Iranians with valid visas blocked from entering Australia

On Wednesday, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced Iranians with visitor visas will not be allowed to enter Australia.

It follows changes to temporary visa holders passed earlier this month allowing the Government to ban groups of visa holders if it deems them at risk of overstaying.

Human rights advocates and the Greens have criticised the move, saying the Government has “shut the door on protection for people with a visa to come here.”

Here’s what you need to know.

Background

On 12 March, the Government passed a law allowing it to block citizens of a country at war from coming to Australia on a temporary visa for up to six months at a time.

The change meant the Government could make the decision about whole groups of people at one time, instead of assessing people individually.

Determinations are made if there are events, such as a conflict, that the Government believes could cause groups of people to overstay their visa.

Iran

This week, Burke determined the new law would apply to people with Iranian passports attempting to visit Australia.

The restriction will bar them from entering the country for six months.

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Exemptions will be made for immediate family members of Australian citizens and permanent residents.

The Home Affairs Department said it had spoken to Australian Iranian community leaders about its decision.

Comments

Burke said “many visitor visas” granted before the conflict “may not have been issued if they were applied for now.”

“Decisions about permanent stays in Australia should be deliberate decisions of the Government, not a random consequence of who had booked a holiday,” he said.

Burke added that the Government “will adjust settings as required to ensure Australia’s migration system remains orderly, fair and sustainable.”

Criticism

Greens Senator David Shoebridge criticised the announcement, questioning the statement that the Australian Iranian community was consulted.

“But if they did, you get no credit for betraying someone while looking them in the eye,” he said.

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre said the decision is a “massive betrayal,” calling it “a heartless move that adds unnecessary trauma and harm.”