US rapper Chris Brown has 28 days to show why he should be allowed into Australia.
The 26-year-old singer, who is due to arrive for a series of concerts in December, has been issued with a formal notice from Australian officials stating they intend to refuse his visa on character grounds.
The R&B star was convicted in 2009 of assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna.
He was sentenced to five years' probation, a year-long domestic violence program and 180 days of community labour.
Immigration Minister Chris Dutton told AAP on Sunday that Brown had been given the "Notice of Intention to Consider Refusal", which allows him 28 days to present material as to why he should be given a visa.
"Decisions on whether a visa will or will not be issued are made after that timeframe and consideration of the material presented to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection," Mr Dutton said.
Activist group GetUp, which has endorsed the ban on Brown entering Australia, says the move sends a strong signal that the government is willing to condemn violence against women.
"Australia is at a crisis point with men's violence against women," GetUp campaigner Sally Rugg said.
Last week, the government announced a $100 million package to tackle domestic violence and support women escaping abusing relationships.
