Remote Notary Signing Agents (CyberNSAs) on the Rise

As more Title companies have opened up to Remote Online Notarization Services during closings, the demand for educated Remote Notary Signing Agents have also increased.

Just like a traditional notary public can specialize in mortgage closings as Notary Signing Agent, a Remote Online Notary can specialize in remote online closings (ROC) as Remote Notary Signing Agent or CyberNSA.

Education and experience are keys to successful Remote Online Closings. Just like a Remote Online Notary needs specialized training, the Remote Notary Signing Agent also needs the education that specifically speaks to the mortgage industry. Having traditional training and experience as notary Signing Agent helps; however, the Remote Notary Signing Agent will need to add more tools that are necessary during Remote Online Closings. These tools are not developed nor learned during traditional closings.

The Cyber Notary Virtual Training Academy designed a certification course specifically for Remote Notary Signing Agents. Also, a new book, considered a complement to the certification course mentioned above has been published and endorsed by CNVTA.

What every Notary Public needs to know prior, during, and after Remote Online Closings.

A must keep guide for all CyberNSAs.

When it comes to money making as CyberNSA, well, just like in the traditional sense of the service where Notary Signing Agents are paid more, CyberNSAs have the opportunity to charge a little more as well when conducting Remote Online Closings. Title companies know that. As traditional NSAs, the expenses differ; printing paper, mobilizing a vehicle, ink, presentable shoes, clothing, and so on. As Remote Notary Signing Agent, the expenses will include; computer, big enough monitor, fast internet, RON platform and so on. By reading the book mentioned above you will get a better idea.

There are also other types of investments Remote Notary Signing Agents need to be trained on; from how to prepare for online closings to how to handle customers online to growing the CyberNSA business. Again, the book mentioned above will let you know all about it.

Here are other topics the book talks about:

<> From Traditional NSA to CyberNSA.

<> Preparing for an Online Closing.

<> Example of an Online Closing.

<> Title Companies and RON Platforms.

<> MISMO and RON.

<> RON Law and The Mortgage Industry.

<> Domestic and International RON Closings.

<> Fees and RON Platforms.

<> Customer Service for CyberNSAs.

<> Strategies to Get More RON Closings.

<> Video Recording, Storage, and Notary Journal.

<> Basic Vocabulary for CyberNSAs.

We are experiencing exciting times. Technology is allowing services and businesses to evolve and find new ways to contribute to the moving economy. Of course, technology is only a tool. It is up to those with access to it to use it wisely. When it comes to Remote Online Notarization, as CyberNotary or CyberNSA, the trust placed in each commissioned notary public continues to be essential to each state and to the United States of America.

#CyberNSA #RemoteNotarySigningAgent #CyberNotary #NotaryPublic #ROC #RON #EssentialGuide #CNVTA #MortgageIndustry #MISMO #RONBooks

eAPP the future trend of Issuing Apostilles in USA?

Before we get into eAPP, let us explore what an Apostille in USA is.

Simply put, it is a certificate with a special seal, usually provided at a Secretary of State level, that authenticates the validity of the notarial officer’s commission who notarized the document (s) that will be used OCONUS (Outside the Continental United States).

The electronic Apostille or eAPP was launched in 2006 in order to promote and assist in the implementation of technology under the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille Convention). This is a treaty drafted by HCCH; the Hague Conference on Private International Law - Conférence de La Haye de droit international privé. The Hague is a beautiful city located in the Netherlands. I lived in the Hague for a while during my young adult years. The rides on my bike took me to places where I was able to see the Peace Palace and other amazing places.

By the year 2012, the word pilot was removed from the eAPP program. The believe is that by implementing an electronic Apostille, money and time will be saved when compared to the often long and costly legislation process of issuing a single Apostille Certificate.

The first country in the world to implement the eAPP was Colombia (HCCH.net), country where the beautiful and best paid Hispanic actress, Sofia Vergara, is from. if you do not know who Sofia Vergara is, watch an episode of America's Got Talent. She is one of the judges. Then other countries followed.

2007 Colombia

2008 Spain

2009 New Zealand

2013 Republic of Moldova

2015 Austria, Bahrain, Slovenia

2016 Chile

2017 Denmark, Estonia

2018 Belgium

2019 Argentina, Bolivia, Latvia, Türkiye, Venezuela

2020 Bulgaria, Dominican Republic, Georgia, USA/MT

2021 Armenia, Brazil, Guatemala, Israel, Peru, UK

2022 Kazakhstan

27 countries have implemented the eAPP after the Apostille Convention in 2006. There are 195 countries in the world (worldometers.info) from which 124 were contracting parties to the convention mentioned earlier (HCCH.net).

