Australia Bans Iranian Visitor Visa Holders: What the New Arrival Control Determination Means for You
On 26 March 2026, the Australian Government activated its first-ever Arrival Control Determination under the newly enacted Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Act 2026, effectively barring most Iranian nationals holding Visitor (Subclass 600) visas from entering Australia for six months. I want to explain exactly what this means for you, because the legislation is new, the powers are significant, and there is a great deal of confusion in the community about who is affected and what options remain.
The determination applies to Iranian passport holders who were outside Australia on the date it commenced and whose Visitor visas are now temporarily suspended — not cancelled, but ceased to be in effect — under the new provisions inserted into the Migration Act 1958. Approximately 7,200 Iranian temporary visa holders had not yet arrived in Australia when the restrictions took effect. If you are one of them, or if you have a family member in this situation, read on carefully.
The Legislation: A Power With Only One Partial Precedent
The legal foundation for this ban is Subdivision AGA of Division 3 of Part 2 of the Migration Act 1958, inserted by Schedule 1 of the Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Act 2026. This legislation passed both houses of Parliament in early March 2026 with the support of the Coalition, despite opposition from the Greens and crossbench senators.
The new provisions grant the Minister for Home Affairs the power to make an "arrival control determination" — a legislative instrument that specifies one or more classes of temporary visa holders whose visas will temporarily cease to be in effect. Under section 84B, the Minister must be "reasonably satisfied" of three conditions before making such a determination:
First, that an event or circumstance has occurred, or is occurring, outside Australia. Second, that non-citizens in the specified class may remain in Australia after their visa expires, or that the visa may not have been granted if the event had occurred at the time of application. Third, that the determination is in the national interest.
The determination requires the written agreement of both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister. The Minister must exercise this power personally; it cannot be delegated. Critically, the rules of natural justice do not apply to the making of the determination, and it cannot be disallowed under the Legislation Act 2003. The Minister must, however, table a copy of the determination and a statement of reasons in Parliament within two sitting days.