Ausländerzentralregister

10:46 Sep 29, 2015 

... and the asker appears to have realised this and lost interest in the discussion.

13:07 Sep 28, 2015 

Thank you kindly Thomas!

13:01 Sep 28, 2015 

andyhd, you just proved that the question is not impossible to answer. You wrote "NZ Immigration have not (yet) officially named the various databases that record information about foreign nationals who have requested or obtained a residence permit" and I think that's a pragmatic and helpful answer to the question asked - probably the most useful answer given so far.

12:33 Sep 28, 2015 

I haven't see such a misguided discussion in a long time.

The poster asks an impossible question, because NZ Immigration have not (yet) officially named the various databases that record information about foreign nationals who have requested or obtained a residence permit. I doubt that there is a central record for this in NZ as there is in Germany.

Thomas's response to Phil is absurd. As if he complains about a pragmatic response to a traveller who asks about a Mc Donald's in a country without such restaurants.

12:50 Sep 26, 2015 

@andyhyd and Andrea Garfield-Barkworth:
NZ Immigration records does not mean the records of immigrants. NZ Immigration is short for "Immigration New Zealand", that's what the government agency is officially called. Their database (which does not seem to have a distinct name) are the immigration records. NZ Immigration simply denominates the government agency. They handle all non-nationals in- and out of NZ, including non-immigrants, i.e. Visitors or Working Holiday Makers.

11:56 Sep 26, 2015 

Phil, if a stranger asks you the way to the nearest Mc Donald's will you tell them the way or will you send them the other way because you think they really should go to a different restaurant with healthier menu options?

I see your point, Phil, but I don't know why Liza is looking for those NZ terms and what she needs them for and, frankly, it is none of my business. I trust that she knows what she's doing and I am happy to answer her question rather than a completely different question just because I think that's the question she should have asked.

08:18 Sep 26, 2015 

I seem to be in a minority of one here, but I feel everyone is giving Liza what she's asking for without questioning whether she's right.

In response to my answer, a literal translation, she says: "Ich meine, man kann ja nicht nur aus einer Sprache in die andere, sondern auch aus einer Kultur in die andere übersetzen. Und so etwas versuche ich zu machen."

This is not how translation works. You don't try to hide the fact that your source text comes from another country. For example, if it refers to the Eiffel Tower and your readers are in New Zealand, you don't go looking for the tallest building in Wellington.