The Immigration Department says it cannot review the visa requests of a Pakistani family who have been denied a visit to their dying son in Australia.

Hassan Asif came to Australia as a student before being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

The 25-year-old Pakistani man has only weeks to live, according to his end-of-life care providers, but his mother and brother have been denied visas to visit him.

A spokesperson for the Department of Immigration and Border Protection said that while the "compassionate nature" of the visit was considered, the requests would not be reviewed.

In a statement to the ABC, the department spokesperson invited Mr Asif's family members to lodge new applications.

"When deciding if an applicant intends a genuine temporary stay in Australia, the decision-maker must take into account relevant considerations such as the applicant's personal circumstances, incentive to return home, financial situation and ability to support themselves while in Australia," the spokesperson said.

"The likelihood of an applicant overstaying or seeking to remain permanently in Australia is also a matter that must be assessed. Particularly in compassionate circumstances, a decision-maker takes all of the facts of a particular case into consideration.

"In this case all of the facts have been taken into consideration and the decision-maker has not issued the visa."

The department also offered its sympathy to the family of Mr Asif, who is currently in the care of a Melbourne City Mission youth homelessness refuge.

In a statement on its website, the Mission urged Immigration Minister Peter Dutton to review the decision.

It stated that Mr Asif had no family or community ties in Australia.

"Melbourne City Mission believes it is unconscionable that this young man — who has family — be allowed to die without a loved one by his side," the statement read.