Feedback on the Passport Application Service
I needed to renew my passport, so I went to the Passport Application Service website.
It wasn’t a great digital experience, but luckily, there were asking for feedback:
- The first page should be clear that if the user doesn’t send their form within 90 days their application will be cancelled and they won’t receive a refund.
- The address lookup covers the entire page causing anxiety that the previously entered details will be lost. Perhaps the addresses for selection could be displayed on the right half the page.
- Phone number wasn’t marked as a required field but when I didn’t put my phone number in, the site then generated a message asking for it. If it’s required, just make it required.
- Having to press the ‘Recalculate’ button to add or remove a paid-for service is awkward.
- Having recalculated the total, the success message is in red text which should be reserved for warnings/errors. Use green for success.
- The captcha verification page asks the user to enter a number in an image, but it doesn’t explain why this is needed, it’s just another step to go through.
- The last page features a ‘Print declaration’ button, is misleading as it doesn’t actually print, it downloads the blank application form. At least it’s digital enough to have included my personal details on the form rather than asking me to write them on the form.
- Having created an account as part of the application process and signed me in, the site doesn’t tell me whether I’m logged in or not, and there doesn’t seem to be a way to log out.