Dubai: Need to sign a contract but don’t want to go through the hassle of printing, signing and scanning the document? Just open the UAE Pass app on your phone and you can officially sign your documents.
The UAE Pass app is the national digital identity for citizens, residents and visitors in the UAE, and it allows you to access thousands of government and private services. In addition to that, you can also sign documents and request digital versions of official government documents like your Emirates ID, driving licence and labour card.
If you want to use the app to sign official documents, you would need to set up your digital signature in advance. Here’s how.
How to create a digital signature
First make sure you have the UAE Pass app, which is available for Apple and Android devices, and you have an active account on it. If you have not registered for UAE Pass yet, read our detailed guide here on how to do so. Then, follow these steps:
Step 1: Create a ‘Signing Password’
• Open the app, and click on the ‘Profile’ section on the menu tab at the bottom of your mobile screen.
• Click on ‘Reset Signing Password’. You will have the option to create your signing credentials through face verification or by visiting a UAE Pass kiosk. Choose the first option.
• Tap ‘Continue’ to give the app consent to scan your face for the biometric verification.
• You will then be asked to create a password for your ‘signature keys’. Type in your password and confirm it and then click ‘send’.
• You will receive a ‘success’ message once the password has been successfully created. Click on ‘done’.
Step 2: Start signing your document
• Now, go the app’s homepage, and click on ‘Sign Documents’, and upload the document that you wish to sign. This document needs to be on your phone and should be a PDF file.
• Next, tap anywhere on the document to place your signature.
• A box will appear on the pdf document. You can move it around to adjust where you wish for your signature to be inserted. Once the box is in the right place, tap on the green tick.
• Then, check the box which states ‘I have read the document’ and then tap on ‘sign’.
• You will then be asked to enter the password you created in Step 1. Once you have entered the password, tap ‘send’.
• After a few seconds, you will receive a notification from UAE Pass that the document has been signed and verified.
Step 3: Share the signed document with others
To access the signed document, go to the ‘Documents’ section and click on ‘Uploaded’. You will find your signed document here. You can download or share the document by clicking on the share option on the bottom of the screen.
It is important to note that your digital signature will expire after three years.
How to verify a digital signature
If you have received a document that has been digitally signed through the UAE Pass, you can also verify its authenticity using the UAE Pass. Simply tap on the ‘Verify signature’ option on the app’s homepage, and the document will be verified by UAE Pass. Because of the verification option, it makes it easier for users to submit digitally signed documents to government departments in the UAE.
According to UAE Pass, you can also verify a digitally signed document using Adobe Acrobat Reader, since the verify feature on the UAE Pass app has the same functionality as Adobe Acrobat. Therefore, if a verified digital signature has been applied to a document on the UAE Pass app, Adobe will also display that it is valid.
