Important information for visitors to an immigration detention facility
Updated on 18 March 2026
The Australian Border Force (ABF) commits to the health and safety of all detainees, staff and visitors (this includes contractors) in immigration detention facilities. Check our website regularly as visit information can change on short notice.
General Information
We recognise that visits from relatives, friends, community contacts and relevant professionals play a vital role for the wellbeing of detainees.
To make the visiting process as simple and efficient possible we:
A person must apply to visit a detainee. Approval of a visitor application is subject to operational considerations.
If you wish to visit an immigration detention facility, you must undergo security screening. If you do not wish to undergo screening, you cannot enter an immigration detention facility.
Detainees must consent to a visit, unless required by law to accept a visitor.
Conditions of Entry
All visitors must follow the conditions of entry. This includes enhanced screening measures.
If you do not follow the conditions of entry, including safety measures and instructions from staff, we may refuse or terminate your visit. This may negatively impact your future visits.
Health Screening Measures
We regularly review and update Health screening measures, which may change at short notice based on public health advice and health orders.
The Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA) Guidelines advise that routine prevention activities should be implemented, where appropriate, to minimise the risk and impact of an outbreak of Covid-19 or any other communicable diseases. Routine prevention activities include:
- encouraging vaccination of eligible people
- complying with infection prevention and control activities and regulations (including the use of personal protective equipment as appropriate)
- controls to prevent contact between well and unwell visitors and detainees
Visiting an immigration detention facility
The Department limit visits to one visitor per detainee per day. We may consider exceptions in limited circumstances. This may include, for example, where a detainee’s minor children want to visit with an accompanying adult.
The following safety measures are in place to keep detainees, staff, and visitors safe:
- visits are held in designated areas
- brief physical contact permitted only at the start and end of the visit (this may include a handshake, fist-bump or hug). Physical distancing maintained at all other times
- surgical masks are strongly recommended to reduce the risk of infection (available on entry)
- visitors must perform hand hygiene before and after a visit (hand sanitiser is available)
- visitors must apply for and have approval prior to visits.
For visiting hours, contact the relevant
immigration detention facility.
Other ways to contact detainees
In addition to in-person visits, we encourage community members to communicate with detainees through:
- phone calls
- Skype
- other audio-visual tools.
Detainees have access to landline telephones and can make calls to Australian phone numbers free of charge. Detainees also have unrestricted access to personal mobile phones and can have phone cards using Individual Allowance Program points.
