Electronic signature and access to the portal of public services

The main articles are:

• Unified portal of public services
• Electronic signature (EDS)
• Unified system of identification and authentication in the infrastructure of the electronic government of the Russian Federation (ESIA)

2024: Russians abroad will have access to electronic public services in Russia. So far as an experiment

On October 23, the Government of the Russian Federation adopted Resolution^[1] No. 1418 "On Conducting an Experiment to Implement the Possibility of Obtaining Qualified Certificates of Electronic Signature Verification Keys by Citizens of the Russian Federation Outside," which determines the rules for using certificates of electronic signature keys outside Russia. The experiment allows Russian citizens to receive appropriate certificates at the consulates and missions of Rossotrudnichestvo in Armenia Kazakhstan,, and until December 31, 2025 Uzbekistan. The Russian Federation and Kyrgyzstan MFA Rossotrudnichestvo must report on the results of the experiment on October 1, 2025.

As part of the test, the identification of applicants can be carried out without their personal presence using a qualified electronic signature with a valid qualified certificate or according to data from a passport containing an electronic storage medium where biometric data is recorded. You can also do this using a single identification and authentication system (ESIA) or a single biometric system (EBS ).

The experiment is carried out in accordance with the technical documentation developed by the certification center and agreed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Rossotrudnichestvo and the FSB of the Russian Federation.

𝓲

Ideogram

The experiment is carried out by the accredited certification center of Analytical Center JSC, which will obtain identification data from users and transmit them through secure channels to Russia. The issuance of certificates of keys of a qualified electronic signature will be carried out on a medium in Russia and transferred to compatriots abroad through the channels of the Russian Foreign Ministry, where they will be able to remotely use Russian public services in electronic form.

The experiment is carried out in order to create a comfortable environment for citizens of the Russian Federation, those who are abroad, when exercising their constitutional and other civil rights and obligations to carry out legally significant actions when interacting at the place of their stay with the bodies and organizations of the Russian Federation, including applying for public services and performing other actions electronically using the federal state information system "Unified Portal of State and Municipal Services (functions), "remote conclusion of civil law contracts, the implementation of labor relations and educational needs, - said in a decree of the government of the Russian Federation.

Certificates of keys of qualified electronic signature obtained in this way can be used, among other things, for formation as a qualified electronic signature (KEP) on documents that in Russia have legal force under Federal Law No. 63-FZ "On Electronic Signature."

KEP allows Russian citizens temporarily abroad to fully participate in business processes related to the signing of documents, both in Russia and in other participating countries of the experiment (Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan), - explained to TAdviser readers Evgeny Sivkov, candidate of economic sciences and tax consultant. - Among the most obvious tasks are document management with Russian and foreign partners, which may include the signing of contracts, specifications and commercial proposals. CEP is also used to report to tax authorities and other government agencies that support electronic interaction.

Another tool can be used for public procurement: for signing contracts and tender documentation in the EIS, which is necessary for managers and their authorized representatives, the expert added.

According to analysts and open sources, in 2024, a significant number of Russian citizens live in the countries where the experiment is planned, the number of which can exceed hundreds of thousands. Among them, especially relocants and entrepreneurs, many could take the opportunity to participate in document management with Russian partners without the need for a personal presence in Russia, although the use of Russian encryption algorithms in foreign countries may raise some questions from the relevant special services.

The level of risk when using KEPs by Russian citizens does not depend on whether they are in our country or abroad, - assured the readers of TAdviser Mikhail Yakovlev, product manager of Indeed CM of Indid. - The likelihood of compromising the UKES and their use by attackers always exists and has nothing to do with the place of residence of users. To reduce this risk, it is important in no way to transfer your key medium with an electronic signature verification certificate to third parties.

2023: Russia began issuing electronic signatures abroad

At the end of July 2023, Rostec and Rossotrudnichestvo signed an agreement that launched a project to issue electronic signatures to Russian citizens abroad. The service will enable compatriots to use the most important public services from anywhere in the world, the press service of the state corporation said. Read more here.

