SASSA Biometric Verification: What to Expect

SASSA announced in August 2025 that biometric enrolment, using fingerprints or facial recognition through eKYC, would become mandatory at all its offices from 1 September 2025. It said the aim was to confirm that grant recipients are authentic, living people, to reduce fraudulent applications and to stop duplicate payments. Applications without biometric data go into a review cycle, and the client is told to capture their biometrics. You can read the SAnews report.

For SRD, the rules in SASSA's own You and Your Grant booklet are:

• all new applicants must complete a facial biometric authentication (eKYC) before the grant can be approved
• applicants with a referred status must log in to the SRD portal, request a link to update their information and complete the check
• applicants who want to change their cellphone number must also complete facial recognition
• if your status shows approved but not paid, you must request a verification link and complete the facial recognition process

SAnews reported in April 2025 that the verification status appears when SASSA suspects fraudulent activity or finds incorrect contact or banking details. SASSA said in that report that there was "no short cut", and that everyone who is asked has to do it or risk delays and missed payments.

Being asked doesn't mean you have done anything wrong. A referred status, a new application and a phone number change all trigger it.

1. Get the link. Log in to the SRD portal at srd.sassa.gov.za and request a verification link, or open the SMS link SASSA sends you. Use only the official address. SAnews reported in April 2025 that the SMS link needs action within 72 hours.
2. Find good light. A dark or blurred photo can fail the check. Face a window, hold the phone steady and keep glare off your face.
3. Follow the prompts. The portal will ask you to look at the camera and may ask you to move. Complete every step before you close the page.
4. Check the result on the status checker, which takes you to the official portal.

If you have no data, no smartphone or no laptop, SASSA has said its local offices offer biometric kiosks, official laptops and guest Wi-Fi so you can do it there. SAnews reported this for offices in Mpumalanga in January 2026, where it said all offices are equipped. It didn't say the same for other provinces. Never give your PIN, an OTP or a photo of yourself to anyone who isn't on SASSA's own portal. SASSA says it never asks for your PIN.

A failure doesn't close your application. Work through these in order.

• Try again in better light, and with a steady, front-facing camera.
• Check your details A mismatch with the Home Affairs record can cause a failure. Identity verification failed explains the usual causes and fixes.
• Ask for a new link If the old one has expired, request another from the portal.
• Go to a SASSA office if the online check won't work. SASSA has said its offices have biometric kiosks, so you can complete the check there.
• Call SASSA on 0800 60 10 11 or email GrantEnquiries@sassa.gov.za, and say which step failed.

If you are still applying, how to apply for SRD lists what to have ready, and the verification comes after you submit.