User experience
From friction to flow: Transforming the Visa application experience
A complete redesign of the online visa application journey—turning a confusing, outdated process into a clear, guided experience that builds user trust and confidence from start to finish. This is a conceptual redesign of the Sri Lankan ETA visa application experience. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Immigration or the Government of Sri Lanka.
The issue
The original visa application process presented significant usability and trust issues due to its long, unstructured, and visually outdated design. The form appeared cluttered and overwhelming, lacking any logical flow or clear progression, which made it difficult for users to complete with confidence. Critical eligibility checks were placed at the end, causing many applicants to waste time filling out an application they didn’t need. The outdated visual style and absence of modern UI cues (like clear calls to action, clean typography, and responsive layout) made the site feel untrustworthy and unofficial, raising doubts about whether it was safe to submit personal passport information. Combined with the lack of mobile optimisation, accessibility standards, error guidance, and a secure-looking payment flow, the experience not only felt frustrating but also insecure, particularly for international users accessing it on mobile.
Overwhelming single-page layout: All form fields were packed into one long scroll, making it hard to navigate or focus.
No upfront eligibility screening: Users could complete the entire form only to learn they weren’t eligible at the very end.
Poor section grouping- Personal, travel, and contact details were not visually separated, increasing cognitive load.
Repetitive or unhelpful placeholders- Fields used labels as placeholder text, offering no added guidance.
Lack of mobile optimisation- Layout was desktop-first and difficult to use on phones or tablets.
No progress indication- Users had no idea how long the form was or how many steps were left.
Accessibility gaps- The original form lacked ARIA labels, keyboard navigation support, and semantic grouping.
No review step before submission- Users had no chance to verify or correct data before submitting the form.
Outdated payment experience- Payment was not integrated cleanly, lacked clear cost breakdown, and could create user doubt.
Generic confirmation message- The old design ended with a plain message lacking visual feedback or emotional closure.
The solution
The redesigned visa application experience transforms a long, overwhelming single-page form into a clean, step-by-step journey that’s more accessible, user-friendly, and efficient. By organising the process into logical stages—starting with eligibility checks and ending with confirmation—the interface now reduces cognitive load, improves data accuracy, and creates a more inclusive and intuitive experience across devices. Each step features clear instructions, purposeful placeholders, and visual progress indicators to keep users informed and confident throughout their application.
Introduced a step-by-step structure- Replaced the cluttered single-page form with a guided multi-step layout using clear navigation.
Moved eligibility questions to the start- Pre-check questions now screen applicants before they begin, avoiding wasted effort.
Grouped and labelled form sections clearly- Personal details, contact, travel plans, accommodation, and payment are each visually separated.
Improved readability and form hints- All fields now use distinct labels and helpful placeholder text, improving clarity and accessibility.
Responsive, mobile-friendly layout- The design now adapts seamlessly to mobile devices with touch-friendly elements.
Added progress indicators- Users always know what step they’re on and how much is left, reducing uncertainty.
Accessible form interactions- Field focus states, radio button labels, and error prevention now follow WCAG guidelines.
Review screen with editable summary- A final review screen allows users to double-check and edit entries before submission.
Streamlined payment experience- The payment page is clean, secure, and clearly shows the total cost with confirmation messaging.
Friendly success page- A celebratory confirmation screen with travel imagery reinforces trust and a sense of completion.
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