For a fifth year in a row, I’ve compiled an annual round-up of what I think are some of the most interesting and important immigration and global mobility tech launches, acquisitions, and fundraising efforts in the prior year. So far, I’ve written immigration tech round-ups for 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and now, a review of immigration and global mobility tech news and updates in 2023.
The immigration technology scene is constantly evolving and is not slowing down anytime soon, which is fantastic news for everyone involved in the industry!
Last year was packed with fascinating developments, so let's dive into the most intriguing stories from the world of immigration tech in 2023.
Justicia Lab secures $1 million grant to expand immigration justice initiatives
Justicia Lab, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting technology solutions for immigrant rights, shared news of a $1 million grant from the Houston Endowment. As part of Pro Bono Net, Justicia Lab focuses on developing digital tools to promote immigrant justice through collaboration, helping immigrants navigate the legal system and understand their rights. This grant represents a major milestone in national efforts to support nonprofit public interest technology development.
Justicia Lab aims to use the grant to improve digital services for immigrants in the Houston area, focusing on creating a user-friendly intake and referral platform. Tailored for diverse immigrant groups, the platform will provide free support for understanding eligibility, filling out forms, and accessing legal aid online and offline. Scheduled for pilot testing soon, the platform will also offer educational resources to enhance immigrants' understanding of immigration law and connect them with a network of support including community organizations and pro bono lawyers.
Atlys secures $12 million to expand visa application platform
Atlys, an online platform for visa applications, recently secured $12 million in its first funding round of 2023, with investments from Sequoia Capital and Accel Partners. This funding is aimed at expanding its global presence, especially in India, and strengthening its team. Led by former Pinterest engineer Mohak Nahta, Atlys aims to tackle visa-related challenges, having processed over 120,000 visa applications to 150 destinations with an average application time of just 4 to 10 minutes. By using smartphone cameras for document scanning, Atlys simplifies the application process and offers detailed guidance every step of the way.
Even though regulations and processes vary across the globe, the emergence of automated visa application systems marks progress in addressing these complex visa processes. With more money going into immigration tech companies, we're seeing lots of cool new ideas popping up, giving applicants more options and making improvements happen faster. Plus, big-name venture capital firms like Sequoia Capital getting involved shows how important immigration tech is becoming, leading to more money being invested, cool partnerships forming, and more people embracing tech solutions for immigration.
RelayZen offers immigration solutions for corporations and law firms
RelayZen Inc., founded by Umesh Vaidyamath and Anuj Sarin, is a global technology and services company specializing in immigration solutions. Their mission is to deliver next-generation technology and services to corporations and law firms worldwide, simplifying the immigration process. For corporations, RelayZen provides managed immigration and compliance services. Law firms can rely on RelayZen as their "law firm in a box," managing all back-end operations, boosting efficiency, and introducing tech advancements. Umesh, a seasoned entrepreneur in immigration technology, is well-known for founding INSZoom and playing a role in transforming the immigration industry.
Visalaw + AILA partner to launch Gen, an AI-powered immigration tool
In collaboration with the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Visalaw.Ai is introducing Gen, an AI-powered tool designed to simplify the research and drafting tasks of immigration attorneys. Initially focusing on research and summarization, Gen aims to streamline attorneys' workflows, with plans for additional features to assist in document drafting and client interaction.
AILA's active involvement in shaping new technology platforms reflects its commitment to ensuring the accuracy and effectiveness of tools provided to its members. Through subscription-based access, AILA is taking a proactive approach to embracing technological advancements and staying ahead in immigration law practice innovation.
Boundless expands enterprise immigration management with acquisition of Bridge
Boundless Immigration, based in Seattle, has acquired Bridge, marking a significant expansion into enterprise-focused immigration management. With over 40 employees joining from Bridge, this move leverages Bridge's expertise in handling immigration applications for companies like Coca-Cola Enterprises and Vanta. Boundless CEO Xiao Wang sees this acquisition as an important move toward building a complete platform for both individuals and businesses. Their goal is to make processes simpler and enhance the experience for immigrant workers. Boundless intends to combine Bridge's compliance and reporting features with its own platform to ensure legal adherence while keeping Bridge's services and pricing unchanged.
The consolidation of Bridge Immigration by Boundless represents a significant milestone, uniting two major players in family-based and employment-based immigration. This consolidation signals a move towards creating a comprehensive solution for both consumer and enterprise immigration management. With a shared goal of streamlining processes and enhancing the immigrant worker journey, this acquisition is poised to have a profound impact on the industry.
Formally unveils MagicDocs at AILA Tech Summit
At last month's AILA Tech Summit, Amélie Vavrovsky introduced MagicDocs to a captivated audience of immigration attorneys. MagicDocs utilizes AI to decode immigration documents, correct naming errors, and extract data from blurry or scanned versions. This AI-powered tool efficiently organizes documents, offering a streamlined solution for document management.
