Dear Department of Internal Affairs,

My current New Zealand passport, issued in 2022, has experienced significant and persistent cover curling since shortly after it was issued. During a recent overseas trip, a foreign border official questioned the condition of the passport, asking whether the significant curling was due to water damage. Although I explained that it had not been exposed to water and was simply in its natural state, the incident caused unnecessary stress and concern at the border. This was the first time I have faced such scrutiny while travelling, and it has raised serious concerns for me about the physical quality of our passports. As a result, I feel compelled to raise this matter formally and seek information about whether the Department intends to address this issue in future designs.

It has been reported in media that the DIA plans to release a newly designed New Zealand passport in 2027. I would like to request the following information:

1. Will the Department be reviewing the quality including the material used for the passport cover as part of the redesign, particularly in relation to the ongoing issue of cover curling?

2. Please provide any internal assessments, reports, or communications in the context of addressing cover curling in the new design.

3. New Zealand passports use a thin flexible cover. The cover is sensitive to heat, humidity, or changes in pressure which makes it curl, especially around the edges. Many other countries use more rigid binding methods, making their passports more resistant to curling. Please provide detailed explanation regarding the choice of material used for New Zealand's passport cover currently, and whether using materials to produce a harder and more resistant cover would mean increased production costs?

Several news articles have quoted DIA spokesperson stating that many countries also use the same type of material used in the New Zealand passport cover. However, this explanation does not address the issue adequately. Please do not produce the same talking points that are already publicly available for this OIA response.

The fact remains that passports from a large number of countries such as Spain, Germany, China and others do not suffer from the same degree of cover curling experienced by New Zealand passport holders. It is therefore essential that we look beyond material similarities and focus on actual performance outcomes. Learning from countries that use different materials or construction methods, particularly those that result in more durable and curl-resistant covers, should be a key part of improving the quality and reliability of the New Zealand passport in future designs.

Given my personal frustrating experience at a foreign border, I don't think it's acceptable to place the burden on New Zealand passport holders to mitigate a potential design flaw. Passports are official identity documents meant to withstand standard international travel use without the need for additional protection or user intervention such as putting the passport in between books to address curling (which does not work), I believe this is an important matter of public interest.

I look forward to your response within the statutory timeframe.

Yours faithfully,

Mr Lee