Visa Application System

A backend system for managing visa applications with three types of forms: Study Visa, Work Permit, and Visit Visa.

System Flow

1. Initial Request Submission

• User visits the website and selects a visa type
• Submits initial request with contact details
• System creates a pending request

2. Admin Review Process

• Admin views pending requests in admin panel
• Reviews each request
• Can approve or reject requests
• If approved, system automatically creates user account

3. User Form Completion

• User receives credentials (if approved)
• Logs in to the system
• Fills out the specific visa application form
• Uploads required documents
• System validates and stores documents securely

API Endpoints

Request System

1. Submit New Request

• Endpoint: POST /api/requests
• Public: Yes
• Description: Submit a new visa application request
• Request Body:

{
    "email_address": "user@example.com",
    "phone_number": "1234567890",
    "form_type": "Study Visa" // or "Work Permit" or "Visit Visa"
}

• Response: Created request object

2. Get All Requests (Admin)

• Endpoint: GET /api/requests
• Public: No (Admin only)
• Description: Get all requests (pending, approved, rejected)
• Headers Required: Authorization: Bearer <token>
• Response: Array of all requests

3. Get Pending Requests (Admin)

• Endpoint: GET /api/requests/pending
• Public: No (Admin only)
• Description: Get only pending requests
• Headers Required: Authorization: Bearer <token>
• Response: Array of pending requests

4. Get Specific Request (Admin)

• Endpoint: GET /api/requests/:requestId
• Public: No (Admin only)
• Description: Get details of a specific request
• Headers Required: Authorization: Bearer <token>
• Response: Request object

5. Process Request (Admin)

• Endpoint: POST /api/requests/:requestId/process
• Public: No (Admin only)
• Description: Approve or reject a request
• Headers Required: Authorization: Bearer <token>
• Request Body:

{
    "status": "Approved", // or "Rejected"
    "email_address" : "demo@gmail.com",
    "phone_number" : "xxxxxxxxxxx"
}

• Response: Updated request object

User System

1. User Login

• Endpoint: POST /api/users/login
• Public: Yes
• Description: Login with username and password
• Request Body:

{
    "username": "user_123",
    "password": "password123"
}

• Response: JWT token and user details

2. Get All Users (Admin)

• Endpoint: GET /api/users/getallusers
• Public: No (Admin only)
• Description: Get all registered users
• Headers Required: Authorization: Bearer <token>
• Response: Array of users (without passwords)

3. Submit Form

• Endpoint: POST /api/users/form/submit
• Public: No (User only)
• Description: Submit visa application form with documents
• Headers Required:
  • Authorization: Bearer <token>
  • Content-Type: multipart/form-data
• Request Body: Form data and files
• Response: Created form submission object

4. Get User's Form

• Endpoint: GET /api/users/form
• Public: No (User only)
• Description: Get user's submitted form
• Headers Required: Authorization: Bearer <token>
• Response: User's form submission object

Authentication

• JWT (JSON Web Token) based authentication
• Token expires in 24 hours
• Include token in Authorization header for protected routes:

Authorization: Bearer <your-jwt-token>

File Upload System

• Secure file upload using Cloudinary
• Supports multiple file types (jpg, jpeg, png, pdf)
• Document validation for each visa type
• Required documents vary by visa type:
  • Study Visa: passport, transcripts, admission letter, etc.
  • Work Permit: passport, transcripts, work experience, etc.
  • Visit Visa: bank statements, employment proof, etc.

Database Models

Request Model

{
    email_address: String,
    phone_number: String,
    form_type: String,
    status: String, // Pending/Approved/Rejected
    admin_notes: String,
    processed_by: ObjectId,
    processed_at: Date
}

User Model

{
    username: String,
    password: String,
    contact_details: {
        email_address: String,
        phone_number: String
    },
    form_type: String,
    approval_status: String,
    admin_comments: String,
    form_reference: ObjectId
}

Environment Variables

Create a .env file with the following variables:

MONGODB_URI=your_mongodb_connection_string
PORT=5001
JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret_key
CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME=your_cloudinary_cloud_name
CLOUDINARY_API_KEY=your_cloudinary_api_key
CLOUDINARY_API_SECRET=your_cloudinary_api_secret

Setup Instructions

1. Clone the repository
2. Install dependencies:

npm install

3. Create .env file with required variables
4. Start the server:

npx nodemon

Security Features

• Password hashing using bcrypt
• JWT token authentication
• Protected routes with middleware
• Input validation
• Secure password generation for new users
• No sensitive data exposure in responses
• Secure file upload handling
• Document type validation
• File size restrictions

Error Handling

• All endpoints include proper error handling
• Appropriate HTTP status codes
• Descriptive error messages
• Validation checks for inputs
• File upload error handling
• Document validation errors
• Form submission validation