10/05/2026
Important Notice for Afghans with U.S. Refugee Cases
The United States government has set the refugee admissions ceiling for Fiscal Year 2027 at a maximum of 17,500 people. Under the new decision, most of this capacity will be allocated to Afrikaners from South Africa, while the general suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) remains in effect.
The decision was signed on September 25, 2026, applies to the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026, and was published in the Federal Register on October 2, 2026.
How could this affect Afghans?
The restrictions may directly affect:
▪️ Priority 1 cases
▪️ Priority 2 pathways for Afghans
▪️ Priority 3 refugee family-reunification cases
▪️ Welcome Corps cases processed through USRAP
▪️ Afghans waiting for interviews, approval, or travel through the U.S. refugee program
Under the current policy, Afghan admissions through USRAP are expected to be extremely limited and exceptional. However, the U.S. government has not announced that every Afghan case has been closed or canceled. Applicants should not assume that their cases are closed unless they receive an official notice.
An important distinction
This decision does not, by itself, cancel the following pathways:
✅ Afghan Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs)
✅ Family-based immigrant visas
✅ Asylum applications filed by people inside the United States
✅ Independent humanitarian-parole requests
✅ Green card, naturalization, or other regular immigration cases
We encourage all applicants to:
▪️ Keep their documents and contact information updated;
▪️ Remain in contact with their Resettlement Support Center (RSC) or the official entity handling their case;
▪️ Avoid relying on rumors or unofficial promises;
▪️ Never pay anyone who promises access to or relocation through USRAP; and
▪️ Consult a qualified immigration attorney about the specific consequences for their individual case.
ARRO-USA will continue monitoring the situation and will share verified updates with the Afghan community when a significant policy change occurs.
🔗 Official U.S. government source:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/02/2026-20318/presidential-determination-on-refugee-admissions-for-fiscal-year-2027
Afghanistan Refugee Rescue Organization — ARRO-USA