2020: Ministry of Communications begins to use electronic signature on public services

In early May 2020, it became known about the decision of the Ministry of Communications to use an electronic signature on the website of state electronic services. The agency posted the corresponding bill on the website of regulatory legal acts.

The information and technological infrastructure will be deployed, "ensuring the creation and use of an unqualified electronic signature for individuals" using a unified identification system and a portal of public services. You can use this system for the following purposes:

In early May 2020, it became known about the decision of the Ministry of Communications to use an electronic signature on the website of state electronic services

• making transactions using a single portal;
• conclusion of lease agreements for federal property;
• provision of tax reports of individuals;
• signing documents for employment;
• training and further education of employees;
• other actions, the list of which will be established by the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications in agreement with federal authorities.

We are talking about the use of an enhanced unqualified electronic signature for individuals. It will be able to create those citizens who have a confirmed account on "Public services." The goal of the initiative is "to increase the efficiency of remote interaction of state authorities, organizations, individual entrepreneurs and citizens," the draft resolution says.

It is expected that the experiment using an electronic signature on public services will last from June 1, 2020 to June 1, 2021.^[2]form"

Besides the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media, at different stages for introduction of an innovation   FSB,  FTS,  FAS  an irosimushchestvo is planned privlechmintrud.

Earlier, as part of an experiment, the government decided to create a system for centralized creation and storage of enhanced qualified electronic signature keys and electronic signature verification key certificates. 114 thousand unique users used the services, 22 thousand companies were registered.

2018

The government allowed the use of a simple EDS to obtain public services

The Russian government decided to allow citizens to use a simple electronic signature to work with the public service portal. The corresponding resolution (No. 996) on August 30, 2018 was published on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Previously, the ability to send applications for services in electronic form was provided to users only if they had a so-called enhanced electronic signature, which was issued on a USB drive in certification centers. Read more here.

Access to EPGU became possible through online banking

Rostelecom, together with a subsidiary of RT Labs, has implemented for users Sberbank Online, Post Bank Online (Internet bank and mobile bank) and Tinkoff Bank the opportunity to confirm their account on the Unified Portal of Public Services (gosuslugi.ru). The service turns out to be banks for free.

In the course of the work, the integration of information banking systems with the Unified Identification and Authentication System (ESIA) was carried out. ESIA provides the user with a single account to access many state information systems, including the Unified Portal of Public Services.

With the help of a confirmed account, you can get all state services provided electronically: enroll a child in a kindergarten or school, check the amount of pension savings, register vehicles, pay state duties, traffic police fines, taxes and court debts, receive or change a passport and much more.

To confirm your account through Sberbank Online, you need to log in to the system and go from the "Register on the Public services portal" banner to the personal data confirmation form. After confirmation, you can get any necessary state service, including applying for inclusion in the voter list of any convenient polling station for voting in the presidential elections (the service is implemented by the Ministry of Communications of the Russian Federation and the CEC of the Russian Federation and is available up to 12.03.18 inclusive).

The service "Confirmation of the Public services account" in the Internet bank and mobile bank Post Bank Online can be found in the "Individuals" tab of the "Products and Services" section, in the Internet bank of Tinkoff Bank - in " category of the "Payments" section.

The ability to confirm an account on the Unified Portal through online banking makes public services more accessible, including for people living in remote areas. The service provides access to public services online, without visiting the Service Center or receiving an identity confirmation code by mail. Banks participating in the project, in turn, can count on expanding the client base by providing popular public services on their Internet displays, - said Mikhail Bondarenko, director of electronic government at Rostelecom.

2016: Plan to replace electronic signature on SMS in many public services

Instead of an electronic signature incomprehensible to many citizens, when receiving public services, it will soon be possible to use SMS. The draft relevant government decree was developed in the spring of 2016 by the Ministry of Communications of Russia.

