What Is a Visa, and Why Is It Important?
A visa is an official document allowing you to enter a foreign country legally. The visa is usually stamped or glued to your valid passport. There are different types of visas you can apply for, and you must apply for a visa that suits your purpose of travel.
For example, if you want to travel to a foreign country for leisure or tourism purposes, you must apply for a Tourist Visa; if you’re traveling to a foreign country for business purposes, you must apply for a Business Visa or a Work Visa.
A visa is important because if you require a visa for the country you wish to travel to and don’t have one, you won’t be able to cross their borders.
What Was the Traditional Visa Application Process?
Before we get into how visa applications through mobile apps will be faster, let’s look at how we used to apply for a visa. The visa application a few years back was very tedious. The visa application started with making an appointment at the Embassy, often in person. After that, you had to make sure you had all the required documents with you on that day, fill out long and many forms by hand, and submit your travel documents with the hope that they don’t need additional documents you don’t have.
You also had to ensure that you had at least half of your day booked out just in case the Embassy was busy. Then, if you got your visa, you had to return to that same Embassy to pick up your visa, which took more time out of your day.
How Did The E-Visa System Impact the Visa Application Process?
The e-Visa system improved the visa application, but it’s not a perfect system. Yes, you don’t have to apply for an e-Visa at an Embassy, which is faster than applying in person, and you can pay through the online portal. But there are so many complaints these days about the e-Visa portals; people don’t know if the e-Visa website is the official website, and people have trouble paying their visa application because the system is outdated, and sometimes the website crashes. So, although the e-visa made the visa application process paperless and more accessible, it still needs to evolve and shake off those bugs.
Now I want to discuss how mobile apps can impact visa applications.
What Are the Benefits of Using a Mobile Visa Application Service?
There are many benefits of using a mobile app for visa applications, especially if you compare it to how we used to apply for a visa (through an Embassy). The benefits are:
You Can Make the Visa Application From the Comfort of Your Home:
If you apply for your visa through a mobile app, there’s no need to go to an Embassy to start the visa application. Instead, you can apply for the visa you want online at home.
They Give You a List of Required Documents:
I’ve heard many stories where Embassies want additional documents, and you only realize that when you’re at the Embassy. If you make your visa application through a mobile app, you’ll get a list of required documents and additional documents you might need.
Don’t Have to Fill Out the Visa Application Form by Hand:
This is probably one of my favorite benefits. Because the visa application is entirely online, you don’t have to complete the whole visa application form online.
Paperless Documents:
You don’t have to print out all the required documents because the mobile app allows you to upload them in digital format, making your next visa application process easier.
Quicker Application Process:
The application process for the visa is quicker than at an Embassy. It can take you a maximum of 10 minutes to complete your visa application on a mobile app. This includes the visa application form, uploading your travel documents, and paying the visa fee.
The App Saves Your Information:
Once you start your visa application, the mobile app saves your information for your next visa application. I know about a mobile app, ATLYS, that does this, and it works amazingly. This also means that if the visa application process took you 10 minutes the first time, it could take about 2-3 minutes to complete your next visa application because the app saved your information.
The App Books Your Visa Appointment For You:
This benefit is excellent! Usually, you would have to book your appointment in person at the Embassy, but on a mobile app, you’ll find different time slots available for your interview, and you can choose. I know that VFS global does this, saving you time.
Passport Photo Checker:
The passport photo checker helps you greatly because Embassies are very strict about passport-size photographs. Your passport photo must meet loads of requirements. The passport photo checker makes sure that the photo you upload meets all the photo requirements. If you upload your passport photo and there’s something wrong, some mobile apps will tell you what it is that you must fix, like maybe the photo is too blurry.
Payment Process is Easy:
There are a lot of complaints from people saying that in certain countries, their e-Visa payments won’t go through and that it’s tedious to pay for their e-Visa. This won’t happen when you apply through a mobile app. You can pay your visa application fee with any card from any bank, and you can pay with mobile wallets.
All in all, mobile apps that help you with your visa application has loads of benefits. It’s so much better than going to an Embassy in person to apply.
How To Make a Visa Application Faster Through Mobile App?
Applying for a visa through a mobile app is much faster. This is because everything you do is online. You can go through the entire visa application process in under ten minutes. As mentioned above, the app saves your information which makes the visa processing even faster the second time.
How To Apply for A Visa Through Mobile Phone?
If you choose to apply for your visa through a mobile app, the application process will look something like this:
First, you must download the app you want to use for your visa application. Next, you must create an account that you can use again in the future, and your visa application starts! Choose where you are traveling from, which country you’re traveling to, the date you’re traveling to the country, and the return date. Next, you must complete the visa application form, upload all required documents (digital format), and pay the visa fee.
The app will show you the visa fee you must pay, whether at the beginning of your visa application or at the end. After you pay the visa fee, you can submit your visa application; you’ll receive an email confirming your visa application and then wait for your visa to be processed. If they grant your visa, you’ll receive it through email from the mobile app you used, also known as an electronic visa.
Will I Have to Pay Extra If I Apply Through The Mobile App?
Yes, but it won’t be more expensive than the visa you apply for. If you apply for your visa through the app, it is possible that you must pay a small service fee. The app will incorporate the service fee with your visa processing fee at the end of your visa application.
Is The Payment Process Through the Mobile App Secure?
Yes, it is. The payment process through the mobile app is secure, and none of your information will be shared or used.
Will The Mobile App Process My Visa Faster?
Unfortunately, no. The processing time for your visa will stay the same as when you apply for a visa at an Embassy. This is only because your visa application must go through an Embassy, and they must grant your visa. So, the mobile app is kind of like the middleman between you and the Embassy.
There You Go!
As it stands, the visa application is still something most people hate, and some don’t have the luxury of applying online. Hopefully, this post inspires people to take that step towards a future where everyone has complete access to the visa they want. Let’s make the visa application process something everyone will enjoy.
