It is important to note that the vast majority of people who come to New Zealand to live, work and play have good intentions and smart effective identity resolution is one area that can assist in helping INZ make informed decisions and expedite decision making for these customers.

Unfortunately, there are a small minority of people who use identity fraud in an attempt to come to New Zealand, and this where biometrics can assist in countering fraudulent applications.

The solution ensures that the person presenting at the border or applying to enter is who they claim to be. Fraud may hide a criminal record, adverse immigration history or be used falsely to claim refugee status.

The Biometric Capability Update (BCU) project will update the existing INZ biometrics management, capture and matching solution. When completed, the update will improve efficiency and lower the number of cases which need manual intervention to resolve.

Information on how INZ uses biometric information and Privacy Impact Assessments is available here:

Biometric information

INZ has previously completed a Privacy Impact Assessment of its current identity management system in consultation with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. The BCU Project is conducting its own Privacy Impact Assessments to ensure the system update and any flow-on process changes continue to meet our privacy obligations.