Mobile visa application app with an AI assistant

Challenge

To develop a mobile app that simplifies the visa application process — from document preparation to application status tracking

Project domain  — Travel Tech / GovTech / Visa Services
Target audience:tourists planning international trips, students applying abroad, professionals relocating for work, and first‑time visa applicants

Research & Analysis

I conducted a survey among users of the visa service — through in-person conversations and online correspondence — and also analyzed their feedback and subjective opinions to identify pain points in the user experience.

The goal was to identify the key challenges users face when applying for visas and uncover opportunities to improve the user experience through a digital solution

Interview questions:
  1. Tell me about your most recent visa application experience?
  2. How does the visa application preparation process usually begin?
  3. What resources or services do you use to get information about visa requirements?
  4. What challenges do you run into when gathering the required documents?
  5. What causes you the most anxiety during the visa application process?
  6. How do you know that you’ve prepared all the required documents?
  7. Describe your experience with filling out visa application forms
  8. Which steps of the process take the most time, and why?
  9. How do you usually track the status of your application?
  10. What information or support would be most helpful to you during the visa application process?
  11. What do you like about existing visa application services?
  12. If you could change one thing about the visa application process, what would it be?
Key research insights:
  • Users find it difficult to find up-to-date information
  • Users are afraid of making mistakes in their documents
  • Document preparation takes a lot of time
  • Application status tracking is not transparent enough
  • The application process feels complicated and confusing

Research & Analysis

VFS Global — complex navigation and too many pages make the user journey difficult, while application status tracking remains limitedv
TLScontact — a confusing user journey with too many manual steps and no intelligent document validation at all
VisaHunter — purely an informational resource with no option to submit documents or track application status

Hypothesis

  • If users are provided with a single source of up‑to‑date visa information, then the time spent searching for requirements will decrease and the preparation process will become more transparent
  • If we implement automatic document validation before submission, then the number of errors will decrease and the likelihood of a successful application will increase
  • If we create a personalized document checklist, then users will be able to prepare their document package faster
  • If we add real‑time application status tracking, then users' anxiety levels after submitting their documents will decrease
  • If we simplify the form‑filling process with hints and a step‑by‑step flow, then users will complete their applications faster

Prototyping

Paper Wireframes
Low-Fidelity Prototype

User Flow Diagram

Challenges & Solutions

Fragmented information
Problem
Visa requirements are scattered across embassy websites, visa center portals, and third-party resources
Solution
A centralized database with up-to-date requirements, instructions, and recommendations in one clear, easy-to-use format
Unclear document requirements
Problem
Users spend too much time searching for requirements across different sites, which leads to confusion
Solution
An automatic personalized document checklist generated after selecting the country, visa type, and purpose of travel — with progress tracking for preparation
Tedious registration process
Problem
Users see creating a new account as an unnecessary extra step. kdjfoisdjfndvjvhsvsd
Solution
Quick login through Apple, Google, and email — reducing the time it takes to get started with the service.
Fear of mistakes when submitting
Problem
Fear of rejection makes users double-check their data repeatedly or turn to paid assistance.
Solution
AI-powered document validation before submission — analyzing completed fields and uploaded files to catch errors and omissions before the application is sent
Complex application form
Problem
A large number of fields with no guidance increases the risk of errors and user drop-off
Solution
Step‑by‑step form‑filling with hints and auto‑save, broken down into small, clear stages
Uncertainty after submission
Problem
Users find it difficult to track their application status and have to check for updates manually
Solution
A personal dashboard showing the current stage of processing, with automatic notifications for any status updates

Design System

A partially ready‑made design system was used for the project and adapted to the product’s needs. Custom components, interface states, and specialized visa‑service elements were also developed. This kept the interface consistent and sped up the design process.

Typography
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SemiBold
Medium
Regular
Bold
Colors
Neutral colors
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Accent colors
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Components

Project screens

Select a country to see visa requirements
Visa requirements
Welcome
Application dashboard
Passport
Travel & additional informations
AI review dashboard
Application submitted
Open to collaboration!
Milana Sablakova