2 Description

This section provides context for this Building Block.

Registration is a process through which an applicant gets information recorded in a registry and receives a credential as proof of registration, in exchange for providing information, with or without money. The information provided by the applicant consists of data and/or credentials issued by public or private entities. Money is provided to pay for one or more registration fees/costs.

A registration involves at least two parties:

• an applicant who wants to register (something or somebody);

• an authorized representative of a registry in charge of registering the data and issuing the credential.

One registration may involve more than two parties, as one or more third parties can be requested to assert/confirm the information provided by the applicant (a notary, a family member, a witness, another public entity, or a non-human entity such as a database); or a third party can be requested to receive the payment made by the applicant (a bank, a cashier, an online payment service). The registry or registries where the information is written can also be considered as a third party.

In some cases, multiple registration processes can take place simultaneously, i.e. the same applicant gets information registered in various registries and receives various credentials while providing information and money only once. This is known as “single window”, “simultaneous registrations” or “integrated registrations”.

Registration Process

In practice, from the applicant’s point of view, a registration process can entail the following operations:

• Answer questions to determine if the applicant is eligible to register according to the data, credentials/documents, and fees required (for the applicant’s case).

• Provide data in a form, and upload copies of credentials/documents.

• Pay fees at a physical point of payment (bank, cashier, etc.) or through an online service.

• Confirm his/her will to register.

• Query the status of the registration process.

• Receive credentials electronically or collect them at a physical point of collection.

From the point of view of the entity in charge (Registrar) of the registration, the process can include the following operations:

• Ask questions to the applicant (on one or more screens) to determine if the applicant is entitled to register according to the data, documents, and fees required (for the applicant’s case).

• Display, on one or various screens, the necessary fields for the applicant to enter the required data and documents (including a receipt of payment, in case the system does not propose an online payment option or if the user for some reason wants to make the payment physically or directly, in the traditional way).

• Control that the information entered is complete and correct (and the applicant is entitled to register).

• Validate the information submitted or, in case the information entered is incomplete or incorrect, send the file back to the applicant for correction.

• When possible, call an external application allowing the applicant to pay the fees online.

• Record the applicant’s information in a registry.

• Issue a credential as proof of registration.