Taking advantage of the fact that the 16th Meeting of Catalan Communities of the Southern Cone took place in Buenos Aires from 22 to 24 September, the Government of Catalonia issued idCAT Certificates for the representatives of the Catalan communities abroad present at the meeting.

The aim of these actions is to improve the identification and processing systems that citizens living outside Catalonia can use to interact with Catalan institutions, thus enabling them to exercise their rights as Catalans living abroad effectively. It is a strategy that aims to empower citizens and allow them to carry out procedures and access services without being at a disadvantage in comparison with residents in Catalonia.

The initiative is part of the strategy for improving digital identification systems that the Government of Catalonia is promoting to provide more and better solutions in this area for citizens who do not reside in Catalonia. Because of their place of residence, Catalans abroad do not have access to other valid electronic identification systems to interact electronically with Catalan institutions. This strategy involves several areas of action: the possibility of conducting remote processing through video assistance, expanding the methods for receiving idCAT Mobile passwords via alternative means to SMS, and issuing idCAT Certificates in locations outside Catalonia.

The idCAT Certificate

The idCAT Certificate is a digital certificate of the Open Administration of Catalonia (AOC) that is installed in the browser of the user’s computer and allows them to identify themselves and sign documents digitally. It is very useful for carrying out procedures and conducting business with the Generalitat online, such as applying for subsidies, fill in paperwork related to the register of Catalan communities abroad or the register of Catalans living abroad.

It is an identification service that allows a person’s identity to be verified with a high level of security. For this reason, it can only be requested in person at one of the authorised registries, though it was issued exceptionally during the meeting in Buenos Aires.