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Digital Signature Creation & Transfer

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2008-06-08 03:04:29
AlScott
Registered: Nov 2 2007
Posts: 123
Answered

Something I'm not sure about is how this is done.
Now, when I complete a form for the Immigration Dept., they've got them all as fillable pdf forms now which is great!! You can add a digital signature to it.

OK - from what I've seen you cannot do this with Acrobat (unless I'm missing something). Because in this type of situation you've not got a 'digital' profile on your PC, nor on the Government department concerned. You're never prompted to create one. So how is it done?? I mean you just complete the form, put in your name at the bottom, then click a box confirming that this may be taken as your 'authorization'

Does this make sense???

Thanks
Al

My Product Information:
Acrobat Pro 8.1.2, Windows
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2008-07-08 12:25:30
#1
plevy
Expert
Registered: Jul 8 2008
Posts: 80
You need a digital identity to sign a document. There are a number of places you can get these with varying costs and purposes.

You can create one from within Acrobat (click Advanced, Security Settings and in the digital ids tab click the + icon). If you select "Create a new seld-signed digital id" (A8) or "A new digital ID I want to create now" (A9), it will walk you through creating the id.

You can purchase an Id from companies that are "certificate authorities" such as Verisign. Such ids have a stronger legal standing. Some countries issue digital ids to their citizens (not the US) much like drivers' licenses.

Hope this helps.
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2008-07-17 19:36:22
#2
AlScott
Registered: Nov 2 2007
Posts: 123
Hi,

Yes I know exactly what you mean, but the Governemnt docs just tell you to type in your name, and say that by doing this that all your details are correct. That is to say you've effectively 'signed' the form.

So what I guess might be happening, because you dont get prompted to create a user ID, is that this is perhaps done in the background??

Here's the link to the Gov dept.

https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=coa.cr.Residence

I'm getting to the point where I'm more intrigued to know how they do it.

Interesting isn't it? !

Al
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2008-07-28 07:47:33
#3
pontifex
Registered: Jul 28 2008
Posts: 1
Actually, the law does not stipulat that a particular technology be deployed for a electronic signature. It does not need to be a digital signature, implying a certificate based signature, to be legal. Generally, if you look at your keyboard kinda funny and grunt it is a valid electronic signature as long as there was intent for it to be (hence the question).

The issue is how no-reputable is this signature. A digital signature would be more difficult to dispute than and the formentioned grunt and would be more appropriate in many cases. It is no less legal however.

The question would be around the risk of their being a legal challenge to the document and the cost of defending the challenge and dealing with the consequences. In this case, they are likely collect a lot of information that can also be used to support the identity and intent of the user.
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2008-07-30 19:30:32
#4
AlScott
Registered: Nov 2 2007
Posts: 123
Yes- good point.
Thanks Al
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