How To Apply for SRD Grant as A Refugee or Asylum Seeker

By Tevait Feanle •  Updated: 05/11/24 •  5 min read

As a refugee or asylum seeker in South Africa, it can be difficult to know what social services you qualify to receive and where you are ineligible. The SRD Grant, often called the ‘R350 Grant,’ was first launched during the pandemic to help immediately eliminate some of the severe effects of job losses from the lockdowns. It continues today and is being refined into a wider grant as part of SASSA’s social grant system. Here’s everything you should know about applying for the SRD Grant as an asylum seeker or refugee

- ADVERTISEMENT -
in South Africa.

Can Asylum Seekers Apply for SASSA Grant?

Asylum seekers in South Africa are eligible to apply for some SASSA Grants, provided they meet specific criteria. The asylum seeker must have a valid asylum seeker permit (or recognised refugee status) and meet the other sets of requirements for the grant in question. 

In particular, asylum seekers and refugees are eligible for these SASSA grants alongside the standard SASSA grant:

As a refugee or asylum seeker, you could not apply online, as this once requires a fully South African ID. However, they have now added an option to the website that allows asylum seekers and those with special permits. If you cannot organize your grant application online, however, you must apply in person at a SASSA office near you. Expect to provide proof of your legal and accepted status, whether that is an asylum seeker or refugee with a special permit.

How to Apply for the SRD Grant as a Refugee or Asylum Seeker

To apply for the SRD grant as a refugee or asylum seeker, you will follow these steps. You must, of course, meet other eligibility criteria. You must be unemployed, not receiving any other form of income or grant from SASSA or any other source, and have not received the SRD grant before. You need to still be living in South Africa, be between the ages of 18 years and 60 years, and be able to pass the means test (earning less than R624 a month with no alternate income or assets to leverage). You cannot be receiving a UIF payment or an NSFAS educational grant.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

You will need to provide your passport-of-origin and asylum seeker permit, proof of address and bank account, and proof of income, either online or at a SASSA Office, to complete your application. They will then verify the application. If your application is successful, you will receive a notification, and the grant will be paid into your bank account.

It’s important to remember that the SRD grant is a temporary grant and is subject to change or discontinuation by the government. As such, it’s important to regularly check for updates on the grant and any changes to the application process before you apply!

How Can I Check My Asylum Seeker SRD Status?

While you cannot apply online as an asylum seeker or refugee, you can check your status online. Head to the SRD Grant website and fill in the details according to the on-screen prompts. 

Alternatively, you can contact the SASSA toll-free helpline at 0800 60 10 11 or visit a SASSA Office. You should receive either an email or SMS notification if your application is approved, progressing to other checks, or declined. However, you should be sure to track the process carefully yourself instead of simply waiting. It can take weeks to months for the application to be finalized, so patience will be needed.

Which Person is Eligible for Refugee Cash Assistance?

Refugee Cash Assistance is a US-centric program for refugees and asylum seekers in the United States. So you cannot apply for it from South Africa at all. If you are a refugee or asylum seeker in South Africa, however, you can apply for some SASSA grants if you have official asylum seeker status. We looked at these in more detail above for you, including the Older Persons Grant, the SRD Grant, Disability Grant, and Child Support Grant alongside the standard SASSA Grant. To reiterate, you must be an official and recognized asylum seeker or refugee to qualify for these grants.

With this guide to help you, applying for the SRD grant as a refugee or asylum seeker in South Africa should be considerably simpler. 

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Keep Reading

How to Apply for a SASSA Easy Pay Loan

How to Apply for a SASSA Easy Pay Loan

SASSA SRD Biometric Identity Verification

SASSA SRD Biometric Identity Verification

The SRD Biometric Identity Verification is simply the process of using ‘biometric data’, like fingerprints or facial recognition, to verify identity

How to Cancel NSFAS to Receive an SRD Grant

How to Cancel NSFAS to Receive an SRD Grant

Cancel NSFAS to Receive an SRD. To apply for the SRD award, you may need to cancel your NSFAS assistance if you are a NSFAS recipient.

What Does SASSA ‘Application Complete’ Mean?

What Does SASSA ‘Application Complete’ Mean?

In this article, we will look at what it actually means when the SASSA application completion is mentioned or what Application Complete means

How To Apply For SASSA Disability Grant: Comprehensive Guide

How To Apply For SASSA Disability Grant: Comprehensive Guide

In need of a SASSA disability grant? If so, this blog post is for you. Here, you will find the ultimate guide to applying for a SASSA disability grant

How Much Is SASSA Disability Grant in 2025?

How Much Is SASSA Disability Grant in 2025?

How Much Is SASSA Disability Grant. Today we are looking at the SASSA Disability Grant in further detail to help determine assistance expected.

How to Cancel UIF for R350

How to Cancel UIF for R350

How to Cancel UIF for R350. Has your application for SASSA R350 been declined? Is your SASSA R350 the reason for the decline stating “UIF registered”?

How to Withdraw SASSA Relief Fund From Absa ATM

How to Withdraw SASSA Relief Fund From Absa ATM

This article explains everything you want to know about withdrawing SASSA relief funds from Absa ATM

The Difference Between UIF And SASSA

The Difference Between UIF And SASSA

In this article, we will look at both UIF and SASSA. We will dive into questions that confuse individuals regarding these institutions' roles.

How to Apply For SASSA Care Dependency Grant

How to Apply For SASSA Care Dependency Grant

This article will explain how to apply for SASSA Care Dependency grant and discuss the criteria in more detail.

What Is Non-SASSA Declaration Form?

What Is Non-SASSA Declaration Form?

What Is Non-SASSA Declaration Form?. A non-SASSA declaration form is a document that validates an individual to be an orphan

How Long Does SASSA Take to Pay R350 Into Account

How Long Does SASSA Take to Pay R350 Into Account

How Long Does SASSA Take To Pay R350?. The process does not have a timeframe but mostly takes about seven working days or a little more

How To Apply For Sassa Old Age Pension Grant

How To Apply For Sassa Old Age Pension Grant

In this blog post, we will provide a step-by-step guide on how to apply for Sassa Old Age Pension Grant benefit and who is eligible to receive it.

Is SRD Been Extended?

Is SRD Been Extended?

Is SRD Been Extended? Yes, the SRD R350 grant has been extended till March 2024, with a high chance that the grant will be increased

SASSA Online Application: Steps to Apply For Your Grant

SASSA Online Application: Steps to Apply For Your Grant

If you want to know more about the SASSA Online application, then this article will highlight a few things regarding it