Introduction
When I applied for a visa through Japan's system initially, I did not expect that it would be that confusing.
There were too many documents, unclear requirements, and even after reading through hours of documentation, I still had no idea if I was doing things right.
At one point, I recall thinking:
“Well, why is this still so hard?”
That was a question that stuck with me as a developer.
The Problem
If you have gone through the process of applying for a visa or even renewing it in Japan, I think you will understand what I mean:
- Requirements are different based on the type of visa, nationality, and purpose
- Information is distributed among different sources
- It is very easy to miss out on small details
- You do not even know if you are doing it correctly until you are done submitting your application
Not even the online application process is able to resolve this problem because it is based on the assumption that the person applying for a visa is already aware of the process.
However, for foreigners, this is a very stressful process.
The Idea
I did not have a grand plan in mind. I just wanted to find out:
“Can this process be made less complicated and less prone to errors?”
So I went ahead and created a small tool to find out if I could actually do something about it.
What I Built
I created a basic version of an AI-based tool that includes a number of basic features:
1. Personalized Document Checklist
Users will be able to choose:
- visa type
- nationality
And it even provides a checklist of documents to be submitted – based on their specific case.
No more guessing.
2. Passport/Residence Card Scanning
Using OCR+Parsing:
- User scans their Passport/Residence Card
- System extracts relevant information
- Information is then mapped to the application process
This eliminates the need to manually enter the information, which can often lead to incorrect information.
3. Context-Aware Guidance
Using the user’s address, the system can provide:
- Information about which office to visit
- Information about what to ask for
- Information about the costs involved
This area of the application process is, surprisingly, not well understood even after extensive research.
4. Auto-filled Application Forms
Once all the information has been filled in:
- The system generates an application form in PDF format
- Ready to be printed and sent in
This area of the application process seems to be the most confusing for most people.
Tech Stack (High Level)
The tech stack used for this project:
- Frontend: Next.js (TypeScript)
- Backend: Go (API Layer)
- Database: PostgreSQL
- Auth: Clerk
- AI/Processing: OCR for scanning documents, data extraction, and mapping
Challenges I Faced
1. Real-world data is messy
The documents we were trying to parse were not in an ideal format. For example:
- Different layouts
- Different naming conventions
- Edge cases galore...
This made things more difficult than expected.
2. “Correctness” trumps features in most cases.
For most application projects:
“good enough” is, well, good enough.
It’s not like there are real-world implications.
But in this project:
A small mistake can have serious implications.
It can even affect lives.
So, correctness and clarity were more important than adding more features.
3. UX is everything
Even if logic is correct:
- if users are confused → fail
Thus, simplifying:
- steps
- wording
- flow
became a key aspect.
What I Learned
- Real problems are more complex than they appear
- AI can help, but needs to be contained
- Clarity trumps cleverness
- Getting it out early is key to validating assumptions
Current Status
This remains a very early version, a work in progress.
Currently, I’m looking at:
- improving its accuracy
- improving its UX
- getting real users’ feedback
Closing
This project began with my personal frustration.
Now, I’m attempting to see if this can become something helpful to other people who are going through a similar situation.
If you have any experience with visa applications in Japan, or similar issues, I would love to hear from you.
You can check this project here:
👉 https://nipponvisa.jp/
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