Dear Mark Mitchell,

South African passport holders resident in New Zealand, who are 16 years and older, who need fo apply for a new passport because their South African passport has expired and who apply from outside of South Africa, must complete a full set of fingerprints form (DHA-9).

It used to be the case that new passport applicants could download the abovementioned blank forms from the website of the South African High Commission in Wellington. From there they would write the required information on the form and then visit their local Police Station and have an officer authorised to take fingerprints capture theirs on the form.. The completed and fingerprinted form would then be posted to the South African High Commission together with the completed passport application form, two passports photographs and the expired passport, together with a bank cheque covering the relevant fee. An affordable, efficient and speedy way in other words to apply for a new adult South African passport.

Against the abovementioned backdrop I was honestly and understandably deeply shocked to have learnt over the course of the past few days that: the past few days that;

1. All New Zealand resident South African adult passport applicants MUST travel to Wellington.to meet with a South Africa High Commission staff member who is purportedly now the only persons permitted to take fingerprints. (Supposedly there is a South African Government Regulation underpinning this apparent legal requirement but I have not been able to find a copy of it anywhere on the internet), and, I frankly do not believe it even exists)..

2. The duration of the appointment with a South Africa High Commission staff member is 15 minutes. The distance from Hamilton where I live and Wellington where the South Africa High Commission is based is 524 km's (via SH 1). This journey takes at least 7 1/4 hours to complete (with a single bathroom and/or refreshment break).

3. I have been told on good authority that the ONLY reason South African adult passport applicants MUST travel to Wellington is that the New Zealand Police refused (a long time ago) and for no apparent or explained reason, to continue providing the service of taking fingerprints for the purpose of South African passport applications.

4. The cost of a new South African adult passport is $114. How do I, or any other New Zealand resident South African needing to apply for a new South African passport, justify the cost of travelling down to Wellington, return, when knowing that even at the cheapest prices doing this journey by air plane, train or car will blow the aforementioned, reasonable, fee 'out of the water' to a cost of more than $1,000. (The passport applicant I am trying to assist does not like plane or train travel, and doing this journey by car will of course necessitate a night spent at a cheap motel as travelling 1,048 km.'s in less than 15 hours (allowing for the 15 minute appointment) would be a most reckless and dangerous thing for any driver to do.

Minutes before starting to draft this information request I read the following advice at the Canberra South Africa High Commission website; "Fingerprints can be taken at the nearest police station ... To obtain the DHA-9 finger print form please send a self-addressed, prepaid, ordinary post envelope (A4 size with correct postage stamps) or an express post envelope, to the South African High Commission, State Circle, Yarralumla, Canberra 2600. Please include a cover note requesting the form and quoting applicant(s) full name and RSA ID number(s)"

I strongly believe that South African residents in New Zealand are suffering discrimination when comparing the New Zealand Police's apparent policy to the Australian Police's apparent policy on taking fingerprints for the purpose of applying for a new adult South African passport. Kindly therefore provide me with the following information under the Official Information Act:

1. A copy of the law, regulation, policy or other legal and/or official instrument or directive that records the apparent decision by New Zealand Police not to continue taking fingerprints for the purpose described above.

2. The cause and reason for the apparent decision by New Zealand Police not to continue taking fingerprints for the purpose described above.

3. What consultation did the New Zealand Police do with the parties affected by the apparent decision by New Zealand Police not to continue taking fingerprints for the purpose described above.

4. Confirmation of the date on which the law, regulation, policy or other legal and/or official instrument or directive took effect.

5. Copies of all relevant New Zealand Police internal correspondence and other related documents as well as all relevant New Zealand Police external correspondence and other related documents (with the likes of, but not limited to, the South African High Commission, Wellington and Dr. Motsoaledi, Minister of Home Affairs, Pretoria, South Africa, and, the South African High Commission, Canberra, Australia on the matters outlined in this request).

Regards, MRM