Remote Qualified e-Signature to Be Introduced for eID Card Users

As of December 9, 2026, a significant number of Latvian eID cards will no longer meet the requirements for qualified electronic signatures due to expired chip certification. The affected cards were issued between September 2, 2019, and January 30, 2026, and contain the "Cosmo 8.1" chip component. It is estimated that up to 346,000 cards will be impacted.

To address this, the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development, together with the State Radio and Television Centre (LVRTC) and the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP), will develop a remote qualified electronic signature solution. This will allow users to continue signing documents using their eID cards without needing the physical card present, via remote authentication. The new signature will have legal force in Latvia and across the European Union.

LVRTC plans to revoke existing signing certificates on affected cards in December, while simultaneously enabling the transition to the new remote signature. The signing process will change slightly, and cardholders will be informed with detailed instructions. Citizens are advised to check whether their card is affected on the website eidkarte.lv and ensure their registered email address is up to date.

The situation arises because eID cards have a ten-year validity, but the certification of their chip components must be renewed every five years as per EU regulations. Therefore, older chips no longer comply with updated standards.