Every SASSA grant has its own path. SRD R370 is online only, at srd.sassa.gov.za. Permanent grants work the other way. Old Age, Child Support, Disability, Foster Care, Care Dependency and Grant-in-Aid all need a visit to a SASSA local office. Bring the right papers. You need a valid green South African ID or ID card. You need proof of where you live and proof of income. Child grants need a birth certificate. Disability needs a medical report. Foster Care needs a court order. Times vary a lot. A plain Older Persons claim takes about three months. Foster Care can take six months or more while the court order is checked. This section gives you the document list for each grant. It sets out how long each one takes. It explains why a file sits on "pending". And it lists the top mistakes that stall files: forms left unsigned, an ID that does not match Home Affairs, and a missing bank confirmation letter. Read the right guide before your first office visit. That alone stops most of the delays people report to us.
What’s inside Applications
This section tells you what to bring, where to go, and how long each grant takes to start. SRD R370 is online only, at srd.sassa.gov.za. You do not need to visit an office. Every permanent grant is different. Old Age, Child Support, Disability, Foster Care, Care Dependency, Grant-in-Aid and War Veterans all need a visit to a SASSA local office. Each one has its own document set. The guides here list the documents per grant. They give the processing times. And they cover the common reasons a file stalls.
These guides help four groups of people most. First-time applicants getting ready for a SASSA office visit. Family members helping an older relative gather papers before the appointment. Foster parents whose Children’s Court order is ready. And anyone whose claim has sat on “pending” for longer than normal. Is your file stuck? The guides help you work out why. It may be a document mismatch. It may be an ID block at Home Affairs. It may be an income check stuck at SARS. Or a bank confirmation letter that never came.
2026 updates that matter
Processing times settled down in 2026 once the post-COVID backlog cleared. Here is what to expect. A plain Older Persons claim takes about three months. Child Support takes about three months too, once the birth certificate and caregiver ID are checked. Disability takes three to four months while the state doctor’s assessment is booked. Foster Care can take up to six months while the court order is checked. An SRD R370 claim online usually shows a first status in 5 to 30 business days. That depends on the Home Affairs and SARS checks.
Take these to any SASSA office visit. A valid green barcoded ID or Smart ID card. A temporary certificate will not do. Proof of where you live, no older than three months. And the proof your own grant asks for. Child Support needs the child’s unabridged birth certificate. Disability needs a filled-in medical assessment form. Foster Care needs the original Children’s Court order. Leave one out and your claim slips by weeks. Call the free SASSA line 0800 60 10 11 before you travel. They will confirm the exact list for your grant.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I apply for SRD R370?
Online only, at srd.sassa.gov.za. Enter your ID, your cellphone number and the OTP. You do not need to visit an office.
What documents do I need for Child Support Grant?
Your green ID or Smart ID. The child’s unabridged birth certificate. Proof of where you live. And a bank confirmation letter. Apply at any SASSA local office.
How long does an Old Age Pension application take?
About three months. The clock starts once all your documents are in. Then the first payment of R2,400 lands, or R2,420 if you are 75+.
Why is my SASSA application still pending?
Three causes are common. Your ID does not match Home Affairs. Your bank confirmation letter is missing. Or your income check is stuck at SARS. Call 0800 60 10 11 with your ID and ask which one it is.
Can I apply for a Disability Grant without a doctor’s report?
No. A state doctor must fill in the assessment form. The SASSA office books that visit when you hand in your application.
Do I need the child present for a Child Support application?
Not always. Bring the child if the office asks for a biometric check. The two main things you need are the primary caregiver’s ID and the child’s birth certificate.
Can I apply on someone else’s behalf?
Yes. You need a written power of attorney and both IDs. Older adults, sick grant holders and dependants often need a family member to apply for them.