10 September 2025
45 Pipitea Street, Wellington 6011
Phone +64 4 495 7200
dia.govt.nz
Felix Lee
fyi-request-31999-
[email address]
Tēnā koe Felix
OIA request 2526/0173 Request for Digital Photo Identification
Thank you for your Official Information Act (Act) request received by the Department of Internal
Affairs (Department) on 13 August 2025.
You requested –
•
I understand DIA has a proof of concept Digital Photo ID.
I would like to request documents that show the features and capabilities of this ID.
I am also interested in the design of this ID. Please send me documents that show the
final design adopted and also other designs that were considered or rejected.
If there's a document that describes the meaning and symbology of the final design I
would like that too
In response to your request, I can provide you with the following information.
‘Digital Photo ID’ has been interpreted as referring to a phrase made by the Hon Judith Collins,
who holds the portfolio of Minister for Digitising Government at the Digital Identity New
Zealand Hui Taumata 2025. A transcript of that speech can be found at the following link:
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/digital-identity-nz-trust-hui-taumata. The term ‘Digital
Photo ID’ was used in the Minister’s speech as a straightforward way to describe the initiative
for the public, but it is not the official name of the Pilot being run by the Department.
The Digital Photo ID is part of the government's commitment to modernising identity
verification. In this case, it was used to describe the work undertaken by Regulatory Identity
Services branch to create “Verifiable Credentials” - digital versions of the information held by
the Department. The initiative supports secure, user-friendly, and privacy-enhancing digital
interactions both in-person and online. In 2023, we ran a proof of concept, publishing the
results and findings. You can find this information under the following link:
https://www.digitalidentity.dia.govt.nz/services/verifiable-credentials, which includes a video of
the credentials.
Therefore, I must refuse this part of your request under 18(d) of the Act; that the information
requested is publicly available.
I must advise that for the Verifiable Credentials work to date, the Department has not
undertaken a design process, choosing standard branding for the Pilot using the Department’s
logo that is black and white in colour.
Therefore, I must refuse this part of your request under 18(g) of the Act; that the information
requested is not held by the department or venture or Minister of the Crown or organisation
and the person dealing with the request has no grounds for believing that the information is
either held by another department.
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. All requestor data,
including your name and contact details, will be removed prior to release. The released
response will be made available here:
https://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
Regulatory and Identity Services
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