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Status august, 2026
The qualified electronic signature (QES) is legally equivalent to a handwritten signature in Switzerland and the EU. To use it, the law requires a one-time, certified identification, regardless of the provider. It ensures that you really are who you claim to be. The identification is valid for a maximum of three years or until the identity document used expires.
Identification is possible in person or online. In person, you present your identity card or passport at a registration authority. The staff check that the document is genuine and that the photo matches you. Online, the verification follows procedures standardised by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).
Online and offline options for the QES identification*
Self-Identification
Online identity verification 24/7 without personal contact with an employee (CH + EU).
Identify now* As new identification options are regularly introduced, this is a selection of the most popular QES identification methods (as of october 2026).
Legal framework for QES identification
The legal framework for QES identity verification is regulated in Switzerland and the EU by the respective laws (ZertES, eIDAS) and their implementing regulations but also by international standards (ETSI). The laws are equivalent, but the implementing provisions vary in part. For example, certain online procedures for identity verification are not permitted in Switzerland.
Our quick guide shows you what happens next with eSignR after identification. To the quick guide →
QES identification in your own company
Inhouse QES identification
With the Registration Authority App (short RA), Swisscom offers companies the option of handling the presence procedure for in-house qes identification. Employees of the HR department who have been trained as RA agents can enable new employees for the QES within a few minutes during the onboarding process. Swisscom’s RA app is available to companies in Switzerland and the EU.
Read the blog article now for more information:
The 5 steps to becoming an RA agent
Personal QES identification at our office in Bern
For QES identification, eSignR customers can choose from the options listed above. As an additional option, we offer our eSignR customers the possibility of completing the identification in person at our office in Bern.
Thanks to our cooperation with Swisscom Trust Services and our specially trained registration agents, we are an official registration authority. Identification is carried out conveniently and personally at our office.
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