NZ passports being used illegally

New Zealand passports are popular because of the ease of travelling on them. File picture / Alan Gibson

An international border security exercise has detected numerous cases of New Zealand passports being used illegally.

Immigration Minister David Cunliffe said today the extent of passport fraud - 99 cases in five months - was a concern.

But he claimed the detection rate showed the exercise run by New Zealand, Australia and the United States was working.

"While some of those 99 cases may be mistakes, others will be genuine cases of passport fraud," he said on National Radio. "It's obviously a concern, but it's a good thing we're catching them."

New Zealand joined the border security exercise in March.

A computer system allows security and immigration officials to check the passport databases of all three countries to detect travellers using lost or stolen documents.

It is called the Regional Movement Alert List (RMAL) and Mr Cunliffe said in March it would contribute to more effective border security.

Australia and the US started the RMAL, believing enhanced passport security was essential to stop terrorists and criminals using lost or stolen passports to enter their countries.

New Zealand was the next country to join, and others are likely to now it has been shown to be successful.

A US Embassy spokeswoman said border authorities were very happy with the way the system was working.

Green Party MP Keith Locke said the 99 cases of New Zealand passports being used illegally seemed to be high, and he thought the reason was the easy access they provided to other countries.

Two Israeli agents, Uri Kelman and Eli Cara, were arrested in March 2004 and pleaded guilty to attempting to fraudulently obtain a New Zealand passport sparking a diplomatic row.

- NZPA