Justice Centre | 19 Aitken Street
DX SX10088 | Wel ington
T 04 918 8800 |
F 04 918 8820
[email address] | www.justice.govt.nz
10 February 2025
Felix Lee
[FYI request #29742 email]
Ref: OIA 118754
Tēnā koe Felix
Official Information Act request: Criminal record checks
Thank you for your email of 14 January 2025 to the Ministry of Justice (the Ministry),
regarding identification requirements for criminal record checks. Specifically, you requested:
I would like to make an OIA requirement relating to the Valid Identification
requirement for the Criminal Record Check website:
https://www.criminalrecords.govt.nz/Individual
Currently, you can provide a scan of passport, driver licence, or firearms licence, a
Proof of Identity Form or a Statutory Declaration to complete the Valid Identification
requirement.
I want to request:
1. The other ID requirements that were considered, but rejected, during the
development of this process, and why they are rejected. In particular, why is
RealMe Verified not one of the ID accepted.
2. Are there plans to support RealMe Verified as one of the accepted ID.
3. Are there plans to support a digital ID issued under the Digital Identity
Services Trust Framework as one of the accepted ID
Your request has been referred to me for a response, as it falls within my responsibilities as
Group Manager, National Service Delivery, and is being managed in accordance with the
provisions of the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act). I am responding to your each of your
requests in turn.
Request 1
I am refusing this request under section 18(e) of the Act, as the information does not exist.
There were no other options considered at the time the Proof of Identity form was created.
The Identification Standards as set by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) were used by
the Ministry when creating this process in 2018, along with its obligations under principles 5
and 10 and section 45 of the Privacy Act 1993.
Further information on the previous standards can be found at the following link:
Identity
Standard - replaced. Please note that the guidelines were replaced in March 2021 and can
now be found here:
Identification Standards - Current.
Request 2
While the Ministry is always open to improving options for identity management for criminal
record checks, we are not considering RealMe as an option at this time.
Request 3
The use of Digital IDs is not being considered at this time, as DIA have advised that there
are no plans to accept a Digital Identity Services Trust Framework accredited Digital ID.
However, DIA may reconsider this in the future as digital IDs become more widely available.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Ministry website at
: Of icial Information Act responses. If you require any further information, please contact Media & Social Media Manager Joe
Locke at [email address]
If you are not satisfied with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman under section 28(3) of the Act. The Office of the Ombudsman may be
contacted by email to [email address] or by phone on 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Tracey Baguley
Group Manager, National Service Delivery
