Evisa

Simplifying Visa access with a
smart mobile app

the idea

THE BRIEF

The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage set out to develop a mobile app that would let users purchase, manage, and access their electronic visas on the go.

The app needed to handle secure payments, capture all the legal information required for a visa application, and allow users to store their eVisa in their digital wallet for easy access when passing through customs.

what needed to be solved

THE PROBLEM

While the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage already offered visa applications via their website, they identified key pain points in the user experience. The process of collecting and submitting visa information wasn’t as streamlined or user-friendly as it could be.

They set out to improve this by creating a mobile app that put user experience at the centre. The goal was to allow users to apply for, manage, and access their visas directly from their smartphones, anytime, anywhere.

By delivering these services through a mobile app, the Commission could also take advantage of device-native tools. This included passport scanning via the phone’s camera to reduce manual input, storing visas in the user’s digital wallet for easy access during travel, and enabling applications for multiple people with real-time status updates, all within a single app.

the clever bit!

THE SOLUTION

The Distance was tasked with understanding the visa requirements and collaborating with the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage to ensure APIs were in place for seamless backend integration. The app also needed to integrate with a third-party payment provider, and Hyperpay was chosen for its robust APIs and compatibility with the Commission’s needs.

To serve a diverse user base, the application was developed to support multiple languages, including right-to-left (RTL) as well as left-to-right (LTR) interfaces, ensuring accessibility for all users.

Leveraging the mobile platform, The Distance identified opportunities to enhance user engagement by implementing push notifications. This proactive approach keeps applicants informed throughout the visa process, improving transparency and user experience.

measuring success

THE RESULTS

The Distance developed the application based on the requirements gathered during discovery. A few minor adjustments were made to enhance the user experience and streamline the process. Once the project was signed off, it was handed back to the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage’s Innovation team to share internally and manage future updates as needed.

All work and documentation produced by The Distance was fully transferred to the Commission’s internal development team, enabling them to take full ownership of the project moving forward.

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