Newly Established Biometric Partnership Proving its Worth
 
One year on from the implementation of an international fingerprint checking system, biometric information sharing is yielding excellent results says Immigration New Zealand (INZ). 
 
Since January 2011, approximately 440 people have been checked by INZ using this system.  Of these checks, 101 matches were received including people who were matched by more than one country. Thirty-seven matches were able to provide vital identity fraud information, concealed criminal history or immigration fraud intelligence to Immigration New Zealand.
 
“International data sharing on identity and criminality with trusted partners is the way of the future. It improves the integrity of the immigration system, speeds up decision making and strengthens the security of our border,” says Immigration’s Identity Programme Manager, Arron Baker.   
 
The system is managed by the Five Country Conference (FCC), which is made up of the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Canada.
 
“We need to maintain parity with our partner’s immigration and border security systems to keep New Zealand safe in a world where risks are constantly changing.”
 
It has been estimated that each case of immigration fraud has the potential to cost New Zealand $30,000, and in many cases much more. 
 
“Identifying these cases and stopping these people from entering or remaining in New Zealand has many benefits, ranging from protecting the border to preventing further costs down the line,” says Mr Baker.
The FCC partnership has allowed Immigration New Zealand to use resources more effectively and reduce downstream costs such as long and complex case investigations and the use of Legal Aid, public housing and welfare benefits by people attempting to exploit the immigration system. This has meant that such resources can be channeled towards genuine migrants.
 
While the system is based on the free flow of information between the five countries, strong privacy and data security protections are built into every step of the process.
 
The New Zealand Police store Immigration New Zealand fingerprints and assist in the assessment of potential matches.
 
“The partnership we have with the Police is a great example of government agencies collaborating to reduce costs, share resources and make New Zealand a safer place.”
 
The new Immigration Global Management System (IGMS) will see further improvements to Immigration New Zealand’s identity management systems, enabling real-time biometric checks internationally as well as introducing face biometrics and biometric alert-lists.
 
ENDS

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