Launching NIIS-powered verification: inclusive KYC for refugees, asylum seekers and other immigrants

South African businesses want to onboard people quickly and fairly—without taking on unnecessary risk or failing audits. The problem? Traditional KYC flows are built around citizens, which leaves a gap when the customer is a refugee, asylum seeker or other foreign national. Today we’re closing that gap.

ThisIsMe now offers authorised screening against the Department of Home Affairs’ immigration records—historically known as the National Immigration Information System (NIIS) and now being modernised as part of DHA’s new National Identity System (NIS)—so you can verify Section 22/24 permits and immigration identifiers inside the same, seamless KYC journey. 

Why this matters now

• Regulatory clarity: The Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) has long recognised DHA’s electronic process for banks to verify asylum seeker (Section 22) and refugee (Section 24) permits directly with Home Affairs before relying on them for onboarding. That process runs through the NIIS portal and returns auditable results. 
• System modernisation: DHA is consolidating civic and immigration systems into a National Identity System that provides a single view of citizens and foreigners, with the Asylum Seeker & Refugee system integrated into that backbone. In policy terms, that means better data availability, stronger controls and faster digital checks. 

What exactly is NIIS (and what’s changing)?

NIIS has been the Department’s operational database for immigration case data, including asylum seeker and refugee permits, with a bank-facing verification site for checking the authenticity and integrity of DHA-issued documents. Banks log in with whitelisted IPs, search by file or refugee ID number, and receive a confirmation (including file number or identity number) with a full audit trail of the verification. 

DHA is now rolling NIIS capabilities into a broader digital transformation: the Asylum Seeker Management & Refugee System has been implemented across refugee centres, and together with biometric services (ABIS) forms part of the National Identity System (NIS) for a single view of the traveller. For compliance teams, the takeaway is simple: more reliable, integrated immigration verification backed by official systems. 

What our new service does

ThisIsMe’s new service, Immigration Status Check, returns a full profile from the National Immigration Identity System (NIIS) database, including detailed information on asylum seekers and refugees in South Africa. This information enables previously impossible due diligence workflows on undocumented individuals without South African ID numbers, allowing for these individuals to be assessed and onboarded. 

The service returns:

• Full name 
• Age 
• Sex
• Date of Birth 
• Nationality 
• Country of origin 
• Photo of applicant (if applicable)
• NIIS file number 
• Alternative NIIS file number
• Permit number 
• Refugee ID number 
• Current case/permit application status 
• Permit expiry date 
• Office of application

With this information, you can:

• Validate immigration documents (Section 22/24 permits, refugee IDs) against DHA records before relying on them. 
• Confirm document status and basic particulars (e.g., correct file/ID number, validity) and capture an audit record of the check for your RMCP. 
• Run checks via ThisIsMe's web-based user platform, perfect for low-volume workflows or intensive investigations.

Built for Compliance & Operations

• Audit-ready: Every transaction is logged (per DHA’s own audit-trail design), making it straightforward to evidence how documents were verified. 
• Risk-based onboarding: When a permit is valid but risk is elevated, you can step up to EDD rather than rejecting by default—consistent with South Africa’s risk-based approach. (Use Section 22/24 definitions and validity rules as part of your EDD triggers.) 

Who Benefits (and How)

• Banks & lenders: Open accounts or extend credit to underserved groups without bypassing KYC—and with official confirmation from DHA records before reliance. 
• Fintech & remittance: Reduce manual reviews for foreign nationals by verifying permits in-flow, keeping conversion high and risk low. 
• Insurers & healthcare: Verify identity and status before issuing cover or processing claims involving asylum seekers and refugees. 
• Employers & marketplaces: Prevent impersonation or document fraud for right-to-work or platform onboarding checks, using authoritative sources.  

Results you can expect

• Fair, inclusive onboarding for refugees and asylum seekers—no “manual exception” purgatory. 

• Lower fraud & fewer reworks by validating document integrity up-front. 

• Cleaner audits thanks to DHA-aligned verification, traceable outcomes, and clear RMCP mapping. 

• Shorter time-to-yes through direct, programmatic checks rather than email back-and-forth with offices. 

Ready to see NIIS-powered KYC in action? Book a 15-minute demo with our expert team to see a live demo.