Home Affairs Department said decision to ban Iranian visitors amid the war on Iran was in Australia’s ‘national interest’.
Australia has temporarily banned visitors from Iran, claiming that the United States-Israeli war on the country has increased the risk that Iranian passport holders could refuse or be unable to fly home once their short-term visitor visas expire.
Australia’s Department of Home Affairs said on Wednesday that the restrictions on Iranian visitors would be for a period of six months, describing the move as in the “national interest amid rapidly changing global conditions”.
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“The conflict in Iran has increased the risk that some temporary visa holders may be unable or unlikely to depart Australia when their visas expire,” the Home Affairs Department said in a statement.
“This measure gives the Government time to assess the situation properly, while still allowing flexibility in limited cases,” it said.
The ban applies to Iranian citizens who are currently outside Australia – even if they have an Australian visitor visa for tourism or work.
Exceptions to the ban include Iranian citizens already in Australia, those currently in transit to Australia, spouses, de facto partners, or dependent children of Australian citizens, and those with permanent visas.
Exemptions will also be considered on a case-by-case basis, such as for the parents of Australian citizens, the department said.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said decisions on who can remain permanently in Australia should be made by the government and should not be the “random consequence of who booked a holiday”.
“There are many visitor visas which were issued before the conflict in Iran that may not have been issued if they were applied for now,” he said.
Burke added that the government is monitoring developments and “will adjust settings as required to ensure Australia’s migration system remains orderly, fair and sustainable”.
The Sydney-based Asylum Seekers Centre said in a post on social media that the ban on Iranian visitors was the result of a “shameful new law” rushed through Australia’s parliament that “threatens the very foundations of Australia’s onshore protection programme” for those seeking safety.
“For years, politicians have been stressing the importance of seeking safety through so-called legal routes,” the group said.
“Now, in the face of an international humanitarian crisis, the government is slamming the door shut and blocking a key pathway for people seeking safety today and in the future,” it said.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump called on Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to give the Iranian women’s football team asylum in Australia amid fears that players may face repercussions at home for failing to sing their national anthem before a Women’s Asian Cup 2026 match in Queensland.
Albanese later told reporters that five team members had sought assistance and “were safely located” by Australian authorities.
In total, seven players and officials were granted asylum in Australia, though five team members later reversed their decision to stay in Australia and chose to return home.
The Iranian team had arrived in Australia to participate in the football tournament before the US and Israel launched their attack on Iran on February 28.
According to Australian government figures up to 2024, more than 90,000 Australian residents were born in Iran, and large diaspora communities are present in major cities such as Sydney and Melbourne.