A working SOP for agencies moving from manual processes to VisaDesk.
This guide maps notebooks, registers, manual follow-ups, and paper files into a clear day-to-day operating system inside VisaDesk.
Jump to
This SOP is meant for agencies still operating with handwritten logs, paper passport bundles, and manual follow-ups. Each section shows the old way, the VisaDesk way, and the exact team habit that keeps the system clean.
Best use
- Use it during team onboarding.
- Keep it beside the manual for day-to-day reference.
- Review the weekly and closing routines with managers.
Before You Start — Initial Setup
Before — Manual way
You have a physical office setup: a filing cabinet for passports, a register book for client names, a separate ledger for payments, and perhaps an Excel sheet someone made. New staff learn by watching senior staff.
After — With VisaDesk
VisaDesk replaces all of this digitally. Before you start processing cases, spend one day on setup so everything works smoothly from day one.
Setup Checklist (One Time)
Configure your agency profile
Go to Settings → Agency Profile. Enter your agency name, contact number, address, and logo. This appears on invoices and receipts your clients receive.
Set up visa types and countries
Go to Settings → Visa Configuration. Add the countries you process visas for (e.g., Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, UK) and the visa types under each country (Tourist, Business, Work, Student, Umrah, etc.). These become the options you select when adding a passport to a TR.
Review Taka Pricing
VisaDesk now uses Bangladeshi Taka across plans, invoices, receipts, and payment records. Review your amounts in Settings and billing screens before going live.
Create your team accounts
Go to Settings → Users. Add each staff member with their name, email, and role. See Section 11 for which role to assign to whom.
Configure notification templates (optional)
Go to Settings → Notifications. Set up automated SMS or email messages that are sent to clients when their visa is approved, rejected, or ready for pickup. This replaces manual phone calls.
Capturing Client Details During TR Creation
Before — Manual way
A new client walks in. Your counter staff writes the details in a register book, takes a photocopy of the passport, and clips everything into a folder for that case. If the same client comes back later, staff search old files to find the previous passport copy and personal details.
After — With VisaDesk
VisaDesk does not require a separate client registration step. When you create a TR and add a passport, the passport record stores the client details for later use. If the client returns, you can fetch the saved information again by passport number instead of typing everything from scratch.
How the Flow Works
Start from the TR
Open or create the travel requirement first. Client and passport details are captured when you add a passport to that TR, not through a separate client registration screen.
Enter the passport and personal details
When adding a passport to the TR, enter the passport number and the related personal information there. That information stays attached to the passport record for future use.
Reuse saved details for repeat clients
If the client has come before, use the passport number to fetch the information that was stored previously. This avoids creating duplicate records and saves re-entry time.
Proceed with the case from the same TR
Once the passport is attached, continue processing the visa case inside that TR. The same passport-linked information can be reused again the next time that passport number comes back.
Creating a Travel Requirement (TR)
Before — Manual way
A company or travel group calls and wants to process visas for 15 people going to Malaysia next month. Your staff write all 15 names in one batch in a register, attach all 15 passports with a rubber band, and label the bundle with a marker. Tracking which passports have come back and which are still at the embassy is done by crossing names off a paper list.
After — With VisaDesk
A Travel Requirement (TR) is the digital equivalent of that passport bundle. One TR = one group trip or batch of applications. Each TR has a unique number, a status, and tracks every passport inside it individually.
How to Create a TR
Go to Travel Requirements
Click Travel Requirements → New TR. The system creates the TR record and generates the TR ID automatically, so staff do not need to type a separate TR name manually.
Set destination and visa type
Select the destination country and visa type. These come from the visa configuration you set up in Section 1.
Set travel dates
Enter the expected departure date and return date if known. This helps you prioritize urgent TRs on your dashboard.
Save — the TR is now in DRAFT
The TR starts as DRAFT. It becomes ACTIVE automatically when you add the first passport to it.
Add passports to the TR
Open the TR and click Add Passport. Enter a new passport if this is the first time, or use the passport number to fetch previously stored details for a repeat client. Repeat for all people in this group. Each passport is now tracked individually within this TR.
