A growing number of asylum seekers have entered the country claiming to be in a relationship with an Australian citizen, with some cases arousing suspicions of their legitimacy given the Manus Island population is currently less than 900.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton last week said the changes to the legislation would extend to a ban on all types of visas, even as tourists or for business.
"I'm not going to have any outcome we put in place undermined by people coming back to our country through a separate visa process," Mr Dutton said.
Since the facility reopened four years ago, up to 10 Iranian and Iraqi asylum seekers have entered into spousal-type arrangements with staff and contracted charity workers, including volunteers from non-government organisations based there.
The revelation, reported in the Daily Telegraph comes days after an announcement the Federal Government would stop any refugee or asylum-seeker who arrived in Australia illegally by boat from ever being able to apply for a visa.
Spousal visas would also be included as part of the drastic changes to Migration Act, and "sham" marriages will be investigated.
A number of refugees have successfully returned to Australia on spouse or partner visas after accepting the government's $5,000 to $10,000 incentives to return to their country of origin, a source inside the detention centre system told the newspaper.
"I'm not going to allow an arrangement where people believe it's okay to enter into what are essentially sham relationships to come to Australia on a spouse visa or through some other means."
The changes to Section 501 of the Migration Act, moved on Sunday, are expected to be introduced as early as this week, with the lifetime ban on criminal immigrants to be put to parliament when it next sits.
Under the changes, anyone sentenced to a minimum of 12 months jail faces cancellation of their visa and deportation on "character grounds".
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