyl said.
The Star