Wouldn’t it be nice if you could use a single login ID to renew your passport and driver’s license, see when mail was coming and pay government taxes all online? Well, if you’re from New Zealand, you may already be doing that and more with a service called RealMe. New Zealand’s Government is using RealMe to eliminate red tape and make doing things online easier and safer for individuals. If you’re interested in safe access management, contact Optimal IdM today or request a free trial of our IAM software.
What Is RealMe?
A verified RealMe account is a digital ID that works as efficiently as your primary physical ID. RealMe is a government sponsored program for the citizens of New Zealand to prove who they are online and benefit from immediate access to both government and corporate services based upon their verified identity. New Zealanders are using RealMe to safely and quickly access government websites and other secure sites throughout the Internet. And as more and more New Zealand sites begin using RealMe, the better the experience is for New Zealanders who have less user ID’s and passwords to manage.
How Does It Work?
RealMe is an Identity Federation service that provides identity assurance. That means that RealMe provides some level of certainty that the credential provider is who they say they are and the trusting parties have some uniquely identifiable and trusted identity data to allow access to services. You can choose from two types of RealMe New Zealand accounts:
- Login Account: Creating a Login Account with RealMe is much like signing up for any secure website. You create a username and password, then provide some fundamental security questions that only you know the answers to. Numerous New Zealand sites are already optimized to accept a RealMe login, including the Online Passport Service, the Companies Office, Council Services, Work and Income and StudyLink. You can quickly log in to any of these sites using the same RealMe username and password.
- Verified Account: A Verified Account adds additional levels of security to your account, including photo identification and more detailed personal identity information (PII), which you provide. The benefit of taking this additional verification step is that there are more citizen services available—e.g. student loans/allowance, opening a bank account, enroll to vote, etc.
RealMe provides end users the ability to securely upload and present their PII once, then every government and corporate service that trusts RealMe can trust that you are who you attest to be.
Why Do People in New Zealand Love RealMe?
Nearly 70% of the most common transitions for a citizen of New Zealand can be supported through RealMe. Immediate access to services without the need to find documents, commute to a government office, stand in line and then possibly be redirected to another office or presented with the need for more documentation. All of this can be done from the comfort of your home, or on the go with your mobile device.
Optimal IdM and RealMe
Optimal IdM is proud to count New Zealand’s government as one of our customers. We have provided RealMe integration for several of their agencies as well as other organizations around the globe. In fact, Optimal IdM’s Federation Broker and Virtual Directory Services are an ideal fit for the security needs of government organizations worldwide. 
If the idea of offering customers seamless and secure access to applications appeals to you, contact Optimal IdM today. We provide multiple solutions for safe access management that we can tailor to your specific needs. To learn more about Optimal IdM and tell us about your needs, contact us for a free, no-obligation trial of our services today. We’ll start to tailor an ideal Identity and Access Management system for you and your company as soon as we get your request.
