Dear ……,

I write to urgently request the immediate prioritisation of Parent visa applications by Iranian nationals who are currently caught in the escalating and active war between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the State of Israel.

Iran is presently experiencing widespread military conflict and humanitarian breakdown. Major cities are being bombarded daily, and civilian populations—Especially the elderly—face severe risks to life, health, and security especially due to the probable danger of nuclear disaster caused by these bombardments. Parents of many Australian citizens and/or Australia permanent residents are trapped in high-risk areas with no viable internal refuge, having been warned by the Israeli government or American president to evacuate, and facing limited access to food, medical care, and communication, while their children—Australian citizens or permanent residents—are unable to assist or reunite with them.

These parents wish to join their children in Australia, many of whom are emotionally and financially supporting them from afar. The current situation presents an urgent and non-speculative threat to their wellbeing, with the risk increasing each day the conflict continues.

We acknowledge your compassionate and effective responses to previous global emergencies, including those in Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Gaza, by prioritising vulnerable visa applicants. In keeping with those humanitarian principles, we respectfully request that the Department:

• Urgently prioritise the processing of Parent visa applications for Iranian nationals currently residing in Iran;

• Recognise the critical and life-threatening nature of the ongoing war and act accordingly;

• Consider the use of discretionary or emergency mechanisms to enable the reunification of parents with their children in Australia without further delay.

Thank you for your attention to this matter and your continued commitment to family unity and humanitarian integrity in Australia’s migration program.