SYDNEY, Australia The immigration department said Wednesday it was conducting a character assessment of Snoop Dogg, including his criminal history, as Australia considers whether to grant the rapper a visa for a concert tour later this year.

A department spokesman said reports the visa had already been granted were false.

He said the rapper, whose birth name is Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr., applied for a visa in July and the department carried out a preliminary assessment. Snoop Dogg and fellow hip-hop star Ice Cube plan an Australian concert tour in October.

"The department has now decided to do a full assessment of the character of Mr. Broadus, and the department has begun this assessment," the spokesman said, speaking on condition of anonymity as required by the department.

He said Snoop Dogg had been notified of the further assessment.

The spokesman said the rapper has visited Australia three times: in 1998, 2006 and 2007, without incident, though he did overstay his visa by two days on the last visit.

Snoop Dogg withdrew his application for a visa to Australia last year when he failed to pass the character requirements after pleading no contest to gun and drug charges in the United States.