Passport Policy and Regulations
Jon Le Mercier made this Official Information request to Department of Internal Affairs
The request was successful.
From: Jon Le Mercier
Dear Department of Internal Affairs,
I wish to make a request for information in accordance with the Official Information Act (1982).
Please provide any notes, regulations, guidelines, policies or other document used to determine what personal titles, honorifics, ranks or designations are or are not deemed acceptable/appropriate for inclusion in NZ travel documents. I would prefer this information in electronic format please.
Yours faithfully,
Jon Le Mercier
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From: Geoff May
Department of Internal Affairs
Dear Mr Le Mercier
Attached is the response to your email of 31 October 2013 requesting
information regarding Regulations, guidelines, policies used to determine
what personal titles, honorific’s, ranks or designations are or are not
deemed acceptable / appropriate for inclusion in New Zealand Travel
documents.
Yours sincerely
Geoff May
General Manager, Passports Uruwhenua
Passports Uruwhenua
Service Delivery and Operations Branch
The Department of Internal Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua
Direct Dial: +64 4 382 3469
Fax: +64 4 382 3403
Mobile: +64 21 936 237
120 Victoria St
Box 10-526, Wellington
New Zealand
[1]www.dia.govt.nz
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From: Jon Le Mercier
Dear Geoff May,
Thank you for your letter dated "28 September 2013". How you managed to reply to my letter before I made the request I will not know!
I am grateful for the extract of the policy that outlines certain titles, however, I seek clarification on one point 1) It appears that the list is restricted to politicians that are/have reached the executive level, judges and former judges and the PM in addition to knights and dames (but not knights wives 'Ladies') who may have their honorifics/titles included in the passport.
I sought information in my request as to "notes, regulations, guidelines policies or other document used to determine what personal titles were acceptable "I.e how did the department come to the decision that the only the select group were 'acceptable'. Please provide this information particularly why the title "Dr" (a title for life once one has completed a doctorate at University, our High Commissioner Sir Lockwood Smith is an example prior to being raised to the knightage --> Dr the Rt Hon Lockwood Smith) and to Medical Doctors (A title afforded while registered with the Medical Council of NZ - an example being the current Member of Parliament for Hunua Dr Paul Hutchison) - is deemed 'unacceptable' when it forms an essential part of the identity of the holder in the same way 'Hon' does for certain politicians and judges.
Yours sincerely,
Jon Le Mercier
From: Geoff May
Department of Internal Affairs
Dear Mr Le Mercier
Attached is my response to your Official Information act request regarding
the use of honorific's (Titles) in the New Zealand passport.
Kind Regards
Geoff May
General Manager, Passports
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