USA Immigration | USRAP Refugee Applications for South Africans

USRAP Refugee Applications for South Africans: LexMigrate assists South African applicants with preparing refugee cases for consideration under the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), with particular focus on the current South Africa-related refugee pathway and the evidence required to present a coherent, fact-specific claim.

What is USRAP?

The United States Refugee Admissions Program is the overseas refugee-resettlement process through which eligible applicants may be considered for admission to the United States as refugees. Refugee status is determined by the United States government after referral or access to the programme, interviews, security vetting, medical screening and an individual eligibility assessment.

The current position for South African applicants

USRAP was broadly suspended in January 2025, subject to case-by-case national-interest exceptions. A later Executive Order directed the United States government to prioritise humanitarian relief and refugee resettlement for Afrikaners in South Africa who are victims of unjust racial discrimination. For Fiscal Year 2026, a Presidential Determination increased the refugee admissions ceiling from 7,500 to 17,500, with the additional admissions allocated to qualifying Afrikaners from South Africa under that policy.

This does not mean that every South African or every Afrikaner automatically qualifies. Each applicant must still be individually assessed under US refugee law, complete the required screening and security checks, and satisfy the applicable USRAP requirements.

What does a refugee case need to establish?

A refugee application is not simply a request to move to the United States. The case must be built around the applicant’s own circumstances, the harm or feared harm relied upon, the reason for that harm, and why the facts fall within the US refugee framework. The evidence must support the individual narrative rather than rely only on general country conditions.

How the USRAP process works

1. Access or referral: the applicant must first obtain access to USRAP through an applicable referral or designated programme pathway.
2. Case creation and pre-screening: a Resettlement Support Center assists with case processing and biographical information.
3. Security screening: biographic and biometric checks are carried out by US authorities.
4. USCIS refugee interview: a USCIS officer determines whether the applicant meets the legal refugee definition and is otherwise eligible and admissible.
5. Medical examination: approved applicants must complete the required medical screening.
6. Resettlement processing: qualifying cases proceed through placement and travel arrangements before admission to the United States.

What LexMigrate assists with

• Initial assessment of the factual basis of the proposed refugee claim;
• identifying the legally relevant incidents and chronology;
• preparing a structured personal statement and case narrative;
• identifying supporting evidence and evidential gaps;
• reviewing supporting documents for consistency;
• preparing the applicant for the USRAP and USCIS interview process;
• assisting with responses to requests for further information where appropriate; and
• explaining the process and practical next steps as the case progresses.

A strong case is individual, not generic

General reports about South Africa do not replace evidence about what happened to the applicant. We focus on the applicant’s own history, the reason for the alleged persecution or feared persecution, the evidence available, and whether the account can be presented clearly and consistently.

Already registered or contacted about a South African USRAP case?

If you already have a case reference, have been contacted by a Resettlement Support Center, have received an interview request, or need to prepare for a USCIS refugee interview, LexMigrate can assist with reviewing the case before the next stage.

LexMigrate provides application-preparation and legal-support services from South Africa. US refugee status is determined only by the competent US authorities. No application outcome can be guaranteed.