Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is pushing for Australian dual nationals to get the same exemptions that may have been granted to other US allies under President Donald Trump's temporary ban targeting seven majority Muslim nations.

Officials were on Monday still scrambling to determine how exactly Mr Trump's executive order will affect Australians, in particular whether those who hold citizenship in the seven Middle Eastern and African nations – which the US has deemed terrorism risks – will be barred from the US for the next three months.

"I have directed our officials in Washington DC to work with US officials to ensure any preferential treatment extended to any other country in relation to travel and entry to the United States is extended to Australia," Ms Bishop said on Monday.

The order appears to state that virtually all citizens from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Libya and Yemen will not be allowed into the US for the next three months. The US State Department has confirmed it applies also to dual nationals.