AU:

Six Iranian boatpeople were caught holidaying in their homeland after lying on their visa applications about fearing for their lives if they had to return, it was revealed today. Yet the AAT stopped the Immigration Minister from deporting them.

This follows a report 39 per cent of Mr Dutton’s decisions or those by delegates have been overturned by the AAT in the past year.

Documents seen by Melbourne’s Herald Sun reveal that the Iranians caught holidaying in their homeland — who paid people-smugglers to get to Australia — were given protection visas after claiming their lives would be in danger if they returned to Iran. But soon after being granted Australian protection visas to live in Sydney and Melbourne, the Iranians had no hesitation in returning to the country from which they were supposedly fleeing.

The visas were cancelled after the Immigration Department ­discovered they voluntarily returned to Iran and later came back to Australia. The documents reveal one person made three ­return trips to Iran after getting his Australian visa. This included a trip to get married under Islamic law, an event conducted by the Iranian authorities he was supposedly terrified of.

Go to link