A passport application by an Asian engineering student was denied by a facial recognition system that mistakenly interpreted his eyes as closed, prompting accusations of racism.

Richard Lee, who was born in Taiwan and is a New Zealand citizen, had been trying to renew his passport after spending time in Australia. 

However, the system erroneously determined that Lee's eyes were closed in his submission. Lee was eventually able to submit a new photo that was accepted, and his passport was renewed.

The New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs responded to the incident by telling journalists the software was 'one of the most technologically advanced in the world' and that 'Up to 20 per cent of photos submitted online are rejected for a large variety of reasons.'