In 2025, MBIE commissioned Greg James to conduct an independent review of lessons learned from the Biometrics Capability Update (BCU) project.
This page publishes the review’s appendices, released under the Official Information Act. Together, the appendices comprise around 400 documents of varying sizes.
A copy of the independent review is also available below. Minor redactions have been made to protect personal privacy and commercially sensitive information, including information relating to negotiations.
The Biometric Capability Update (BCU) project was initiated to modernise Immigration New Zealand’s (INZ) Identity Management (IDme) solution by upgrading the NEC biometric algorithm, improving system…
PDF, 435KB, 33 pages
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From May to September 2020, updates were provided approximately fortnightly during the early phase of the project. While Biometric Capability Update and In-Person Enrolment were treated as separate pr…
PDF, 10MB, 71 pages
External and internal reviews conducted between June 2020 to October 2025.
PDF, 32MB, 219 pages
Weekly Ministerial dashboards from May to November 2025, covering project status, testing progress, go-live planning, and commercial updates.
PDF, 3MB, 16 pages
Regular updates on the delivery of the Biometric Capability Update from August 2022, covering testing progress, defect management, commercial negotiations, Cabinet approvals, and overall project statu…
PDF, 9.5MB, 230 pages
Regular updates on the delivery of the Biometric Capability Update from August 2022, covering testing progress, defect management, commercial negotiations, Cabinet approvals, and overall project statu…
PDF, 11MB, 126 pages
Memos from April 2023 to December 2025, providing routine and regular reporting to the Delivery Governance Board. The reports covered recent activities, current project status, and upcoming milestones…
PDF, 4.6MB, 116 pages
Strategic options paper prepared for the Delivery Governance Board in November 2023
PDF, 3.2MB, 25 pages
Reports, briefings, and updates provided to the Minister between November 2021 and December 2025.
PDF, 11MB, 31 pages
Reports, briefings, and updates provided to the Minister between November 2021 and December 2025.
PDF, 20MB, 94 pages
Steering Group meeting minutes covering governance oversight, project status reporting, requirements development, design reviews, risk management, change requests and key project decisions.
PDF, 19MB, 181 pages
Steering Group meeting minutes covering governance oversight, project status reporting, requirements development, design reviews, risk management, change requests and key project decisions.
PDF, 25MB, 275 pages
Steering Group meeting minutes covering governance oversight, project status reporting, requirements development, design reviews, risk management, change requests and key project decisions.
PDF, 23MB, 253 pages
Steering Group meeting minutes covering governance oversight, project status reporting, requirements development, design reviews, risk management, change requests and key project decisions.
PDF, 23MB, 189 pages
Steering Group meeting minutes covering governance oversight, project status reporting, requirements development, design reviews, risk management, change requests and key project decisions.
PDF, 25MB, 146 pages
Steering Group meeting minutes covering governance oversight, project status reporting, requirements development, design reviews, risk management, change requests and key project decisions.
PDF, 20MB, 137 pages
Steering Group meeting minutes covering governance oversight, project status reporting, requirements development, design reviews, risk management, change requests and key project decisions.
PDF, 24MB, 135 pages
Terms of Reference issued approximately annually between September 2020 and February 2023, outlining the governance structure, Steering Group purpose, roles and responsibilities, escalation pathways,…
PDF, 9.9MB, 71 pages
Solution architecture and design documentation for the Biometric Capability Update and In-Person Enrolment projects, covering the period from October 2020 to October 2025. Largely redacted on security…
PDF, 1.5MB, 30 pages
Solution architecture and design documentation for the Biometric Capability Update and In-Person Enrolment projects, covering the period from October 2020 to October 2025. Largely redacted on security…
PDF, 3.2MB, 43 pages
Correspondence between MBIE and NEC regarding the pausing and subsequent termination of the project at the end of 2025.
PDF, 1.1MB, 19 pages
Test documentation from October 2020 to November 2025, including test plans, test exit reports, System Integration Testing (SIT) and User Acceptance Testing (UAT) results, defect logs, and related tes…
PDF, 11MB, 302 pages
Six main change requests and related documents.
PDF, 39MB, 355 pages
Formal correspondence between MBIE and NEC from March 2022 to December 2023.
PDF, 1.6MB, 23 pages
Includes 3 years of Biometric Capability Update project updates.
PDF, 20MB, 148 pages
Business, functional, and non-functional requirements documentation. Largely redacted on security grounds.
PDF, 4MB, 5 pages
Business, functional, and non-functional requirements documentation. Largely redacted on security grounds.
PDF, 14MB, 109 pages
Business, functional, and non-functional requirements documentation. Largely redacted on security grounds.
PDF, 1.6MB, 22 pages
Release notes
Some information has been removed from the published documents under the Official Information Act. Redaction marks and, where appropriate, the relevant withholding grounds should be shown in the released file. Only the final approved redacted copy may be published.
| Code | Brief description |
|---|---|
| s 6(a) | Information that could prejudice New Zealand's security or defence interests. |
| s 6(c) | Information that could prejudice the maintenance of the law, including the prevention, investigation, or detection of offences. |
| s 9(2)(a) | Personal information relating to identifiable individuals. |
| s 9(2)(b)(i) | Information that would disclose a trade secret. |
| s 9(2)(b)(ii) | Information that could cause commercial disadvantage or harm if released. |
| s 9(2)(ba)(i) | Information provided in confidence where release would likely prejudice the future supply of similar information. |
| s 9(2)(ba)(ii) | Information where release would damage the public interest by breaching an obligation of confidence. |
| s 9(2)(f)(iv) | Information withheld to maintain constitutional conventions, including the confidentiality of advice to Ministers. |
| s 9(2)(g)(i) | Internal opinions expressed to support effective decision-making. |
| s 9(2)(g)(ii) | Information withheld to protect officials and employees from improper pressure or harassment. |
| s 9(2)(h) | Information protected by legal professional privilege. |
| s 9(2)(i) | Information relating to commercial negotiations that could be prejudiced by release. |
| s 9(2)(j) | Information that could prejudice ongoing or future government negotiations. |
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