Iranian refugee battles six-month visa renewals, fearing family separation

Mahsa Mazaheri arrived in Australia from Iran by boat in 2013 and, along with her mother, spent time in offshore detention on Naoero and Christmas Island before being medically evacuated in 2014. Since then she has been forced to reapply for a bridging visa every three to six months, a process that causes constant anxiety about possible separation from her husband and their four- and three-year-old daughters. Mazaheri runs a small business, contributes taxes, and cannot travel or make long-term decisions because of the visa’s restrictions.

Advocates from the Human Rights Law Centre note that more than 700 former offshore detainees remain on similar insecure visas despite years of residence, family ties, and employment in critical sectors. The Department of Home Affairs states that “transitory persons” lack a permanent settlement pathway and are encouraged to explore departure options, while legal director Laura John urges the government to end the policy and grant permanent safety. Mazaheri’s husband, who also arrived by boat, was granted citizenship earlier this year, and their daughters now hold Australian citizenship, highlighting the uneven outcomes within the same family.