Redesigning a travel authorisation application to reduce drop-off
Restructuring a fragmented seven-screen bureaucratic intake into a guided five-step flow, combining saved progress with an automated recovery loop to minimise drop-off.
- Client
- Travel authorisation service
- Role
- Senior UX Designer
- Year
- 2024
- Services
- UX, form design, service design, UI design, A/B testing
Challenge
Our first version mirrored the official government workflow across seven separate screens. High cognitive load, strict documentation requirements and no saved progress led to heavy drop-off, and applicants who left rarely came back.
Approach
I consolidated the mandatory question set into five digestible steps, prioritised verified email capture to anchor each application, and introduced automatic saving. Drop-off recovery was supported by an on-site continue prompt and a deep-linked reminder email, validated through live A/B testing.
Outcome
After deploying the consolidated information architecture and automated re-engagement loop, completed applications increased by 68%.
Where we started
The initial release closely followed the government portal’s structure: seven fragmented pages demanding extensive, exact details. Completing the form required passport details, employment history and US travel plans, which applicants rarely have to hand all at once. Without saved progress, real-world interruptions often meant an abandoned application and high drop-off.
- High interaction fatigue. Seven standalone pages made the task feel bigger than it was, and every new screen was another point to give up.
- Ambiguous progress tracking. The lack of a transparent mental model left applicants uncertain of total duration and effort required.
- Pervasive data loss. Any accidental tab closure or mid-flow interruption reset input fields completely, deterring users from restarting.
- Absence of a recovery channel. Without front-loading contact authentication, abandoned sessions were permanently lost.
- Cognitive friction during data entry. Sensitive legal and identification questions were presented with little context, guidance or reassurance.
Fewer, clearer steps
Because every question is required by the official application, removing questions was not an option. Instead, the design effort focused on information architecture and chunking. Related questions were regrouped into five logical steps, separating eligibility screening from personal details, followed by review and payment.
Official application
7 steps, including review and payment, in 2024
- 01Disclaimers
- 02Applicant information
- 03Personal information
- 04Travel information
- 05Eligibility questions
- 06Review application
- 07Pay
Our application
5 steps of questions, then review and payment
- 01Applicant information
- 02Passport information
- 03Eligibility information
- 04Personal information
- 05Travel information
A review of competing services showed most followed similarly long, page-by-page flows that did little to account for applicant fatigue.
The re-engagement loop
Rather than treating session abandonment as an edge case, the interaction model treats interruption as an inevitable, normal behaviour, embedding recovery points throughout the user journey.
- 01
Front-loaded email verification. We capture and verify the applicant's email in step 1. This establishes a reliable contact point early, so the reminder email can reach them if they leave. - 02
Automatic saving in the browser. Answers are saved in the browser as each step is completed, so applicants can pause and resume without creating an account. - 03
Homepage recovery. When a saved application is detected, returning visitors see a clear prompt on the homepage to continue, alongside an option to start again. - 04
Deep-linked reminder email. If someone hasn't returned after 24 to 48 hours, an automated reminder links them straight back to the step they left, with their saved answers in place.
The on-site prompt catches people who return on their own, while the reminder email reaches those who don't. Removing re-entry friction was essential: sending someone back to step one would undo the value of saving progress, so every way back in reopens the exact step they left.
More than a form
A transactional form is only one component of the broader travel journey. To turn administrative friction into peace of mind, the experience continues after submission in a customer portal focused on getting ready to travel and a smooth arrival:
- Status updates at every stage, so applicants always know where their application stands.
- Preparation guides, including a proof of intent checklist, a customs declaration guide and an interview preparation sheet.
- Business travel resources, with guidance on permitted business activities and invitation letter templates.
- Support access whenever applicants have a question.
The service also supports group applications, so families and businesses can apply for several travellers at once and follow every application in one place.
Tested with real traffic
Design hypotheses were evaluated through live A/B tests against the existing design. Each release was guided by how applicants actually behaved rather than by stakeholder assumptions.
Looking back
The defining product breakthrough was reframing interruption as expected behaviour rather than a UX failure. Shifting the focus from preventing exits to making re-entry effortless is what moved completed applications.
