Abstract This field-level empirical study explores the practical possibilities of cooperation between international organisations, governments, and non-governmental organisations within resettlement programmes supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in “emerging” resettlement countries of South America. The focus is on the implementation of the Latin American Solidarity Resettlement Programme, which was adopted by some South American countries to resettle refugees (mostly of Colombian origin) coming from countries of first asylum in the region. In the present work, the challenges of translating this tripartite cooperation from policy into practice are analysed. This study offers insights on resettlement by looking at how inter-organisational dynamics in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay worked on the ground, and considering the viewpoints of the three main entities involved. The findings suggest that the efforts in a joint implementation of the Programme have often resulted in relevant differences between policy and practice. This study focuses mainly in selection criteria and the responsibility towards integration, which constrained possibly broader achievements in protection and integration in these emerging resettlement countries.