An electronic signature in Spain can greatly simplify your life: electronic document management is incredibly popular in Spain. In many administrative processes, it acts as an alternative to paper workflow, but there are also a number of bureaucratic procedures in which the electronic form of interaction between the applicant and the official body is the only possible (for example, when obtaining Spanish citizenship).
The advantage of electronic document management is the ability to resolve many issues directly from a personal computer or phone, without contacting government agencies or personally contacting officials. The downside is the need to first understand the technical nuances and operating principles of the system: in Spain there is no centralized service for working with citizens, and each authority has its own specifics and features.
Let’s look at the basic terms and general principles of Spanish document management. And we will start with an electronic signature. In most cases, “electronic signature” is used as a synonym for “electronic certificate” in articles and conversations. In fact, these two terms mean different things and are not interchangeable.
Electronic signature in Spain (Firma electrónica)
An electronic signature in Spain is a legal mechanism and method for identifying and verifying the person who signed a document (on par with a handwritten signature or facsimile). The main goals of an electronic signature are guaranteed and error-free identification of the signatory, as well as the inability to challenge the fact of signing in the future.
Special attention is paid to the security and reliability of electronic signatures in Spain: to date, there is not a single case of theft or forgery of electronic certificates.
Digital signature in Spain (Firma digital)
A digital signature in Spain is the set of numbers, letters and special characters that we see on any document signed electronically. A digital signature is also a verification code: as a rule, it is accompanied by a link to the official website, where you can verify the authenticity of the document and identify the person who signed it.
Portal of electronic services in Spain (Sede Electrónica)
As we noted above, in Spain, each ministry and department, as well as regional and local governments, have their own electronic service portals linked to official websites.
Sede Electrónica is a special section of websites where document flow occurs in electronic form in connection with users’ personal accounts. Access to personal accounts can be carried out either using the familiar system with a login and password, or using an electronic certificate or the cl@ve system (more on them below).
For example, through the Sede Electrónica of the tax service, you can submit tax returns, request certificates of no tax arrears, etc., through the Sede Electrónica of the social insurance, you can request an extract from the labor history (Informe de Vida Laboral) and apply for certain types of benefits, through the Sede Electrónica of the administration, you can resolve many migration issues.
The disadvantage of a fragmented system is that electronic service portals do not always work correctly in all browsers. Sometimes it is easier to change the browser than to try to solve the problem of incorrect operation by installing updates and extensions.
Electronic certificate in Spain (Certificado electrónico)
An electronic certificate in Spain is a program containing user credentials. Moreover, the user can be either an individual or a legal entity. The list of information includes first and last name (or legal name), tax number, certificate validity period, certifying authority and some other data.
The electronic certificate is embedded in an Internet browser (it is recommended to do this on a computer or laptop, although certificates also work on tablets or phones). An electronic certificate can be installed simultaneously on different devices and in different browsers. You should be prepared for the fact that some electronic service portals that require the use of an electronic certificate will work as correctly as possible in IE, and the other part – in Firefox.
If there is a certificate, official sites will identify the user as a real and unique person. All operations, all document flow performed in electronic format will be associated with this specific person.
What does an electronic certificate give in Spain?
An electronic certificate in Spain will allow its owner to perform the following actions from a home computer:
- Resolve tax issues (file returns, pay taxes, request background information, etc.).
- Check for fines for traffic violations and pay fines. In addition, the electronic certificate (as well as the cl@ve system) allows you to install the miDGT application on the user’s phone, which stores electronic copies of car documents and driver’s licenses, which eliminates the need to constantly carry paper and plastic originals, for example car insurance in Spain.
- Apply for certain types of benefits and subsidies.
- Submit applications, requests, appeals, claims and complaints to various authorities, receive official responses and notifications in electronic form.
- Draw up special powers of attorney, in particular Apud Acta, on the website of the Ministry of Justice.
- Request and receive an extract from your labor history (Informe de Vida laboral).
- Register at your place of residence (in those municipalities whose websites support electronic document management and have Sede Electrónica).
How to obtain an electronic certificate in Spain?
An application for an electronic certificate in Spain must be left on the website of the Spanish Mint (Real Casa de la Moneda). The applicant can be a Spanish citizen, a resident of Spain, as well as a non-resident with a NIE number.
A mandatory step in issuing an electronic certificate is verifying the identity of the applicant. To do this, you will need to appear in person at any official organization from proposed list. The inconvenience is that almost all government services work with visitors by appointment, which is not always easy to get.
After confirming your identity, the applicant will receive an email with a link to download the electronic certificate. It is also recommended to save a copy of the certificate on external media.
There are no restrictions regarding installations: the certificate can be installed simultaneously on various electronic devices and in several browsers. If necessary, the certificate can be transferred to an authorized person to carry out any actions on your behalf: for example, a lawyer, tax manager, accountant.
The certificate is valid for 36 months and must be renewed after this period. You can revoke and cancel the certificate, if necessary, at any time through the above-mentioned Mint website.
In our company we provide assistance in obtaining an electronic certificate in Spain:
Cl@ve system in Spain
The Cl@ve system in Spain is in some cases an alternative to an electronic certificate, and in others it is an addition to it. The main goal of the system is to identify the user on the websites of ministries and departments using a unique login and password. In other words, the user gets rid of the need to remember the logins and passwords he created for each individual site, and instead registers once in the Cl@ve system, and is subsequently identified through it.
Registration in the system can be temporary, for one-time use (Cl@ve ocasional / Cl@ve PIN), or permanent (Cl@ve permanente). To register you must have an electronic certificate. If there is no certificate, you will need to appear in person at an official organization to confirm your identity.
In the future, the use of Cl@ve may be accompanied by additional security measures and two-step user verification. The second stage, as a rule, involves sending a verification code to the mobile phone number specified during registration.
Autosignature in Spain (Autofirma)
Auto-signature – another interesting service that is directly related to an electronic certificate and allows you to sign documents compiled and/or edited on a computer, in a special program or directly in an Internet browser.
To date, documents signed in this way are not yet accepted by all official organizations: in many cases, the usual hand signature is required.