To obtain many public services related to cash transactions or personal data, a Russian requires an electronic signature. The Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications proposed adding new sub-clauses to the government decree "On the use of a simple electronic signature in the provision of state and municipal services" (No. 33 of January 25, 2013). When using cellular communication, confirmation of the will of a Russian to use a simple electronic signature to obtain a state or municipal service or transfer its result to third parties will be able to serve its answers to requests from the public services website. To do this, a mobile phone number will be used, which the Russian himself entered in his personal account on the website of public services^[3].

2013

The Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications urgently simplifies registration on the portal of

The Ministry of Communications has developed a new simplified procedure for registering users on the portal of public services and in the unified identification and authentication system (ESIA), the agency reported on August 23, 2013. The document was sent for approval to the government.

In accordance with it, registration can be carried out using a mobile phone and online. At the first stage of the registration process, the user will have to enter his phone number and receive a confirmation code in the form of SMS. Then the system will offer to come up with a secure password that will become the main one for entering your personal account. After that, a simplified account will be created.

Earlier in the registration process, it was necessary to use the insurance number of the individual personal account of a citizen in the compulsory pension insurance system (SNILS), and it was possible to start using the services only after visiting the service center Rostelecom or receiving a registered letter through. "Russian Post"

It is worth noting that when using a simplified account, only those public services will be available to the user for which there is no need to confirm their identity: for example, payment for housing and communal services, traffic police fines, an appointment with a doctor, information about debts, etc.

To gain access to all services, you will need to fill out the user profile with additional information, and then, to confirm your identity, come with a passport to the nearest authorized multifunctional center (MPSC), post office or federal executive body. The Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications notes that there are more of them than the specialized centers of Rostelecom, where identity confirmation was required earlier.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev instructed Communications Minister Nikolai Nikiforov to urgently simplify registration on the public services portal at a meeting of the Presidium of the Presidential Council for Economic Modernization and Innovative Development on July 31, 2013. Then he noted that the current registration procedure on the portal is difficult.

"I have now opened this our website of public services - such registration is difficult. I watched before that and she hasn't changed. In order to register... Firstly, it is generally difficult for an ordinary person to figure out what is written there: download a web browser plugin, and so on. I know what it is, those present probably also know, but not everyone who knocks their fingers understands why this is necessary, "he said with a remark to the Minister of Communications and Mass Media Nikolai Nikiforov, who was present at the meeting

Nikiforov promised Medvedev that he would do it "in the coming days." Medvedev said he will personally try out simplified registration on the portal when it becomes available.

The government simplifies the use of a simple electronic signature when providing public services

The head of the Russian government, Dmitry Medvedev, signed Decree No. 33 in early 2013, describing the procedure for using a "simple electronic signature" in the provision of state and municipal services in addition to the already used enhanced EP.

Although the term "simple electronic signature" was first applied in the law "On electronic signature" adopted in 2001, its description first appeared in decree No. 33. According to the text of the document, its key will be a combination of identifier and password, and the identifier will be the insurance number of the personal account of an individual or head of a legal entity.

Unlike the simple electronic signature introduced by the decree, already existing "enhanced electronic signatures" are created using cryptographic tools and include a certificate from an accredited certification center, which gives it the power of a traditional paper document with a hand-written signature.

A simple EP, on the contrary, does not require a certificate during its creation, thus excluding from the process of its creation a chain of both end certification centers and the root CA of Rostelecom.

At the same time, citizens who have received a simple signature will be relieved of the need to use an electronic key on a flash drive when contacting the Public Services Portal, which is necessary when using an enhanced signature.

Decree No. 33 describes the requirements for a simple EP password, which must consist of at least eight characters, including letters and numbers, and cannot contain the signs "*" or "#." Interestingly, signature users have the right to independently change the key using their personal account on the Unified Portal of Public Services.

