Why is identity verification the foundation of every qualified signature?

A qualified electronic signature is only as strong as the identity behind it. Article 24(1) of the eIDAS Regulation requires a qualified trust service provider to verify the applicant's identity by appropriate means and in accordance with national law before issuing a qualified certificate.

That verified link between a real person and a key pair is what gives the signature its evidential weight. In a dispute the question is not the cryptography but who stood behind the certificate — cryptographic verification only proves that a particular private key was used.

Here's how identity verification works in the signing process:

• Set the level of assurance: Qualified certificates require the assurance level "high". An email confirmation or a password does not meet that bar.
• Check the identity document: The document is checked for authenticity features and matched to the person present — by video, by eID or in person.
• Biometric matching: With eID methods the state has already performed the match; with video identification trained agents carry it out during the call.
• Document the process: The entire identification process is logged and retained so it remains traceable in a dispute.
• Bind to the certificate: The verified identity is linked to the public key and attested in the qualified certificate.
• Reuse: Once issued, a digital identity is typically maintained for several years and can be used for any number of signatures.

Why the process decides success or failure:

• Abandonment rates: The strongest identification is worth little if users drop out halfway. Every additional step costs conversion.
• Mobile-first: Methods requiring a desktop computer or card reader regularly fail in customer-facing journeys.
• Continuity: Identification and signing should happen in one flow, not as two separate processes with waiting time in between.

primesign embeds remote identification directly into the signing journey, so proving identity and signing happen in one continuous, mobile-first flow. With options including video identification and eID-based verification via ID Austria or the German national ID card, signatories can confirm their identity remotely and sign at qualified level immediately afterwards.