Foreword

This Standard is part of the New Zealand E-government Interoperability Framework (NZ e-GIF) authentication standards. These outline good practice guidance for the design (or re-design) of the authentication component of online services where these services require confidence in the identity of the transacting parties. These standards give effect to the planning advice from the State Services Commission's 2004 Authentication for e-government: Best Practice Framework for Authentication.

This Standard sets out the process requirements for establishing the identity of individuals seeking government services. It should be used for all services, regardless of the delivery channel (i.e. it applies to both online and offline service delivery). It has been prepared for use by New Zealand government agencies.

This Standard will help to ensure that agencies implement evidence of identity (EOI) processes that are appropriate to the services they deliver and that adhere to current accepted good practice.

EOI refers to the types of evidence that when combined provide confidence that individuals are who they say they are. Government services containing identity-related risk will require an evidence of identity process, the comprehensiveness of which will depend on the level of identity-related risk in the particular service. This Standard provides guidance on how to design and operate these EOI processes appropriately.

Application of this Standard will assist with the management of identity theft and fraud, and the consequences that arise from these activities. However, application of this Standard does not guarantee complete mitigation of these risks nor will it prevent cases of administrative error in relation to the establishment of an individual's identity. Agencies should, therefore, apply this Standard alongside other good practice initiatives that assist in the reduction of identity theft and fraud and which prevent administrative error.

This Standard supersedes the Evidence of Identity Framework published in October 2004.