To sign electronically, you need to register with a trust service provider. This service must uniquely identify you with an audited identification method on-site or online and register your signature approval method, which you will use as your "digital pen" for signing.
The signature approval means (technical, also known as "authentication means") are available at the moment:
Mobile ID
Mobile ID is a 2-factor authentication solution that enables secure approval for the electronic signature. It is a free mobile app available in Android and iOS app stores. Whenever you want to sign a document electronically, you receive a Mobile ID request on your mobile phone and confirm it with your preferred locking method, e.g., Fingerprint or Face-ID.
You must activate the Mobile ID app before registering in our online registration portal SRS Ident. You can see our manual on how to activate the Mobile ID app [Link zum Knowledge Base Eintrag]
In Switzerland, you have Mobile ID SIM installed on your Swiss SIM card connected to a valid Swiss mobile number. You can activate Mobile ID SIM via the Mobile ID dashboard. You can see our manual on how to activate Mobile ID SIM [Link zum Knowledge Base Eintrag]
Hint: We recommend that you only activate on the Mobile ID method (either SIM or app)
Password and SMS code method (PWD/OTP)
If you don't want to install the Mobile ID before, you will register and set a secure password after the identification and receive a one-time code via SMS while accepting the terms of use for the first time. You can use this method to start the identification process with our partners, but you'll need to know your password well for each signature!
In conclusion, you often deal with two apps or two programs at the same time during the identification process with our online registration portal SRS Ident:
- The app or program of our identification partners that identify and register you. After identifying yourself, you can uninstall the app from your mobile phone or close the program.
- Mobile ID app/SIM or password and SMS one-time code combination that you always need for approving electronic signatures. This is used for the first time during the identification process to link your identification to your approval. It ensures that the signature approval method as your digital pen belongs to you.
The law also stipulates that you must accept the terms of use of the trust service. We'll be able to take advantage of this situation and have you sign these terms of use electronically during registration. This is your first time using your signature approval method, Mobile ID or password, and SMS code method (PWD/OTP). The terms of use will be:
- Either already accepted during registration (e.g., in the Auto-Ident procedure of the company NECT in the EU),
- You can follow registration using an SMS message that we send you in which there is a link to a website where the terms of use can be accepted.
So that you know, some procedures have to check your data in parallel in the background manually. A free operator must be available for this. For this reason, you may have to wait 15 minutes or longer for some automatic procedures.