Submitting Passports & Tracking Visas
Before — Manual way
Staff physically takes the passport bundle to the embassy or visa center. They write the submission date in a register. Checking status means calling the embassy, visiting in person, or checking online manually. When passports come back, staff cross off names on the paper list and call each client one by one.
After — With VisaDesk
Every passport in a TR moves through a defined status pipeline in VisaDesk. Staff update the status as things happen. The dashboard always shows the current state of every application without calling anyone.
Passport Status Workflow
SUBMITTED — when you hand over to embassy/center
When the passports are physically submitted, open the TR, find each passport, and change its status to Submitted. Enter the submission date. This is your official record of when it went in.
PROCESSING — when the embassy begins processing
Once you receive confirmation that processing has started (from the visa center, online portal, or embassy notification), update the status to Processing. You can add notes such as the reference number given by the embassy.
APPOINTMENT — if an interview or biometric is required
If the visa requires an appointment (biometric, interview), add the appointment date to the passport record. The system will show it as upcoming and mark it green once the date has passed.
VISA APPROVED or VISA REJECTED
When the result is known, update status to Visa Approved or Visa Rejected. For rejections, you can add a rejection reason. If notifications are configured, an SMS or email is sent to the client automatically.
READY FOR PICKUP — when passport is back at your office
When the passport physically returns to your office, update to Ready for Pickup. The client receives an automatic notification if enabled. This replaces the manual phone call.
DELIVERED — when client collects
When the client collects their passport, mark as Delivered. Record who collected it and when. Once all passports in a TR are Delivered, the TR automatically moves to COMPLETED.
Handling Payments & Finance
Before — Manual way
Staff writes a handwritten receipt when a client pays. Payments are recorded in a ledger book. At month end, the owner adds up columns manually to find total income. Clients who owe money are tracked from memory or a paper list. Refunds are handled with a new receipt and a note in the ledger.
After — With VisaDesk
All payments, invoices, and receipts are recorded per TR in VisaDesk. The system calculates outstanding balances, aging, and monthly totals automatically.
Recording Payments
Open the TR and go to Finance tab
Every TR has a Finance section. Open the TR, click the Finance tab. This is where all money related to this group's visa processing is recorded.
Set the service charge / invoice amount
Enter the total amount your agency is charging for this TR (e.g., visa fee + service charge for 15 people). This creates the invoice for this TR.
Record each payment as it comes in
When a client or company pays (cash, bank transfer, mobile payment), click Add Payment. Enter the amount, date, and payment method. A receipt is generated automatically and can be printed or sent to the client.
Track outstanding balance
The system shows you the total charged, total received, and outstanding balance in real time. You never need to calculate this manually.
Record refunds
If a visa is rejected and you need to refund the embassy fee, use Add Refund. This is recorded as a negative transaction and adjusts the balance automatically.
Finance Overview
View all outstanding payments
Go to Finance → Accounts. This shows every TR with an outstanding balance — your receivables list. This replaces the manual ledger review.
Aging analysis
The Finance module shows how long each outstanding amount has been unpaid (0–30 days, 30–60 days, 60+ days). Use this to follow up on overdue clients without searching through paper records.
Client Communication & Public Tracking Portal
Before — Manual way
Clients call the office 10 times a day asking 'Is my passport ready?' Staff spend hours on phone calls giving status updates. If the person who handled the case is not in, no one else knows the current status.
After — With VisaDesk
Every TR has a unique public tracking link. Share it with the client once. They can check their own status anytime from their phone — no calls needed. All staff can see the same status in the system.
How to Use the Tracking Portal
Get the tracking link for a TR
Open any TR. At the top of the TR page, you will find a Share Tracking Link button. Click it to copy the unique URL for this TR.
Send the link to your client
Share the link via SMS or email when you first create the TR. The client bookmarks it and checks it themselves whenever they want an update.
What the client sees
The tracking page shows each passport in the TR, the current status (Submitted, Processing, Approved, Ready for Pickup), and any appointment dates. No login required. No sensitive financial data is shown.
Automatic SMS/Email updates
If you have configured notification templates in Settings, the client also receives automatic SMS or email alerts when key status changes happen (e.g., visa approved, ready for pickup). This completely replaces manual phone calls.
