Applying for a Personal Certificate

Below are the instructions on how to apply for a personal certificate, which is necessary if you would like to get an NGS account. You can find printable version of these instructions from the "NGS Certificate Leaflets" section of the NGS Posters and Leaflets page.

Application Process

We have recently released a new version of our CertWizard software. We believe that you will find this considerably simpler than using the browser interface mentioned in the process below. More information and tutorials can be found on the CertWizard page.

1. Go to the CA Web Interface, select "Request a Certificate" and then “User Certificate”
   

   Note: Mozilla Firefox users; if you get the “Secure Connection Failed” error, go to our faq page

2. Select your local RA from the Registration Authority list that appears on the Certificate Request page, remember to look for your closest RA. You will be asked to enter a PIN that you need to remember and keep safe (the PIN is a security measure to ensure it was you who sent the request and not someone using your name). Click Continue to proceed.
3. A page showing a summary of the request will now appear. Check that your details (e.g. your name and your e-mail address) are correct, then click Continue.
4. The "Certificate Request Confirmation" page should then appear, showing you a summary of the details you entered to apply for a Certificate. We recommend you keep a copy of this page as it can help identify your certificate if there is a problem with the issuing process.
5. An email will then be sent to you confirming your request. It will also give you the details of your local RA operators who are able to approve your request. Now go and visit your nearest RA operator in person with your photo identification; we advise you to send an e-mail to arrange a time to visit. You will also be asked to enter your PIN number.

Downloading and Receiving, Testing and Creating a back-up.

1. Your certificate will be signed by the CA within one working day (after it has been approved by the RA). An email will be sent to you once your certificate is signed and ready to use. Click on the link that is sent in the email in order to import the certificate into your Internet browser. You can also go to the CA Web Interface -> ‘Retrieve New Certificate’ entering the serial number from your email as your identifier. You MUST use the same browser as made the request - only this browser has the private key. (To download the certificate, you also need to re-enter your email address - this is a privacy measure preventing harvesting of email addresses by spambots.)
2. Now test that your certificate works by going to the CA Web Interface, clicking on ‘Test Certificate’ and ensuring that you get the “Success” message.
   
3. You will now need to create a backup of your certificate. Go to the backing up your certificate page to find out more about why you should back up your certificate and how to back it up.

   

 Maintenance

Once your first certificate has been approved it will be valid for 13 months. You will receive an email reminding you to renew it a month before it expires. You will then receive another reminder when there is only one week left for your certificate to expire. You will NOT be able to renew your certificate once it is expired, therefore we recommend you to make a renewal request once you receive your first reminder email (a month before your certificate expires) to allow enough time for the RA Operators to approve your renewal request. For details on how to renew your certificate, see Renewing your Certificate

If you have any problems with any of these steps, first check the frequently asked questions, or failing that contact our support team.

PINs

1. PINs are only for new requests for personal certificates, and not for renewals.
2. The purpose of the PIN is to ensure that the RA approves your request, and not another request with the same name as yours. They don't have to be super secret or complicated, but don't make them easily guessable (like 1234567890).
3. PINs have to be at least 10 letters long by convention, so good PINs can be made by combining unusual words, e.g. "watermelon teabag", or "doughnut window" - let your imagination run wild and enjoy (but don't use these two now!)
4. You normally have to remember the PIN only until you meet the RA. There are some rare cases where it may be helpful for you to remember the PIN forever - e.g. if you have lost your private key and need to contact the RA about the certificate - but these cases are rare and most people need not worry about it.