While Amélie leads Formally, a comprehensive immigration case management platform, MagicDocs stands alone as a product tailored for attorneys who may be hesitant to adopt entirely new platforms. This innovative approach allows immigration lawyers to easily integrate MagicDocs into their existing workflows alongside other tools. AILA members can enjoy a discount on MagicDocs, and those interested can explore MagicDocs on Product Hunt.
4 AI-based immigration tech tools introduced in 2023
Artificial intelligence tools are shaking up the immigration field by bringing efficiency, accuracy, and a client-focused approach to legal services. They do everything from handling paperwork to predicting risks ahead of time. Here are the AI-powered tools that made a splash in 2023.
Open Sphere
Open Sphere offers an innovative suite of AI immigration tools that transform the application process. Users begin by submitting their details and documents, triggering personalized recommendations from the system. Powered by Generative AI, the platform generates pre-filled applications, reducing form-filling time by 50-70%. Users can then engage in informative chats with lawyers for application reviews and expert guidance. The platform provides comprehensive support, simplifying the visa application process and alleviating the financial burden of lawyer fees, which can average around $15,000. Additionally, it offers lawyers a more efficient approach to assisting clients with visa applications.
Tukki
Tukki provides comprehensive support for both immigrants and companies navigating the visa petition process. With a network of independent attorneys and advanced technology, Tukki offers personalized assistance, streamlining processes and ensuring high-quality petitions. The platform facilitates seamless collaboration and communication among clients, lawyers, and the Tukki team. By combining human expertise with innovative technology, Tukki delivers services at standard market rates.
Inception.ai
At InceptionAI, they specialize in developing AI solutions including Infinity, one of Inception’s products that is simplifying US immigration processes for visas like H, L, F, J, and Green Cards. Using cutting-edge AI/ML models, Infinity ensures precise handling of information from documents such as passports, visas, and educational records. Running on a cloud-based system that's always on, Infinity can adjust to changes in workload seamlessly. And don't worry about security—Infinity meets global standards for data security, privacy, and compliance, giving users peace of mind as they navigate their immigration journey.
LeGT
LeGT uses Legal Language Models (LLM) to make legal services more efficient and accessible, especially in the complex world of immigration law. Their aim is to make legal expertise more widely available by using advanced technology like a powerful language model, quick prompt responses, and smart search features. LeGT plans to create a user-friendly chatbot that helps law firms with tasks like completing documents, doing research, and drafting. They also want to improve how firms screen clients and handle initial consultations.
USCIS launched e-filing for H-1B cap season in FY 2025
USCIS announced online organizational accounts for Form I-129, used for H-1B and other employment-based nonimmigrant visa petitions, for fiscal year 2025. These accounts will offer improved design and case management features, allowing users to file petitions, including premium processing requests, online. This move aims to streamline the H-1B process, potentially leading to faster adjudication. While online registration is mandatory, physical submissions will still be accepted for now. This initiative reflects USCIS's commitment to enhancing its online services and employment-based visa processes, building on recent advancements like the H-1B modernization rule, with further improvements anticipated in the future.
LaborLess update: electronic LCA posting and PAF management
LaborLess, which continues to be the leading platform helping H-1B petitioner and immigration law firms digitize and automate the LCA posting and Public Access File process, hit some major milestones by the end of 2023.
First, we passed 1,000 petitioners using our platform, whether directly or through their immigration counsel. I remember when we got our very first client in 2018. It was incredibly exciting, yet I knew we would continue to grow even if it was impossible to believe then. Today, even just this number alone shows the impact we’ve had on the immigration industry, which makes me eternally grateful.
Perhaps more importantly, we built out our API in order to enable LaborLess to integrate with others in the industry - whether other case management companies like Docketwise (who we already have an integration with!), Mitratech and others or direct clients who have in-house immigration platforms. Now, in 2024, we’re working with these clients and platforms to bring those integrations to life and help make H-1B compliance better, streamlined, and ultimately less of a headache.
If you handle H-1B visas, whether as a law firm or in-house team, and if you’re interested in learning more about whether LaborLess can help streamline your LCA compliance process, reach out to us and let’s chat!
Predictions for immigration tech in 202
We’re halfway into 2024 by the time this article is being published (sorry, it was a busy year!!) and it’s clear that AI is at the top of everyone’s list. From new companies launching seemingly every month leveraging generative AI to draft writing-heavy immigration petitions, to AI-based research, artificial intelligence will continue to make its way into immigration practices large and small. In fact, the coolest part of this trend is that leveraging some of the AI startups that are popping up, solo and small firms can benefit from modern tech without massive investment or tech infrastructure.
As more companies build robust APIs and integration starts to become truly normalized within the immigration industry, there will be ways for some of the more mature companies to leverage what these AI and other startups have built by partnering up rather than trying to build on their own.
On the flip side, I think there will be some immigration tech startups, especially AI-focused ones, that won’t last for more than a year or two. The easier it is to build such a company (through, e.g., a ChatGPT API), the more competition there will be, and the most likely at least some of the companies in existence today won’t be able to find the traction or success they need to stay alive.
That said, I’m rooting for every last one of them - the more options we have in our industry, the better. For immigration lawyers, and ultimately for the clients that need immigration services.
See you in 2025!