The Association of Civil-Law Notaries of the City of Buenos Aires Gets New Digital Tool

As of May 27, 2021, the Association of Civil-Law Notaries of the City of Buenos Aires enabled a Signature Certification System (“SCF,” for its acronym in Spanish) allowing notaries to certify signatures in person, remotely or virtually on digital documents, with the same validity and effects as handwritten signatures.

To certify holographic signatures virtually or remotely on digital documents:

1) Notaries create a virtual meeting on the Association’s platform and upload the digital documents to be signed by the applicant.

2) A meeting is held in a virtual room with the Civil-Law Notary and the applicant using the Association’s video conferencing service, which requires a downloadable app.

3) To identify the applicant, the Civil-Law Notary must use the SCF identity validation service, if the applicant is Argentinean or has an identity card. If the applicant is not a person known to the notary, their identity must be verified through a system that checks the person’s ID card against the databases of the National Registry of Persons (RENAPER). If the notary so requires, the person’s biometric data is verified through a selfie and/or a short video taken by the applicant using only their mobile phone and WhatsApp.

4) The digital document is signed and managed through the SCF. The applicant stamps their signature on their own electronic device in the remote or digital presence of the notary by using an optical pencil or fingers using the touch screen on their mobile phone.

5) The notary issues a Certification of Holographic Signatures on the Digital Document, then signs the certification digitally using a token and sends the digital document with certified signatures to whoever needs it.

To certify holographic signatures in person on digital documents:

1) The digital document is signed and managed through the SCF. The applicant stamps their signature on the mobile phone or electronic device enabled and registered by the notary with an optical or special pencil for this purpose.

2) The notary issues a Certification of Holographic Signatures on the Digital Document, then signs this certification digitally using a token and sends the digital document with certified signatures to whoever needs it.

Digital document certification, whether in person or remote, is not later printed. In addition, it is currently only authorized for the certification of private instruments.

The Association of Civil-Law Notaries also authorizes certifying digital signatures on digital documents remotely and making verifications by videoconference using a Certificate of Remote Performance.