An Arrival Control Determination made under Australia's Migration Act took effect on 26 March 2026 and is, per the Department of Home Affairs, "in force for 6 months". It applies to people outside Australia who hold a Visitor (Subclass 600) visa linked to an Iranian passport: their visas have "temporarily ceased to be in effect" while the determination runs, unless an exemption applies. Six months from 26 March runs to late September 2026. As of 30 August, the department's page — last updated 25 March 2026 — announces no extension, replacement or early end.
The government's Study Australia notice of 2 April 2026 lists who is not affected: the spouse, de facto partner or dependent child of an Australian citizen, permanent-visa holder or resident without time limitation; the parent of a child under 18 who is in Australia; anyone who was in Australia when the determination commenced; and holders of a Permitted Travel Certificate. A certificate, issued case-by-case and "only in limited cases", brings the visa back into effect for travel within its validity period. The notice states applications go through the department's online portal at least two weeks before planned travel.
The restriction names only the Visitor subclass: Home Affairs describes it as applying to people who provided an Iranian passport when applying for their Visitor (Subclass 600) visa, and directs affected travellers to its online Arrival Control Determination Portal to check whether the determination applies and to apply for a Permitted Travel Certificate. The determination was made under arrival-control powers added to the Migration Act in March 2026.
