FNMT Digital Certificate Installation Fails Silently in Spain
The FNMT digital certificate fails to install without error. The process requires using the same device and browser from request to installation.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Installing the FNMT Digital Certificate: An Odyssey
Why does the FNMT digital certificate fail to install? This is the question on everyone's mind who has tried to obtain it. According to several users, the process requires using the same computer, operating system, and browser used for the initial request. If anything changes between the request and the installation, the certificate is not recognized. And it doesn't throw an error. It simply doesn't appear. It is missing from the certificate manager and from any browser. The final screen remains as if it had worked, but nothing is installed.
The key lies in a .pcf file downloaded after the request. This file must be installed using the same browser and on the same device. Some argue that if the computer has been restarted, cache or cookies cleared, or the browser updated, the certificate becomes invalid. There is no margin for error. The circulating recommendation is to do it via Internet Explorer or Edge on Windows, and once installed, export it for other devices. But even then, some encounter issues where the FNMT program fails to send data. The screen freezes without an error message.
Poorly Explained Requirements
The first hurdle is understanding that the certificate is tied to the machine and the browser. According to various users, nothing can change between the request and the installation. This includes not restarting the computer, not clearing cookies, and not updating the browser. If the appointment to collect it is not on the same day, the user cannot leave the PC on. That is where the problem begins. The repeated solution is to re-request it via Internet Explorer or Edge, install it there, and then export it. But this doesn't always work.
Some suspect the firewall blocks the connection. The FNMT program fails to send data and provides no error. It is a silent failure. Others point out that the certificate installs for a non-administrator user. Entering the Windows administrator password makes the installation work. These details are absent from official instructions.
Autofirma Version and Portals
Once the certificate is installed, another issue arises: Autofirma. This is the software that allows digital document signing. Some claim version 1.7, the latest available, causes problems on many administration portals. Without Autofirma, documents cannot be registered. Some users recommend uninstalling and downgrading the new version, leaving the option enabled to open automatically when signing.
In reality, the digital certificate has become a nightmare for many procedures. It is supposed to avoid travel, but experience shows otherwise. Some say it would be preferable to carve a signature into rock and drag it along. The Spanish Tax Agency (Agencia Tributaria), however, works perfectly with digital signatures. Other administrations do not fare as well.
e-DNI and Cl@ve: Alternatives with Their Own Issues
The e-DNI requires a card reader. It is another odyssey. The permanent Cl@ve option, marked with a yellow icon, requires no installation and sends an SMS if higher security is needed. But not all agencies have it activated. At the National Social Security Institute (INSS), for example, it is not available for booking appointments. Agencies demand the digital certificate, raising concerns about handing over access keys to third parties.
The conclusion is that the system works, but at the cost of infinite patience. And repeating the process multiple times. Eventually, the certificate gets installed. But the path is a labyrinth.
Why does the FNMT digital certificate fail to install? This is the question on everyone's mind who has tried to obtain it. According to several users, the process requires using the same computer, operating system, and browser used for the initial request. If anything changes between the request and the installation, the certificate is not recognized. And it doesn't throw an error. It simply doesn't appear. It is missing from the certificate manager and from any browser. The final screen remains as if it had worked, but nothing is installed.
The key lies in a .pcf file downloaded after the request. This file must be installed using the same browser and on the same device. Some argue that if the computer has been restarted, cache or cookies cleared, or the browser updated, the certificate becomes invalid. There is no margin for error. The circulating recommendation is to do it via Internet Explorer or Edge on Windows, and once installed, export it for other devices. But even then, some encounter issues where the FNMT program fails to send data. The screen freezes without an error message.
Poorly Explained Requirements
The first hurdle is understanding that the certificate is tied to the machine and the browser. According to various users, nothing can change between the request and the installation. This includes not restarting the computer, not clearing cookies, and not updating the browser. If the appointment to collect it is not on the same day, the user cannot leave the PC on. That is where the problem begins. The repeated solution is to re-request it via Internet Explorer or Edge, install it there, and then export it. But this doesn't always work.
Some suspect the firewall blocks the connection. The FNMT program fails to send data and provides no error. It is a silent failure. Others point out that the certificate installs for a non-administrator user. Entering the Windows administrator password makes the installation work. These details are absent from official instructions.
Autofirma Version and Portals
Once the certificate is installed, another issue arises: Autofirma. This is the software that allows digital document signing. Some claim version 1.7, the latest available, causes problems on many administration portals. Without Autofirma, documents cannot be registered. Some users recommend uninstalling and downgrading the new version, leaving the option enabled to open automatically when signing.
In reality, the digital certificate has become a nightmare for many procedures. It is supposed to avoid travel, but experience shows otherwise. Some say it would be preferable to carve a signature into rock and drag it along. The Spanish Tax Agency (Agencia Tributaria), however, works perfectly with digital signatures. Other administrations do not fare as well.
e-DNI and Cl@ve: Alternatives with Their Own Issues
The e-DNI requires a card reader. It is another odyssey. The permanent Cl@ve option, marked with a yellow icon, requires no installation and sends an SMS if higher security is needed. But not all agencies have it activated. At the National Social Security Institute (INSS), for example, it is not available for booking appointments. Agencies demand the digital certificate, raising concerns about handing over access keys to third parties.
The conclusion is that the system works, but at the cost of infinite patience. And repeating the process multiple times. Eventually, the certificate gets installed. But the path is a labyrinth.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (141 replies).
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