Guide
How to Sign an International Contract
Electronic signatures are recognised internationally, enabling cross-border contract signing.
Steps
- 1
Confirm e-signature legality in both jurisdictions
- 2
Specify governing law in the contract
- 3
Send for signature via API — works globally
- 4
Both parties sign electronically regardless of location
- 5
SHA-256 certificate provides international audit trail
Try it with curl
curl -X POST https://signb.ee/api/send \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"content": "# Your Document\n\nContent here...",
"senderName": "Your Name",
"senderEmail": "you@email.com",
"recipientName": "Recipient",
"recipientEmail": "recipient@email.com"
}'Legal validity
Electronic signatures are legally binding under the ESIGN Act (US), eIDAS Regulation (EU), and Electronic Communications Act (UK). Every Signbee document includes a SHA-256 tamper-proof certificate.
More details
Cross-border contracts are increasingly common in a global economy. The good news: electronic signatures are recognised in 60+ countries. The complexity lies in understanding which law applies and what level of signature is required.
Major e-signature frameworks by region:
North America: - US: ESIGN Act (2000) + UETA (state-level) - Canada: PIPEDA + provincial legislation - Mexico: Federal Commerce Code recognises electronic signatures
Europe: - EU: eIDAS Regulation (2014) — mutual recognition across all member states - UK: Electronic Communications Act (2000) + common law - Switzerland: Federal Act on Electronic Signatures (ZertES)
Asia-Pacific: - Australia: Electronic Transactions Act (1999) - Japan: Electronic Signatures and Certification Business Act (2001) - Singapore: Electronic Transactions Act (2010) - India: Information Technology Act (2000)
Best practices for international contracts: 1. Specify governing law explicitly in the contract 2. Include a jurisdiction clause for dispute resolution 3. Use the stricter standard if jurisdictions differ 4. Include both parties' full legal names and registered addresses 5. Consider language: include translations if parties speak different languages
The SHA-256 audit trail is particularly valuable for international contracts because it provides jurisdiction-neutral evidence of signing that is recognised by courts worldwide.
Frequently asked questions
Are e-signatures valid for international contracts?
Yes. E-signatures are legally recognised in 60+ countries. The key is specifying governing law in the contract and using a platform that provides a verifiable audit trail.
What if different countries have different e-signature requirements?
Use the stricter standard. If one country requires Advanced Electronic Signatures (AES) while the other accepts Simple Electronic Signatures (SES), implement AES to satisfy both jurisdictions.
Related resources
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