2012: Start issuing activation codes for registration on the portal

As of October 2012, you can register on the public services portal as follows: fill in the registration column the necessary fields with the name and number of the pension certificate (SNILS) and select the form for receiving the account activation code.

The activation code can be obtained in two ways: by registered mail Russian Post or by receiving the code at the service office (Rostelecom in 4 To Moscow centers for issuing codes).

In the office of Rostelecom, you can immediately get a regular electronic signature.

After receiving the activation code, you must complete the registration on the portal.

2011

Rostelecom and Bank St. Petersburg began issuing bank cards with a qualified EDS

Main article: E-Government Map

On December 15, 2011, it became known that Rostelecom and Bank St. Petersburg, in cooperation with the international payment system MasterCard and Sitronics, were the first in Russia to begin issuing Electronic Government bank cards with a new chip that implements qualified electronic signature hardware certified by the FSB of the Russian Federation in terms of KS2 security.

The new card issued by the bank combines the capabilities of a payment bank card and means of qualified electronic signature according to the standards of the Russian Federation, thanks to which the holder of this card gets access to his "personal account" on the www.gosuslugi.ru public services portal and the ability to use an electronic signature when receiving public services in electronic form. To access the portal of public services from a regular computer, a USB device for reading it is issued free of charge with a card.

Identification by SNILS

In October 2011, a government decree determined that the procedure for registering and authorizing the applicant on a single portal is established by the Ministry of Communications of Russia in agreement with the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia.

For authorization on the portal, you need to register by entering any e-mail or phone number as a login, and choosing a password. In addition, the mandatory fields during registration are the name, surname, region and number of the personal account of pension insurance (SNILS) for checking the user against the database of the pension fund.

Start of USB keys output from EDS

On May 16, 2011, Rostelecom opened the first point of sale of USB keys with an electronic digital signature (EDS) on the Arbat in Moscow for authorization on the public services portal, Alexey Nashchekin, vice president of Rostelecom, told CNews . In total, 4 such points have been opened in the capital on the basis of operator subscriber service centers. Until July 1, 2011, Rostelecom promised to open another 80 similar points in all regions of the country.

To obtain a key, the user will need to present a passport and a certificate of compulsory pension insurance, because the device, among other things, records the insurance number of the individual personal account (SNILS).

Buying a USB key will allow you to use the portal of electronic public services much faster than it has been so far. From the moment of opening a personal account on the portal in 2010 to the present, to obtain a login and password, the user had to perform a number of operations - enter personal data in the questionnaire on the site, receive confirmation codes by e-mail and SMS, and then, after checking the data in the Federal Tax Service and the FIU, wait for a letter from the Russian Post with the third code.

The process of gaining access to the portal of public services from the correspondent CNews in 2010 took more than a month. With the advent of the possibility of authorization via a USB key, it will be reduced to a few hours, which will take you to visit the point of sale and issue an EDS.

Plan for issuing SIM-cards for access to public services in Rostelecom

In the spring of 2012, SIM cards for access to public services will begin to be distributed, said Vadim Yanborisov, head of the department of federal programs at the Information Society project Rostelecom. "To work with public services from mobile platforms such as Android and iOS, my partners and I are working on a SIM card with an electronic digital signature (EDS)," he says. - Test samples are expected in the 4th quarter of 2011. Plus, until spring, time for certification '.

The fact that the project of EDS on SIM-cards Rostelecom leads together with the operators of the "Big Three," the vice-president of the operator Alexey Nashchekin told reporters. According to him, work has already started with MTS, negotiations with VimpelCom are underway, and Megafon has not yet begun. The openness of the specification and the possibility of partnership for recording EDS on SIM for any operators is declared.

Mobile applications for accessing them should also be developed and posted free of charge on the public services portal. "This will be software from both Rostelecom and the development of partner operators," says Nashchekin. - We are already engaged in mobile software for IPhone, Android and Java. You can download applications for paying fines, tracking the state of your pension account, etc., in the fall of 2010'

Notes