Appointment Management
Before — Manual way
Appointment dates are written in a desk diary or wall calendar. Staff sometimes forget to check. Clients miss appointments because no one remembered to call them.
After — With VisaDesk
Appointments are linked directly to the passport record inside a TR. The dashboard shows upcoming appointments. Past appointments are automatically marked as completed.
Recording and Tracking Appointments
Add appointment date to a passport
Open the TR → open the specific passport → click Add Appointment. Enter the appointment date and type (e.g., Biometric, Interview, VFS submission). The appointment is now tracked in the system.
Dashboard appointment view
On the dashboard and in the TR view, passports with upcoming appointments are highlighted. Today's appointments show a blue “APPT TODAY” badge — you cannot miss them.
Appointment reminders
If SMS notifications are configured, an automated reminder is sent to the client the day before their appointment. No manual follow-up required.
After the appointment
Once the appointment date passes, the system marks it as completed automatically. Update the passport status to Processing or Submitted as appropriate after the appointment.
Daily Staff Workflow
This is the recommended daily routine for your team once VisaDesk is in active use. Pin this on the noticeboard until it becomes habit.
Agency Admin / Manager
Check the dashboard overview: active TRs, today's appointments, outstanding payments, and any alerts (expired passports, overdue collections).
Review any visa results that came in overnight. Update passport statuses accordingly.
Review the Finance → Accounts page for new outstanding balances. Follow up on overdue payments.
Confirm that all staff have updated their case statuses. Run a quick review of active TRs.
Counter Employee
Open the TR flow first. Search by passport number if the client is returning, or add the passport and capture the details directly inside the TR if they are new.
Open TR → find passport → update status to Submitted → enter submission date.
Update each passport to Visa Approved or Visa Rejected immediately. Add notes if rejected.
Update status to Ready for Pickup. System sends notification to client automatically.
Update status to Delivered. Record collection details.
Open TR → Finance tab → Add Payment → enter amount and method → issue receipt.
TR Employee
Review all active TRs assigned to you. Check for passports requiring status updates.
Create new TRs as required when a new group or batch comes in.
Add passports to TRs after counter staff has captured the passport-linked traveller details.
Ensure all passport statuses reflect the actual physical status of each document.
End-of-Day & Closing Procedures
Before — Manual way
At end of day, staff count the day's receipts, match with cash in hand, and write totals in the ledger. Passport bundles are locked in a cabinet. Tomorrow's appointments are checked in the diary.
After — With VisaDesk
VisaDesk handles the record-keeping. The physical closing routine changes but does not disappear.
End-of-Day Checklist
Reconcile today's payments
Go to Finance → Accounts and verify that all payments received today have been entered. Match the system total for today against the cash/transfer receipts in hand.
Check all passport status updates are current
Any passport that physically moved today (submitted, returned, collected) must have its status updated in the system before closing. Do not leave this for tomorrow.
Review tomorrow's appointments
Check the dashboard or TR list for any passports with tomorrow's appointment date. Confirm the physical passports are prepared and ready.
Check for pending client collections
Filter TRs or passports by status Ready for Pickup. Any passports that have been ready for more than 3 days should be followed up with the client.
Log out of all sessions
All staff should log out of VisaDesk on shared devices at end of day. Do not leave sessions open on public or shared computers.
Weekly Reviews & Reports
Before — Manual way
The agency owner manually counts how many visas were processed this week, how much was collected, and how much is still outstanding. This takes hours and is often inaccurate. Staff performance is judged by memory.
After — With VisaDesk
VisaDesk generates all this automatically. A weekly review takes 15 minutes instead of half a day.
Weekly Review Routine
Open Reports → Summary
View total TRs created, passports processed, approval rate, and rejection rate for the week. Compare week-over-week to spot trends.
Review Finance Report
Check total invoiced, total collected, and total outstanding for the week. Export to Excel if you need to share with your accountant.
Review Agent Performance
Go to Reports → Agent Performance. See how many cases each staff member processed this week. Use this for performance conversations — no more guessing.
Check overdue outstanding payments
In Finance → Aging Analysis, identify accounts that are 30+ days overdue. Make phone calls or send payment reminders for these this week.
