Stop Unfair Visitor Visa Refusals for Iranian Families in Australia

To the Australian Government and the Minister for Immigration and Home Affairs,

Thousands of Iranians have built their lives in Australia as citizens, permanent residents, international students, and skilled workers. Yet many face the heartbreaking reality of being separated from their loved ones because of visitor visa refusals.

Iranian families have reported increasing difficulties obtaining Australian Visitor Visas (Subclass 600), even when applicants have previously travelled internationally, complied with visa conditions, demonstrated financial stability, and provided evidence of their intention to return home.

This issue affects more than just parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents.

It also affects:

Spouses and partners who wish to visit their loved ones in Australia temporarily.
Parents of international students who want to visit their children, attend graduation ceremonies, or spend time together after years of separation.
Parents and family members of temporary visa holders, including skilled workers and international graduates.
Parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents, including elderly parents who may have limited opportunities to see their children and grandchildren.
We recognise Australia’s right to maintain border security and assess every visa application against its immigration requirements.

However, visa decisions should be fair, transparent, consistent, and based on each applicant’s individual circumstances rather than broad assumptions about their nationality or country of residence.

We respectfully call on the Australian Government to:

Ensure that Iranian Visitor Visa applications are assessed individually and fairly, considering personal circumstances, travel history, financial evidence, family connections, and genuine temporary visit intentions.
Review refusal practices to ensure that political and economic conditions in Iran are not treated as automatic grounds for refusal without adequate consideration of individual evidence.
Provide clearer and more detailed explanations for visa refusals and improve access to appropriate review mechanisms.
Ensure that parents of international students, spouses, and families of temporary visa holders receive the same fair and individual consideration as other eligible visitor visa applicants.
Publish transparent statistics on visitor visa approval and refusal rates for Iranian applicants and review whether assessment practices are consistent and evidence-based.
We are not asking for automatic visa approvals or exemptions from Australian immigration laws.

We are simply asking for a fair opportunity for our families to visit us, celebrate important milestones, and spend precious time together.

Being an Iranian citizen should not, by itself, prevent a genuine visitor from receiving a fair assessment.

Family connections matter. Fairness matters. Every application deserves individual consideration.

We ask the Australian Government to review these concerns and take meaningful steps towards a fairer and more transparent visitor visa assessment process.