E-Notarisation delivers convenience and security

E-Notarisation delivers convenience and security

Auckland, 25 March, 2015

Notary Public, Don Thomas collaborates with local digital signature provider for digital certification

Public Notaries will soon be recognising the value of providing digitally certified, electronic copies of documents to their customers if New Zealand Lawyer and Notary Public Don Thomas has his way. Early adopters like Don Thomas see the advantage of giving their customers the convenience of an electronic document, that can be sent quickly and easily anywhere in the world, combined with the security of digital certification. “I am convinced we need to be offering e-notarisation services,” said Mr. Thomas.

People turn to Notaries at important points in their lives like applying for student or work visas. Supplying the correct documents that have been certified as true copies, is crucial in securing a positive outcome for their application. Seen from this perspective, a routine legal procedure is actually something that helps people to realise opportunities that can shape the rest of their lives.

One of Mr. Thomas’s first successes with e-notarisation was assisting a student renew her visa by witnessing applications to a New York University and to the US examination board for an alternative identification number. The ability to offer an electronic copy of these documents that was digitally certified, meant these documents could be supplied by email, avoiding the need to post paper copies half way around the world.

Initially Mr. Thomas volunteered digitally certified documents in conjunction with hard copies. Within a few months though he found people were seeking him out on the basis of being able to provide e-notarisation services. In December last year, he was able to deliver a certified document for a Merrill Lynch USA client without any hard copy ‘backup’. His experience of the acceptance of digitally certified documents by both customers and recipients has been positive.

Mr. Thomas uses Secured Signing to “sign and seal” documents as a Notary. “To me, the advantage of using Secured Signing is they provide an easy to use facility at a cost that is affordable, as you only pay for what you use,” said Mr. Thomas. “Also, being locally based, they have been working with me to deliver a solution that specifically meets the needs of Australian and New Zealand Notaries.”

As Notaries consider adding e-notarisation to the capabilities they offer, it is important not to confuse digital certification with the many methods available to insert simple electronic signatures or images of signatures into a document. Digital signatures provide strong methods validate the identity of the signatory and to detect any alterations or additions to, or deletions from, the signed document. This security is further extended with the certification part of the digital signature standard also ‘sealing’ or ‘locking’ the document.

Don Thomas is eager to see all Notaries setting themselves up to be able to offer e-notarisation services. “People will not know the service exists if we are not setup to promote and develop the awareness of it,” he encourages his fellow Notaries.

Public Notaries willing to take up the challenge are welcome to contact Don directly. Those new to the convenience and security of digital signing can sign up for a Freeway account to give Secured Signing a try.

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