Identity verification confirms you're the person you say you are. Banks call it Know Your Customer. It's done once, before you can sign or send documents for signature.
It's the part of setup people push back on, so it's worth explaining what it's actually for.
Why it can't be skipped
A Qualified signature is only worth what it is because a qualified provider established who you are. Take that away and the certificate means nothing: it would just assert a name nobody checked.
eIDAS also requires it. A qualified certificate can only be issued once a qualified trust service provider has established who you are. That's a legal condition on them, not a policy choice we made.
What it involves
It depends on what you already have.
- You have a national eID: ID Austria, Smart-ID, itsme, MitID, BankID and others. You authenticate with it and you're done in under a minute.
- You don't: you do an online identity check with a government-issued photo ID. It's a short video or automated scan, and you'll need your passport or ID card, a phone, and a decent connection.
How often
Once. One verification covers both AES and QES, and it carries across every document you sign afterwards. You'd only repeat it if your certificate expires or your details change.
What we see
Not your ID document. The provider runs the check and tells us it passed, along with your verified name. Images of your passport stay with them. See What swipesign can and cannot see of your ID.