The line
Three things with similar names
They are confused often, and the difference only surfaces when somebody challenges the document.
A signature in the file
An image of your signature placed on the page. It carries the same weight as a signature on a printout you scanned and emailed — no more and no less.
A qualified electronic signature
Based on a certificate issued by a provider and confirming identity in the way the rules prescribe. It needs a separate service and usually an annual fee.
Verified-identity services
State and bank identity schemes confirm who you are rather than drawing your signature. Which of them a given office accepts is a question for that office.
How to choose without guessing
Ask the other side what they accept, in writing, before buying anything. A scanned signature is accepted far more often than people assume, and a certificate bought for one document is money spent on a guess.
What usually happens around signing
- Merging the contract with its attachments into one document
- Adding the date and page numbers before sending
- Leaving a watermark on the draft version