22 July 2026
Mr Ross
[FYI request #34913 email]
DOIA REQ-0034838
Tēnā koe Mr Ross
Thank you for your email of 23 June 2026 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
(MBIE) requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:
I request, under the Official Information Act 1982, the current policy, standard operating
procedure, operational instruction, guidance, manual extract, checklist, training material, or
other document that governs or guides the use of translation applications by Immigration New
Zealand staff during border interviews, border questioning, or border turnaround decision-
making.
For the purposes of this request, “translation applications” means machine translation tools,
smartphone translation applications, online translation services, speech-to-text translation
tools, text-to-speech translation tools, or any other automated translation technology used to
communicate with non-English-speaking travellers during border questioning or interviews.
If there is no specific document about translation applications, please provide the current
document or documents that govern or guide language assistance at the border, including
when an interpreter is required, how staff assess whether a traveller understands the
questions being asked, and how language assistance is to be recorded in border interview
notes, case notes, or decision records.
If INZ still considers that this narrowed request would require substantial collation or research,
please identify what information INZ can provide without substantial collation or research.
We reached out to you to rescope your request on 23 June 2026, and you responded the same day to
confirm that you were replacing your request with the updated request above.
Our Response
Please find the information you have requested in the attached appendices. As requested, we are
providing the current documents that govern or guide language assistance at the border as there are
no specific documents relating to the use of translation applications. Some information in Appendix 3
has been identified as out of scope of your request.
Appendix 1 – Provision of Translators
Appendix 2 - Language Comprehension
Appendix 3 – Recording Interviews at Border
Please be advised that some of the information in the appendices is withheld under the following
provisions of the Act:
•
Section 6(c) as the disclosure of the information would be likely to prejudice the maintenance
of the law, including prevention, investigation, and detection of offences, and the right to a
fair trial.
•
Section 9(2)(ba)(i) as making the information available would be likely to prejudice the
supply of similar information, or information from the same source, and it is in the
public interest that such information continue to be supplied.
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.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, please contact
[email address]. Nāku noa, nā
Richard Owen
General Manager
Immigration Risk and Border
Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
