7 March 2025
45 Pipitea Street, Wel ington 6011
Phone +64 4 495 7200
dia.govt.nz
John Luke
fyi-request-29998-
[email address]
Tēnā koe John
OIA request 24/25 0746 Request for Honorifics in travel documents
Thank you for your Official Information Act (Act) request received by the Department of Internal
Affairs (Department) on 7 February 2025.
You requested –
1. 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.
2. I am particular interest in how you handling the customary pacific island title, e.g.
Winston Peters given chiefly Samoan title https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/peters-given-
chiefly-samoan-title/FZL7TYT2W4W6C5JFROYY72CTEA/#google_vignette
In response to your request, I can provide you with the fol owing information.
Question one
I refer you to Appendix A – Names to be displayed in a passport policy for New Zealand
Passports, which is policy and guidance document from Tuwhiria Te Tikanga (Tuwhiria).
Tuwhiria is the Department’s online operational policy resource and knowledge management
system. The main purpose for this system is to have standardised business knowledge across
service delivery and operations, which enables staff to find the correct information quickly and
ensure consistent application of the most up to date accurate policies and procedures by al
staff.
Question two
I can advise that Pacific Island customary titles are not recognised for passport purposes in New
Zealand with the exception that in some countries, a title is recorded as part of a person’s name.
If that person is granted New Zealand citizenship and the title appears on their citizenship
certificate, it can be regarded as a forename for passport purposes and be left in its original
form.
As this information may be of interest to other members of the public, the Department has
decided to proactively release a copy of this response on the DIA website. Al requestor data,
including your name and contact details, wil be removed prior to release. The released
response wil be made available here: www.dia.govt.nz/Official-Information-Act-Requests-2.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi
Julia Taylor
Manager Operational Policy and Official Correspondence
Service Delivery and Operations
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