Government Expands RealMe to Seven Additional Private Sector Organisations

Additionally, MyMahi, a platform involved in the tertiary study enrolment process, has been collaborating with the Department of Internal Affairs to streamline enrolments.

Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden has announced that the Government is expanding access to the RealMe Identity Verification Service (RealMe) to seven more private sector organisations, including financial services companies and online education providers.

"This expansion will bring significant cost and time savings to individuals needing to verify their identity for various services, while also assisting organisations in meeting compliance obligations such as anti-money laundering requirements," said Ms. van Velden.

One of the beneficiaries of this expansion is the Early Childhood Council (ECC), which has received approval to use RealMe. This development will be particularly beneficial for early childhood education providers, as ECE workers are required to undergo identity checks every three years under the Children’s Act.

"RealMe offers a digital solution for completing these essential checks, which is especially useful when workers do not have the necessary hard-copy documents. This approval will greatly enhance our systems designed to keep children in ECE safer," said Simon Laube, Chief Executive of the ECC.

Additionally, MyMahi, a platform involved in the tertiary study enrolment process, has been collaborating with the Department of Internal Affairs to streamline enrolments. "Our partnership can reduce the enrolment process from over a month to just ten minutes, a change that can be life-changing for students and their families," said Matt Webb, MyMahi Partnership Director.

RealMe is already used by a variety of authorised agencies, including registered banks, real estate agents, and accountants, to provide their customers with secure identity verification options. Ms. van Velden noted that organisations using RealMe are required to offer alternative methods for customers to verify their identity.

The service, which allows New Zealanders to prove their identity online without needing to present documents in person, has become a popular method for tasks such as opening bank accounts, renewing passports, and enrolling to vote. As of August 2024, RealMe has more than 1.5 million verified identities.

A communications service provider that recently adopted RealMe highlighted the service's benefits in verifying customer identities and reducing fraud. "The 'know your customer' aspect of RealMe helps us ensure that people are who they claim to be when purchasing our products and services," the provider stated.

For more information about RealMe IVS and to sign up for access, visit RealMe. Businesses interested in adopting the RealMe IVS service can contact business@realme.govt.nz for advisory and integration support.