Ref: 2122-1629

 

Dear John,

 

On behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment I
acknowledge your email of 17th February 2022 requesting under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:

 

‘I would like to have the following information about the Advance
Passenger Processing (APP) system:

1. What is the detail process that the airline staff uses APP system to
check if a passenger is able board a flight for travel to New Zealand?

2. What information is collected from the APP system?

3. What information will the airline staff sees from APP system?

4. How long this information will be kept in the system?

5. If the passenger holds a visa or New Zealand citizen endorsement, will
the airline staff see which types of the visa or citizen endorsement?

6. Will the information collected by the APP system be shared with the
departing port authorities, such as foreign customs. If yes, what
information will be shared?’

 

 

Your request is being processed in accordance with the Act and a response
will be sent to you in due course.

 

If you have any enquiries regarding your request, or its urgency, feel
free to contact us via email at [1][MBIE request email].

 

Nâku noa, nâ

 

Ministerial Services

Corporate, Governance and Information  |   Ngâ Pou o te Taumaru

Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

15 Stout Street, Wellington 6011 |  P O Box 1473 Wellington 6140

 

 

[2]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
services

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References

Visible links
1. mailto:[MBIE request email]
mailto:[MBIE request email]
2. http://www.govt.nz/

Kia Ora John

Thank you for your below request via fyi.org.nz of 17 February 2022. We are currently processing your request, however we would like to check under Section 12 of the Act, which provides that a person may make a request where they are:

* a New Zealand citizen; or
* a permanent resident of New Zealand; or * a person who is in New Zealand; or * a body corporate which is incorporated in New Zealand; or * a body corporate which is incorporated outside New Zealand but which has a place of business in New Zealand.

MBIE requires more information to establish your compliance with section 12. An original of any one of the following items is acceptable as a demonstration of your eligibility:

* A recent bill from the company who supplies your power, gas, water, phone or internet services * Council rates notice * A letter from the Electoral Office * Travel itinerary * Anything from a government agency that includes your name and address * Unexpired Rental or Tenancy Agreement.

A scanned copy of one of the above can be sent to [email address]

Once MBIE receives this additional information from you, and is satisfied that the requirements of section 12 have been met, we will respond to your request.

If you do not meet the eligibility criteria of section 12, MBIE will still consider your request. Please respond to us by 23 February 2022 with evidence of your eligibility under the Act.

Regards,
Jack

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Kia ora John

Thank you for your response.

We have considered your response and we will provide you with some information in response to your request in due course.

Regards,
Jack

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Dear John

Thank you again for your below request. Although you have not demonstrated that you are able to request information under the Official Information Act 1982, we have decided to provide you with some general information to assist you with your questions.

In the first instance, you may wish to visit the following link on the Immigration New Zealand (INZ) website:

https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us...

In relation to your particular questions, we can advise as below:

1. What is the detail process that the airline staff uses APP system to check if a passenger is able board a flight for travel to New Zealand?

Each particular airline has their own internal processes to follow. INZ is simply the receiver of the information that they are submitting. As such, INZ is unable to comment on this question.

2. What information is collected from the APP system?

The information that is collected from the APP system helps ensure that a passenger meets INZ's requirements for travelling to New Zealand. This includes the passenger's name, passport number and country of issue, nationality, date of birth and gender. Please note that under the Immigration Act 2009, airlines must provide APP information about every passenger and crew member on their flights coming to or leaving New Zealand, even passengers who are only in transit.

3. What information will the airline staff sees from APP system?

When APP information is submitted by the airline, it interacts with INZ's database to assess whether a passenger meets immigration requirements for travel to New Zealand. As with question 1, INZ is unable to comment on what airline staff see on their own systems.

4. How long this information will be kept in the system?

INZ keeps APP data for five years, and then it is archived. APP data is collected, stored, used and disclosed in accordance with relevant law, including the Immigration Act 2009, the Immigration (Carriers' Information Obligations) Regulations 2010, and the Privacy Act 2020.

5. If the passenger holds a visa or New Zealand citizen endorsement, will the airline staff see which types of the visa or citizen endorsement?

We would refer again to our answer under question 3. Please note, however, that in all cases a passenger may voluntarily choose to show the airline staff member any immigration evidence that they may have.

6. Will the information collected by the APP system be shared with the departing port authorities, such as foreign customs. If yes, what information will be shared?

Where necessary, INZ discloses APP and PNR data to other government authorities in New Zealand and overseas, in particular to law enforcement agencies. Disclosure is carried out in accordance with the Immigration Act 2009 and Privacy Act 2020.

We hope this information answers your questions.
Regards
Jack

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