Review rejected visas
Filter TRs or passports by Visa Rejected status. For each rejection, confirm: Has the client been informed? Has the embassy fee refund been processed? Has the passport been returned?
Export and archive
Export the week's report as XLSX. Keep copies in your own archive folder as backup. VisaDesk retains data for the lifetime of your subscription, but maintaining your own backup is good practice.
Managing Your Team & Roles
Before — Manual way
All staff use one shared login (or one person has the computer password). Everyone sees everything. If something goes wrong, you cannot tell who did it. New staff get full access immediately.
After — With VisaDesk
Every staff member has their own account with a specific role. Each role controls exactly what they can see and do. The audit log records every action with the user's name.
Agency Admin
Owner or senior managerAccess: Full access to everything: settings, billing, all modules, user management, reports, and audit log.
When to use: Create this for yourself or the most trusted manager. Only 1–2 people should have this role.
Counter Employee
Front desk staff who interact with clients dailyAccess: Can capture passport-linked traveller details, add passports to TRs, update passport statuses, and record payments. Cannot access settings, billing, or other agencies' data.
When to use: This is the most common role. Assign to all customer-facing staff.
TR Employee
Back-office staff who create and manage travel requirement batchesAccess: Can create TRs, manage passport pipelines, and update statuses. Limited finance access.
When to use: Assign to staff who coordinate with embassies and visa centers but do not handle cash.
General Employee
Support staff or traineesAccess: Read-only or limited access as configured by the Admin. Cannot modify records unless specifically permitted.
When to use: Assign to new staff during their first few weeks, or to staff who only need to check status without making changes.
Adding a New Staff Member
Go to Settings → Users → Add User
Enter their full name, email address, and assign the appropriate role.
They receive an email invitation
The new user receives an email with a link to set their password. They log in with their own credentials.
Never share passwords
Each person must use their own account. Shared credentials break the audit trail and make it impossible to track who did what.
Common Scenarios & How to Handle Them
A client's visa is rejected — what do I do?
- 1.Update the passport status to Visa Rejected in the TR.
- 2.Add the rejection reason in the notes field (if known from the embassy).
- 3.If notifications are enabled, the client is informed automatically. Otherwise, call them.
- 4.Go to the TR Finance tab. If the embassy fee needs to be refunded, record a Refund transaction.
- 5.Return the passport to the client and update status to Delivered.
- 6.If they want to reapply, create a new TR or add them to an existing one. Do not reuse the rejected TR.
A client pays in two installments — how do I record this?
- 1.Record the first payment when it is received: TR → Finance → Add Payment → enter the amount.
- 2.The system will show the outstanding balance automatically.
- 3.When the second installment is paid, record another payment the same way.
- 4.Once fully paid, the balance shows zero. No manual calculation needed.
A passport is lost at the embassy — what do I record?
- 1.Add a note to the passport record: Settings → Notes → explain what happened and when.
- 2.Change the status to a custom note or keep it in Processing with detailed notes.
- 3.Do not mark as Delivered.
- 4.Keep the audit trail intact — do not delete the record. This protects your agency legally.
A client wants to know what they have paid so far
- 1.Open the TR → Finance tab.
- 2.You can see all payments recorded with dates and amounts.
- 3.Print or screenshot the payment history for the client.
- 4.If you issued receipts digitally, the client can also view them through their tracking link.
A staff member leaves — how do I remove their access?
- 1.Go to Settings → Users.
- 2.Find the staff member and click Deactivate Account.
- 3.Their account is immediately disabled — they cannot log in.
- 4.Their past actions remain in the audit log and are not deleted.
- 5.Do not delete the user account; deactivating is sufficient and preserves history.
A group TR has 20 people but 3 are not travelling anymore — what do I do?
- 1.Open the TR.
- 2.Find the 3 passports that are being removed.
- 3.If they were never submitted, remove them from the TR.
- 4.If they were already submitted, mark their status appropriately and add a note.
- 5.The TR continues for the remaining 17 people.
Getting Help
If you encounter a situation not covered in this SOP, or if something in the system is not working as expected, reach out to our support team. We are familiar with how visa agencies work and can guide you through any scenario.