Alright, so I decided to give this whole online Swaziland ID card application a shot. I mean, I heard about it from a friend who said it was a breeze, but boy, was he wrong. Or maybe I just had a uniquely complicated experience. Who knows?
First off, I went digging around to figure out where to even start. Apparently, it’s all handled through the Ministry of Home Affairs. They are the ones dealing with all of that stuff, like immigration, citizenship, and national celebrations. Sounds important, right? Anyway, they also handle these ID card applications, or so I thought.
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Citizenship Applications
Now, their website mentions something about “citizenship applications for foreign nationals.” That got me a bit confused. Was I applying for citizenship or just an ID card? It wasn’t super clear. They referenced some Citizenship Act, which I definitely didn’t read. I’m just trying to get an ID, not become a citizen.
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Visa Requirements
Then there was a whole section on visas. Apparently, if you’re visiting and need a visa, and you’re coming through South Africa, you might need to get it from the Eswatini High Commission there. I wasn’t planning on going through South Africa, so I kinda skimmed that part. They also talked about applying for a Swazi visa online, which again, wasn’t what I was after.
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The “Smart Card”
I did stumble upon someone online mentioning this “smart card.” That’s what they’re calling the new Swaziland ID card. It’s supposed to be all fancy and high-tech. I guess that’s cool, but honestly, I just wanted a simple ID. Nothing too crazy.
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Document Checklist
This is where things got really wild. The website had a whole list of documents you supposedly need. I say “supposedly” because it felt like they were asking for everything but my birth certificate. Valid passport? Check. Visa? Check, even though I told you it’s not needed in my case. And a travel itinerary? Seriously? I’m applying for an ID card, not booking a vacation. That’s just too much work for me. I do not like that.
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The Application Process
I tried, I really did. I went through their online portal, filled out a bunch of forms, and uploaded scans of my documents. It was a whole ordeal. And guess what? After all that, I’m still not sure if my application even went through. It kept buffering. There was no confirmation email, no nothing. I did not get what I want. So frustrating!
I feel like they took something that should be simple and made it way too complicated. Maybe it’s just me, but this whole experience was a headache. A big one. I’m still waiting to hear back, but honestly, I’m not holding my breath. Maybe I’ll just try again another time. Or maybe not. We’ll see.
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