Last checked: 24 October 2026
About this site
This is general information, not legal advice. Refugee status questions can affect your status: confirm with your resettlement agency, an accredited representative or an immigration attorney.
Independent
This site is independent. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or run for any government or agency: not the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in South Africa, HHS, ACF or ORR, USCIS, SSA, any resettlement agency or referral partner, or the South African government.
Method
- Only official sources are cited: state.gov and za.usembassy.gov, acf.gov, uscis.gov, ssa.gov, federalregister.gov and congress.gov. Each was opened and checked on 24 October 2026.
- A link sits beside every fact. Where a source is silent we write "not stated by source". Conflicts between sources are shown openly.
- The site is factual and does not take a political position.
Sources used
- https://za.usembassy.gov/refugee-admissions-program-for-south-africans/
- https://za.usembassy.gov/u-s-refugee-admissions-program-faqs/
- https://za.usembassy.gov/president-trumps-executive-order-on-addressing-egregious-actions-of-the-republic-of-south-africa/
- https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/05/27/2026-10598/emergency-presidential-determination-on-refugee-admissions-for-fiscal-year-2026
- https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/02/2026-20318/presidential-determination-on-refugee-admissions-for-fiscal-year-2027
- https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/01/2026-20111/period-for-refugee-cash-assistance-and-refugee-medical-assistance-correction
- https://acf.gov/orr/programs-services/refugees/pir
- https://acf.gov/orr/programs-services/refugees/resettlement-program
- https://acf.gov/orr/programs-services/refugees/eligibility/benefits-refugees
- https://acf.gov/orr/policy-guidance/refugees/policy-instructions/dcl-26-05
- https://acf.gov/orr/programs-services/refugees/contacts/state-contacts
- https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-eligibility/green-card-for-refugees
- https://www.uscis.gov/i-131
- https://www.uscis.gov/travel-documents
- https://www.uscis.gov/scams-fraud-and-misconduct/avoid-scams/common-scams
- https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110211185
- https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110205005
- https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/cfr20/422/422-0103.htm
- https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/