Qualified Certificates
Introduction

The purpose of a Qualified Certificate (QC) is to enable the creation of Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) in accordance with the Electronic Documents and Signatures Law of Macao SAR (EDS Law no. 5/2005) and others international standards, using together with a Secure Signature-Creation Device (SSCD).

 

According to the Law, an Electronic Document signed with a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) is equivalent to a hand-written signature with full evidentiary power in term of legal effectiveness.

Benefits of using QES

QES was specially designed to provide you with the following necessary assurances, required for legal and secure electronic transactions:

  • Authentication (who you are);
  • Integrity (what you sent);
  • Non-repudiation (you can’t deny it);
  • Confidentiality (accessible only to those authorized to have access).

 

Some of the key advantages of using the Qualified Certificate are:

  • The highest assertion level available for verifying your personal electronic identity;
  • Protection and assurance of extremely sensitive information and high value transactions;
  • Detection of any fraudulent alteration of electronic documents and transactions;
  • The verification of the lawful authenticity and validity of the QES;
  • Creation of a non-reputable signature on electronic transactions or documents;
  • Eliminate any probability of accepting forged documents.

 

Optional Encipherment Certificate can also be used together, the main purposes of utilising the Encipherment Certificate are:

  • Protection of secret or confidential information from unintended audience;
  • State-of-the-art technology used for encryption.

 

Types of Qualified Certificate

Taking into consideration the different needs and rights of individual users and corporations, eSignTrust issues three similar but distinctively suitable Qualified Certificates.

  • Personal Qualified Certificate - is intended for a natural person with valid proof of identity. The usage of this Certificate is for signing documents on one's own behalf.
  • Corporate Qualified Certificate - is designed for authorized personnel of a company, enterprise, institution or association etc, with a valid business registration certificate issued by Government of Macao SAR or a legal registered unit in Macao. The usage is intended for signing documents on behalf of his or her represented organisation.
  • Government Qualified Certificate - will be used by authorized personnel of a government agency or department. The usage is intended for signing documents on behalf of his or her government agency or department.

 

Application/Renewal Procedures

Identification Requirements

Since a Qualified Certificate will validate the identity of its holder, hence all QES applicants must be satisfactorily identified before they receive a Qualified Certificate. The applicants are required to meet with a Registration Authority (RA) Officer or representative during the identification process. If the applicants are outside Macao, the Registration Authority will provide online Identification and Authentication service to those who are eligible.

 

The Qualified Certificate and Encipherment Certificate together with their respective Private Keys will be stored inside a Secure Signature-Creation Device (SSCD); therefore the holder of the certificates must supply a personal password during the registration to protect and access those keys.

Application Procedures and Requirements

eSignTrust will issue the appropriate Qualified Certificate, depending on individual or organisational needs, the procedures and requirements are as follow:

 

Personal User Government/Corporate User
Please follow the instructions shown below:
  • Download eSignTrust Personal Certificate Application Form (which is also available in eSignTrust RA Office), and
  • Submit the completed form in person with an original identification document at eSignTrust RA Office.
  • Alternatively, you can submit the form by postal mail, fax or electronically by email, so your application can be pre-processed; then you will be notified to come to our office, at a time of your convenience.

Documents required:
  • Photocopy of Subscriber’s Macao BIR or valid passport/ID document (required to show the original document).

If applicable:
  • Original of Procuration related to Subscriber, or notarised copy, when required;
  • Original of Professional Qualification Certificate, or notarised copy, when required.
Please follow the instructions shown below:
Documents required:
  • Photocopy of Authorised Delegate’s, Contact Person’s and all Authorised Users’ ID Card (Please show the original document, if necessary);
  • Business Registration Certificate;
  • Photocopy of "Initial Activity/Alteration Declaration" M/1 format of Industrial Tax, "Inscription and Alteration" M/2 format of Professional Tax or "Levied Form" M/8 format of Industrial Tax (Please show the original document, if necessary).

If applicable:
  • Notarised copy of the articles of association, when required;
  • Original of Board or Shareholders meeting’s Minutes, or notarised copy, when required;
  • Original of Procuration related to Authorised User, or notarised copy, when required;
  • Original of Professional Qualification Certificate of Authorised User, or notarised copy, when required.

 

Applicants can make appointments for the electronic certificate service through the "Macao One Account - Appointment for counter service".

 

Suspension/Revocation of Qualified Certificate

Your eSignTrust Certificate is an important electronic ID for use on the Internet. If the information in your Certificate is no longer valid or your Certificate is lost, damaged, suspected to have been compromised, or stolen, you should by yourself or request eSignTrust to suspend or revoke your Certificate immediately. A Suspended Certificate can later be un-suspended or revoked; likewise, a Revoked Certificate is irrevocable.

How to Suspend or Revoke a Qualified Certificate

A Subscriber may suspend or revoke his/her eSignTrust Certificates in the following ways:

  • Online Revocation. You may just go to here and follow the instructions to revoke your own certificates online, or revoke the certificate in your "Macao One Account".
  • Request eSignTrust. You may submit a Certificate Suspension/Revocation Request Form to eSignTrust to suspend or revoke your Certificate.

Certificate Status Update after Suspension or Revocation

The certificate status update is immediate via our OCSP Service (Online Certificate Status Protocol) or Online Search Pages. You may go to Certificate Status and Information in our Repository to look for the real-time status of any eSignTrust Certificates.


Optionally, you may obtain the information via Certificate Revocation List also in our Repository to which the certificate status update is published for access by the public in a daily basis. Your revoked certificate will be updated to the latest CRL in next publishing.


To know more our practices, please read our Certification Practice Statement (CPS).

 

Price

Certificate Pricing

Description Price (MOP) Validity Assurance / Liability Limits (MOP)
Personal Qualified Certificate $150.00 / year 3 years $200,000.00
Government Qualified Certificate $200.00 / year 3 years $200,000.00
Corporate Qualified Certificate $200.00 / year 3 years $200,000.00
Encipherment Certificate* $100.00 / year 3 years $50,000.00

*Optional

Hardware Pricing

Description Price (MOP)
Secure Signature-Creation Device (SSCD) Smart Card $300.00
Smart Card Reader (ACR39U / ACR39T USB Portable) $150.00 / $250.00

 

Above amount is subject to change without any notice.

 

Application Forms

 

Apply Online

Certificate holders can apply for the following matters through the Electronic Certificate Service in "Macao One Account". Users must have opened a "Macao One Account" account. Please click this link to download the "Macao One Account" mobile application.

 

  1. Certificate revocation (applicable to electronic certificate holders)
  2. Annual fee payment (applicable to electronic certificate holders, the items accepted for payment must be the annual fee for personal certificates)
  3. My Certificate (Applicable to electronic certificate holders)

Service guide: Please refer to the guide on matters related to the "Macao ONE Account" Electronic Certificate Service.

 

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