E-Signature FAQ — Application, Legal Validity, Maritime

We have collected the questions we actually hear in the field about Arkİmza qualified electronic signatures (QES) — with honest answers. Maresign, as ArkSigner's authorised sales representative, supplies e-signatures, e-seals, KEP and timestamping from Istanbul Ataşehir across Türkiye. If your question is not answered here, write to digital@maresign.com — we will add it.

Application and delivery

Which documents are required for an e-signature application? For an individual qualified e-signature, an identity document and the application form are sufficient. Corporate applications additionally require the signature circular, certificate of activity or trade registry record, and a letter of authorisation. Identity verification can be done remotely. We prepare your exact list when you complete the request form.

Should the e-signature be in the company's name or the employee's? A qualified electronic signature always belongs to a natural person — there is no such certificate type as a "company e-signature". A corporate QES is issued in the person's name and also carries the organisation's details. If you want to stamp documents in the name of a legal entity, the product you are looking for is the e-seal.

My certificate has expired — what now? If the renewal application is made before expiry there is no interruption. No new signature can be created with an expired certificate; however, signatures created and timestamped before expiry remain valid. We track renewal reminders for you.

Is a card reader included? In the smart-card option the reader is separate hardware and is usually supplied with the package. The USB token option needs no separate reader. Mobile signature uses no hardware at all — it runs on the SIM card. We determine which suits your work in the needs analysis.

Can I use my e-signature on more than one computer? Yes. The certificate lives on the card or token, not on the computer. Install the signing software on any machine, plug in your device, enter your PIN and sign.

Can I obtain an e-signature remotely, without visiting an office? Yes. Identity verification can be completed remotely with LiveAuth: NFC chip ID reading, liveness testing and, where required, a video call. The card or token is couriered to your address.

Legal validity

Is an e-signed document admissible as evidence in court? Yes. Under Article 205/2 of the Code of Civil Procedure (Law No. 6100), electronic data duly created with a secure electronic signature has the force of a deed. This is a very different evidentiary standing from a plain email or a scanned signature.

What is the difference between qualified, advanced and simple electronic signatures? A simple electronic signature is any electronic data showing intent to sign — its evidentiary weight is low. An advanced electronic signature is linked to the signatory and reveals any change to the document, but does not rest on a qualified certificate. A qualified electronic signature (QES) rests on an accredited provider's qualified certificate and a secure signature creation device; it is the only type treated as equivalent to a handwritten signature.

Can I verify an e-signed document ten years later? Only if a long-term validation (LTV) setup exists. When the certificate expires or the revocation list changes, a bare signature can become unverifiable. Timestamping and the ETSI PAdES/XAdES/CAdES long-term profiles exist precisely for this. In shipping, damage and liability claims are filed years later, so this detail is critical.

Is there a legal difference between an e-seal and an e-signature? Yes. An e-signature is a natural person's declaration of intent; an e-seal shows the origin and integrity of a legal entity's document. An e-seal does not replace anyone's signature — it proves the document came from the organisation. For high-volume, non-personal documents the right tool is the e-seal.

What is the difference between KEP and ordinary email? KEP makes the sender's and recipient's identity, the time of dispatch and the content legally provable. None of these is certain in ordinary email. For notices, warnings and time-triggering notifications, KEP removes notary costs and delay.

Can I use e-signatures on export and import documents? Qualified e-signatures are widely used in customs declarations and related electronic procedures. For documents presented to a bank under a letter of credit, however, the bank's acceptance and the UCP rules are decisive; and for negotiable documents such as the bill of lading, the Article 5/2 exception of Law No. 5070 applies. It has to be assessed document by document — which is exactly what we do in the needs analysis.

Technical

Which signature formats are supported? The ETSI-standard PAdES (PDF), XAdES (XML) and CAdES (generic data) formats are used. For long-term archiving the LTV profiles of these formats are preferred. The choice depends on where the document will be submitted.

Does it work on Mac or Linux? The signing application and card-reader drivers are standard on Windows; macOS and Linux support varies by product and version. With server-side signing (MİS) the client operating system stops being an issue. State your OS in the request and we give the definitive answer in the quotation.

What happens if my e-signature card is stolen? A revocation request must be filed immediately; signatures created with that certificate after revocation are invalid. The card is PIN-protected and locks after wrong attempts. We run the revocation and replacement process for you.

Can we integrate it into our own software? Yes. MİS (Central Signing Service) provides server-side signing over an API; your ERP, agency software or document management system can sign without user intervention. We define the integration scope in the needs analysis.

Maritime and logistics

Which documents can I sign electronically as a ship agent? Survey reports, letters of protest, statements of facts, time sheets, delivery orders, tally records, agency correspondence and customs declarations. The bill of lading is not on this list because it is a negotiable instrument.

Will a foreign shipowner or charterer accept my Turkish e-signature? They can accept it by contract, and in practice often do. Automatic statutory recognition is another matter: in the EU, recognition of third-country trust services under eIDAS Article 14 requires a separate agreement, and Türkiye has no such agreement. We recommend adding an explicit clause to your contract stating that the electronic signature is accepted.

Can a seafarer employment agreement (SEA) be e-signed? Technically yes; what is decisive is acceptance by the flag State and the inspection authorities. MLC 2006 requires a signed agreement; the form of the signature is determined by the flag administration. Do not roll it out fleet-wide without the flag administration's written opinion — it can raise disputes in Port State Control.

Are e-signatures accepted in port and customs operations? In customs procedures, electronic declarations and qualified e-signatures are established practice. On the port and terminal side, acceptance varies by operator's own systems and internal procedures. Verifying the counterparty's system in advance is the thing that saves the most time in the field.

Next step

If you are not sure which product fits, we first map your wet-signature and paper workflows, then match them to products. Complete the purchase request form on our ArkSigner authorised reseller page and we will come back the same business day with a needs analysis and quotation. The request is not binding.

For e-signature supply in Istanbul: Istanbul E-Signature (QES) — Arkİmza Authorised Reseller. For the legal status of electronic bills of lading: Türkiye eBL Legal Status Tracker.

Maresign Dijital Güven Teknolojileri · Metropol İstanbul, B Blok No: 22, Ataşehir / İstanbul · +90 850 305 40 15 · digital@maresign.com · Last updated: 28 July 2026