Remote online notarial services are becoming more and more attractive for clients, the Minister of Justice says

The Minister of Justice Evelina Dobrovolska took advantage of the new opportunity to perform notarial acts online remotely. 2nd notary office in Prienai district has sertified the power of attorney for the minister who never left her workplace in Vilnius.

In two months since 1 July this year, when remote online notarial deeds were legalized, notaries have performed remote notarial acts 190 times. In August, these services were provided almost twice as often as in July.

"Today's challenges prove that the development of digitization process and the introduction of new innovative services is a prerequisite for building a modern and advanced state. The legal system must also be geared towards smart solutions, and remote notarial services enable people to access services more quickly and conveniently. Notarial actions in the electronic space allow to ensure even greater availability of services to the public. Together with the Lithuanian Chamber of Notaries, we will strive to expand electronic services later this year: we will create an opportunity to register with a notary electronically, as well as create tools that will allow the client to see the employment of notaries in the calendar. Targeted development of user-friendly legal services is the main direction of the Ministry of Justice”, emphasized E. Dobrovolska.

The Law on Notarial Profession now permits notaries to perform remotely most notarial acts. It is also possible to notarize real estate, securities transfer transactions, marriage contracts, mortgage and pledge transactions, issuance of a right of inheritance certificate, etc. remotely.

According to E. Dobrovolska, it is possible to apply to a notary by electronic means from any place in the state or Lithuania where the Internet is available. This is especially relevant for Lithuanian citizens living abroad, people in small towns where there are no notary offices, or for those who find it more convenient to receive services without leaving home. However, a necessary condition for the provision of these services is electronic means of personal identification. The client must possess of a qualified electronic signature.

According to Rasa Vidžienė, a notary at the 2nd Notary Office of Prienai district, who was one of the first to perform notarial acts remotely, remote notarial deeds are an important breakthrough in increasing the efficiency of notarial services, as the interest of clients and the rapidly growing demand for these services are already visible.

"I very much welcome the emergence of electronic services in the activities of a notary. Situations when we can help Lithuanians living or working abroad are especially gratifying. I believe that these services provide an opportunity to strengthen social ties with Lithuania. It is extremely optimistic that we can help people in difficult situations to get the services they need. For example, I have notarized the deed to a Lithuanian citizen abroad, a driver who has stopped his truck in the mountains of Norway”, Rasa Vidžienė said.

A client who wishes to receive remote notarial services, after placing an order and receiving a link from a notary to a video conference, must connect on the portal https://www.enotaras.lt. He or she must have a qualified electronic signature, an electronic stamp on a cryptographic USB storage device obtained from the Registry Center or the Smart-ID online identification tool, as only these means can be used to verify a person's will remotely.

Notaries must ensure the security and cyber security of electronic information and use appropriate technical and organizational means of processing personal data. Notaries may refuse to perform the notarial act remotely if the obligation to ensure security, personal identification, etc., could not be fulfilled. In this case, the notary informs the person that the notarial act may be performed upon arrival at the notary's office.

Lithuania's neighbors Latvia and Estonia have already legalized remote notarial acts respectively in 2018 and 2020.