Home Affairs Minister demonstrates AI-powered visa system to address corruption

South Africa's Home Affairs Minister Dr. Leon Schreiber will demonstrate the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system as part of efforts to reduce corruption through artificial intelligence implementation.

Department of Home Affairs minister Dr Leon Schreiber. (Photograph by DHA). 

The Department of Home Affairs has made anti-corruption measures a priority through digitisation and AI technology to improve efficiency and increase revenue collection. The minister referenced a recent incident where 95 Libyan nationals entered the country through system vulnerabilities that enabled collusion with department officials to obtain false documents.

Schreiber questioned how South Africa continues using paper-based processes that can be manipulated when AI and automated technologies are available. The minister stated that systematic reform to eliminate corruption will rely on digital transformation.

The ETA system is currently under development and will be introduced in phases to automate South Africa's visa application processes. The system will operate using principles similar to those employed by the South African Revenue Service for complete automation of application and adjudication procedures.

The tax authority uses AI to cross-reference taxpayer information with data from third-party sources including banks, medical aid providers, and employers. Visa applicants will submit applications online, scan passports, provide selfie photographs, and submit required documentation.

The ETA system will use machine learning technology to verify 40 passport features for authenticity, match selfie images to passport photographs, and confirm traveler identity through facial recognition cameras at ports of entry. This process eliminates opportunities for human interference, bias, and corruption.

Initial implementation will focus on simpler applications such as tourist visas for periods under 90 days, with plans to expand to all visa categories over time. The ETA launch is scheduled for September 2025, with Investec economist Lara Hodes noting the system will support tourism and investment while reducing bureaucratic processes.

The department has also begun implementing technology upgrades for South African passport security. Schreiber explained that systematic weaknesses allowing criminal organizations to exploit inadequate biometric verification at application stages are being addressed.

Applications will be declined and passport production halted when photograph faces do not match population register records. The department has announced partnerships with banks to enable smart ID applications in branches, with longer-term plans for banking app integration.

Capitec, First National Bank, Absa, TymeBank, and Standard Bank have committed to providing this service.

However, AI solutions face potential fraud risks. A TransUnion report documented increasing AI-powered fraud and deepfake scam incidents, with deepfake-related fraud rising globally. Audio and video deepfakes represented 7% of all fraud cases, with audio impersonation scams increasing from 37% to 49% year-over-year and video deepfakes doubling.

TransUnion Africa's Amritha Reddy, senior director of fraud product management, noted that traditional fraud detection systems were designed for earlier threats. Current AI-powered deception operates at unprecedented pace, scale, and realism, with automated systems processing in milliseconds what previously required days.

Synthetic voices, documents, and videos have become difficult to distinguish from authentic content, creating constant challenges for businesses, consumers, and governments. Reddy stated that combating AI fraud requires AI-powered defense systems, as fraudsters increasingly use machine learning for deceptive purposes.