GovPlus’s digital service eradicates burdensome bureaucracy for the public’s government document applications

Applying for a passport and other government documents can be a lot of trouble for most Americans, as the process can be time-consuming, complicated, and confusing. The process often involves filling up many online forms or lining up at government offices, which is why only 56% of adults have a valid passport. The process is quite troublesome, discouraging people from applying for documents ahead of time. Then, when the time comes that they need a particular document, they have to rush for it, causing much stress and inconvenience.    

Guy Lelouch, a computer programmer and technology enthusiast who moved from France to the US experienced this himself. Guy experienced himself the pain of dealing with government applications when moving to the US. He thought, there had to be a better way. 

Following this, Guy and business partner Katie D’Amore worked together on several similar projects, and they later realized the need to host all these solutions on a single, unified platform, which led to the foundation of digital startup GovPlus.  

According to Guy, GovPlus was created as a way to challenge the outdated system by providing an innovative and paperless digital platform that assists users in completing, submitting, and tracking their government applications. GovPlus currently covers six different document applications – passports, birth certificates, Social Security cards, address changes, airport check-ins, and Employer Identification Numbers. The company is continuously working to add more document types to its lineup to make things more convenient for users. 

GovPlus’s intuitive, easy-to-use interface, and patented auto-fill technology allows users to retrieve their information with a single click, so they no longer need to painstakingly enter it each time they file an application. The platform’s dashboard allows users to keep track of all their applications in one place. GovPlus offers multiple other services on its platform, such as online notary, digital signature, passport photos, and online payment of mandatory government fees. Users no longer need to pay fees via check or money order, bringing government fee payment into the modern era by providing a secure and convenient online payment option. 

GovPlus also highlights its passport photo service and the ease it provides to users. Passport applicants normally need to visit a local store to obtain a photo that meets the State Department’s standards. With GovPlus, the applicant just needs to take a selfie and upload it to the platform. Then, the system will use artificial intelligence to convert the selfie into a clear and beautiful passport-size photo that meets government requirements. 

Because it handles sensitive Personally Identifiable Information (PII), GovPlus implements strict data privacy protocols and a fully developed security plan. These include 256-bit encryption, qualified security staff, multi-factor authentication, malware protection, and other sophisticated measures. 

Guy, who has been into programming since he was seven years old, says he has always admired entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and the technologies they’ve invented, so he made it his dream to be like them. After finishing school in France, he moved to the US and worked as a programmer for two years before founding his own business. 

“Despite the US hosting some of the largest technology companies’ headquarters, there are still some areas where things can be quite old-fashioned,” says Guy. “One of these is applying for government documents, where I was one of many who experienced much inconvenience. I founded GovPlus as a way to solve these problems and help others have a better experience. We are regularly updating the platform and adding new services to help make government document application as easy as possible for the general American public.”