To receive services in the presence, for example, to claim for unemployment benefits or to submit tax declaration, it is necessary to verify the personal identity with a personal document or a signature. Also in an electronic environment person should verify their identity for receiving services. An electronic identification provides personal identification in the electronic environment and provides the opportunity to receive personalized services electronically.
The most common types of identity certification (authentication) in Latvia are as follows:
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authentication systems maintained by the institutions – institutions for authentication process of their clients have created a particular authentication solution in their information systems (IS). Usually in such solutions, the user is authenticated by a user name and password, for example, the Electronic Declaration System of the State Revenue Service;
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authentication by Internet - banking – this authentication type is technologically based on provided authentication mechanism of the Internet-Banking . Integrating this mechanism with the institutions' information systems, it is possible to provide user identification and an access to the services and information of the institutions. It is important to know that in this process institutions do not receive any information about the person's username and password while using Internet-banking;
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mobile ID - users can verify their identity by using a mobile phone remotely. Mobile ID is incorporated in the phone SIM card and for the authorization there is required a mobile network coverage only;
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authentication by electronic signature – this authentication type use an authentication certificate what is included in an e-Signature identification smart card. Currently, this is one of the safest forms of authentication in the electronic environment.
In the near future, it is planned to implement an electronic identity card (electronic ID cards) in Latvia – a personal identifying card which will ensure person visual identification and an authentication in the electronic environment as well as it will be used in the electronic environment in more effective way for receiving necessary e-Services and for using e-Signatures.
The concept of the electronic ID cards You can find here.
An electronic services sharing platform provides a ready-made authentication module for institutions that is required for ensuring the identification of inhabitants in the websites.