A group of Iranians who were granted protection visas in Australia after claiming they would be killed or persecuted if they returned have been caught holidaying in their homeland.

The Immigration Department recently discovered the six refugees had lied on their visa applications after they visited Iran voluntarily and returned to Australia, according to The Herald Sun.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton cancelled their visas, but the Administrative Appeals Tribunal overturned his decision and ruled that the group could stay in the country.

A group of six Iranian refugees who were granted protection visas in Australia after claiming they could be killed if they returned have been caught holidaying in their homeland (stock image)

Each of the Iranians paid smugglers to help them reach Australia and told authorities they would be in danger if deported home.

One of the refugees was granted a protection visa after arriving in Australia by an illegal boat in 2009, the Herald Sun reported.

They claimed to be on an Iranian wanted list and to have used a fake passport to flee the country.

It was later discovered the person had received a new Iranian passport after received a protection visa and travelled back and forth between the countries.

Another person who was granted a visa in 2012 after claiming they would be executed in Iran has returned to their homeland three times since, including to get married under Islamic law, the Herald Sun said.

The Immigration Department (stock image) recently discovered the refugees, who arrived by boat, had lied on their visa applications after they visited Iran voluntarily and returned to Australia

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton (pictured) called for their visas to be cancelled, but the Administrative Appeals Tribunal overturned his decision and ruled that the group could stay in the country

A couple who received visas in 2011 told authorities they could not go home because they would be killed.

The pair said had no identification but it was later discovered they had valid Iranian passports and had returned for a period of time.

The AAT also overturned the Immigration Department's decision to cancel the visas of two family members who said they were being discriminated against in Iran and were stateless.

They claimed they didn't have any identification but their story was thwarted when a third member applied to come to Australia as well.

The third person provided documents that proved all three were Iranian citizens and it was found they were not in danger of being persecuted, the Herald Sun said.