I am impartial in the subject of electronic Apostille at this time even though my company specializes in training Remote Online Notaries, service that has facilitated processes and saved customers thousands of dollars in paper, hours in traffic, and many dollars in fuel for transportation. Moreover, Remote Online Notarizations are done from the safety and comfort of home or office.

Another point worth mentioning here is the existence of electronic registers or eRegisters. The eRegisters are used to verify the validity of an Apostille.

In the United States of America, as of 2022, the State of Montana is the only state that has implemented the eAPP service program.

Well, I can only give you an overview to the world of Apostille. There is a colleague of mine who is an expert in the subject. Her name is Judi Lawrence. If you would like to start an Apostille-related service that will help you and your State, take Judi’s Master course on Apostille.

Here is the link to it.

After registering and taking the course, send me a note.

Mobile Driver's Licenses and IDs: The Next National Trend of Identification

History in the making, mobile IDs are now accepted in different States in USA. Public Officers in the notarial field will need to keep an eye on its development and visit the notarial laws of their States in regards to accepting this type of identification for ID verification.

During the 2022 NASS Summer Conference, Notary Public Administrators (NPA) gathered along with NPA’s industry members. One of the subjects on the NPA’s conference pipeline was mobile IDs. During the presentation, details on functionality of mobile IDs were shared. For example: when a person’s physical driver’s license expires, the mobile driver’s license will also expire. Additionally, on a mobile ID, the user’s information refreshes every 30 days and can be stored on one mobile phone only.

In Louisiana, where the 2022 NASS Summer Conference took place, a holder of a mobile ID or mobile driver’s license must store it in an application known as “LA Wallet”. Other States, such as Arizona, Delaware, Oklahoma, and Mississippi allow users to store mobile IDs in the Apple Wallet.

What is a Mobile Driver’s License (mDL)?

A mobile driver’s license (mDL) is a digital version of your driver’s license or State-issue ID stored in an application on your smart phone that can be used to verify your identity in person or during online transactions. The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) believes that mDL is the future of licensing and proof of identity.

The Federal Register, official journal of the federal government of the United States, defines the mDL as a digital representation of the identity information contained on a state-issued physical DL/ID.

According to govtech.com, Arizona was the first State to allow the use of digital IDs store in the Apple Wallet. Homeland Security also announced through its website hstoday.us that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) deployed a new technology that allows passengers to use mobile IDs stored in the Apple Wallet application uploaded to iPhones or Apple Watch.

Idemia, the technology provider of mobile driver’s licenses/IDs in Arizona, Delaware. Oklahoma, and Mississippi, describes its technology as “Augmented Identification”. If you notice, it has the same initials as Artificial Intelligence (AI). Also, the use of the word “Augmented” brings to my attention the concept of ‘Augmented Reality’ which is the interactive experience of a real-world environment where objects are enhanced by computer generated visualization in order to stimulate users’ perception.

Other Technology providers for the development and implementation of mobile driver’s licenses are Envoc and Morpho Trust.

When did the interest on mDLs began?

According to a mobile driver’s license study published by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles in 2016, Iowa was the first state to study the use of mobile driver’s licenses.

RON Platforms and Mobile IDs

As of July 2022, I do not know of any RON platform accepting mobile driver’s licenses or mobile IDs. May it become a possibility in the future, RON platforms would have to partner with the mobile ID technology providers and integrate it to the platforms or wait until the current technology used to verify signers integrates mobile IDs capabilities. Prior to making that big move, RON platforms should check with implemented notarial laws and find out if mobile DL/ID is an acceptable method of verification during Remote Online Notarization transactions.

MDLs seems to be a two thumbs-up technology accepted by many already. As any new technology, there will be lists of pros and cons. As we become more digitally oriented in the United States of America, let us continue to put in practice cyber-awareness.

Today, CNVTA recommends Remote Online Notaries to always ask signers to show their Identification on camera even if they have passed the RON platform ID verification process. Now, once mobile driver’s licenses and mobile Ids are legally on board during remote online notarizations, it is my hope that RON notaries still ask signers to show a tangible Identification.

Remote Online Notaries keep those computer screens non-reflective, clean, and as big as possible, so you can see your signer’s IDs better. Your states are counting on you.