Privacy Act 2020

Repeal, revocation, and consequential amendments

Schedule 3: Identity information

You could also call this:

"Who can see your identity information and why"

You can find information about identity verification in a table. The table lists agencies that can access your identity information. It also says why they need to access this information. You might need to verify your identity when you apply for a New Zealand travel document or a certificate of citizenship. Agencies like the Department of Corrections and the Ministry of Health can access your identity information for certain purposes. They can share this information with other agencies, like the New Zealand Police or the Registrar-General. Some agencies can verify your identity when you are in a Customs-controlled area or when you are applying for a visa. They can also verify your identity if you have been granted bail with an electronic monitoring condition. The Registrar-General can verify your identity when you apply for a name change registration.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS23735.

This page was last updated on 24 December 2025 — View changes

Topics:

Government and voting > Government departmentsCrime and justice > Police and safetyImmigration and citizenship > VisasImmigration and citizenship > Becoming a citizen

Schedule 2: Approved information sharing agreements, or

Schedule 4: Law enforcement information, or

3Identity information Empowered by ss 165, 168

This table is medium is size and has 3 columns. Column 1 is headed Accessing agency. Column 2 is headed Purpose for access. Column 3 is headed Holder agency.
Accessing agency	Purpose of access	Holder agency
Department of Corrections	To verify the identity of— a person under control or supervision (as defined in section 3(1) of the Corrections Act 2004): a person who, under section 30B of the Bail Act 2000, has been granted bail with an electronic monitoring condition	Department of Internal Affairs MBIE (Immigration) Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand (only in relation to special patients, restricted patients, and special care recipients) Ministry of Justice New Zealand Police New Zealand Transport Agency Registrar-General

Department of Internal Affairs	To verify the identity of a person who has applied for the issue of— a New Zealand travel document: a certificate of New Zealand citizenship: an electronic identity credential	Department of Corrections MBIE (Immigration) Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand (only in relation to special patients, restricted patients, and special care recipients) New Zealand Police New Zealand Transport Agency

MBIE (Immigration)	To verify the identity of a person— who is seeking to travel to New Zealand: who is arriving in or departing from New Zealand: who is applying for a visa: who an immigration officer has good cause to suspect— has committed an offence against the Immigration Act 2009: has obtained a visa under a fraudulent identity: is liable for deportation or turnaround: is unlawfully in New Zealand	Department of Corrections Department of Internal Affairs Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand (only in relation to special patients, restricted patients, and special care recipients) Ministry of Justice New Zealand Customs Service New Zealand Police New Zealand Transport Agency Registrar-General

Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand	To verify the identity of a person who— is being admitted, or returned, to a hospital as a special patient or restricted patient; or is being admitted, or returned, to a secure facility as a special care recipient	Department of Corrections Department of Internal Affairs MBIE (Immigration) New Zealand Police Registrar-General

New Zealand Customs Service	To verify the identity of a person who— is in a Customs-controlled area; and is departing, or attempting to depart, from New Zealand	Department of Corrections Department of Internal Affairs MBIE (Immigration) Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand (only in relation to special patients, restricted patients, and special care recipients) New Zealand Transport Agency Registrar-General

New Zealand Police	To verify the identity of a person— whose identifying particulars have been taken under section 32 or 33 of the Policing Act 2008: whose identifying particulars have been taken under section 11 of the Returning Offenders (Management and Information) Act 2015: who has breached, has attempted to breach, or is preparing to breach a condition of any sentence, or order imposed under any enactment, that the person not leave New Zealand	Department of Corrections Department of Internal Affairs MBIE (Immigration) Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand (only in relation to special patients, restricted patients, and special care recipients) New Zealand Customs Service New Zealand Transport Agency Registrar-General

Registrar-General	To verify the identity of a person who has applied for the registration of a name change	MBIE (Immigration) Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand (only in relation to special patients, restricted patients, and special care recipients) New Zealand Police New Zealand Transport Agency

Note: References in this schedule to the Department of Internal Affairs are references to the parts of the Department of Internal Affairs that administer the Citizenship Act 1977 and the Passports Act 1992. References in this schedule to MBIE (Immigration) are references to the part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment that administers the Immigration Act 2009. References in this schedule to the Registrar-General are references to the Registrar-General appointed under section 124(1) of the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Act 2021, and include a Deputy Registrar-General.

Notes

Schedule 3: amended, on 30 June 2024, by section 43 of the Pae Ora (Disestablishment of Māori Health Authority) Amendment Act 2024 (2024 No 5).
Schedule 3: amended, on 1 July 2022, by section 104 of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 (2022 No 30).
Schedule 3 note 3: amended, on 15 June 2023, by section 147 of the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Act 2021 (2021 No 57).