US rapper Snoop Dogg must pass a character assessment test before Australian immigration officials will allow him to perform in the country.

The rapper, whose real name is Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr., is scheduled to tour Australia in October alongside fellow hip-hop star Ice Cube.

Broadus Jr applied for a visa in July but was told that he faces further assessment, including his criminal history, before it could be granted.

A spokesperson for the department of immigration denied reports that suggested Broadus Jr had already been granted a visa.

The rapper has visited Australia three times – in 1998, 2006 and 2007 – without incident, but failed to pass requirements last year as a result of drug and gun charges in America.

Snoop Dogg is currently involved in a visa battle with UK immigration officials following an incident at Heathrow Airport.

(by Jason Gregory)