• Parley uses AI to streamline visa applications for immigration lawyers and paralegals.
• The platform helps lawyers draft and submit applications faster, easing their workload.
• Parley has gained traction amid increased scrutiny and directives affecting immigration processes.

While working as a LinkedIn product manager, Philip Smart saw the opportunity of AI to solve problems in an industry close to his heart: immigration. Smart's father has worked as an immigration attorney for 25 years.

That insight became the legal tech startup Parley, which is wooing and winning over lawyers and paralegals with software that helps them draft and submit visa applications faster.

When developing Parley, Smart pictured his father's desk. "You see these applications that are all printed out, stacks of paper, and you have to diligently put it all together," Smart said. "We felt like that was a great use case and something we could help with."

Parley's platform allows an attorney to upload documents such as a client's resume, college transcript, and job offer letter. It then assembles this evidence to draft an attorney's letter confirming the applicant's eligibility for a work visa.

Smart said its platform has been adopted by a range of law firms, from solo practitioners to large shops with dozens of legal professionals, such as Erickson Immigration Group in Virginia and Murthy Law Firm in Maryland.

Last week, the startup released a product for filing E-2 visas for investors, which means Parley's platform now covers most of the alphabet soup of work visas. It plans to roll out soon a product aimed at "requests for evidence," which the government issues and can cause delays or even lead to visa denials.

To date, Parley has raised a small seed round of funding from Y Combinator, a San Francisco investment firm that gives very young companies some money and a network in exchange for equity.

Tech investors are swooning at the promise of artificial intelligence to shake up the business of law and the profession itself. PitchBook data shows that legal tech startups took in $2.6 billion in equity funding in 2024, up from less than $1 billion the previous year. Immigration has emerged as a hot spot for founders, with its high volume of simple or routine tasks. The startups Casium and Glade Ai are also working on AI for visa filings.

'It's not easy to be an immigration lawyer'

Parley comes to market as the ground shifts beneath high-skilled immigrants and the lawyers who advise them.

Immigration lawyers are used to the long, complicated, and often tedious process of applying for a visa. Now, they're juggling new directives that create fear and increase scrutiny for their clients. The executive orders that have come down have called for stricter "enhanced vetting" of visa applicants and those already in the country.

Additionally, President Donald Trump has directed the Justice Department to seek sanctions against law firms that bring immigration lawsuits and other cases against the government that he deems unethical.

"It's not easy to be an immigration lawyer right now," Smart told Business Insider.

Smart thinks Parley can ease some of the strain. He said lawyers using Parley still work with their clients and teams of associates to craft each applicant's strategy. Parley helps by fleshing out the argument and offering feedback on where it falls short of certain criteria.

The platform also organizes an applicant's documents into a logical sequence and enables the exhibits to be exported as a single PDF, saving an attorney hours in Adobe Acrobat.

Smart lights up sharing customer stories. He said one law firm has been able to take on more clients because of Parley's time savings and even doubled its revenue over the past year. Those lawyers get to spend more time on growing their client base and working on case strategy, Smart said, instead of getting bogged down by paperwork.

There's a debate raging in the legal industry over artificial intelligence's potential to improve productivity and cut billable hours. Smart seems unperturbed. In immigration law, many attorneys, especially for standard services like visa applications, charge a flat fee rather than an hourly rate.

"It's one of the reasons we started with immigration and one of the reasons that we've seen quick adoption," Smart said.

"As an immigration firm, if you're charging a flat fee for a visa application that you're providing if you can do that faster and then be able to do even more of those applications, that's a really exciting premise for your firm."

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Even as Silicon Valley giants cut jobs like a hot knife through butter, the competition among startups for the best global talent remains as fierce as ever. And with critical skills, particularly in artificial intelligence, still in short supply, startups like OpenAI and Anthropic rely on the H-1B visa program to bring in skillful foreign workers and secure their place in the race.

For a startup to hire a foreign worker, it sponsors their petition for an H-1B visa, which lets them work in the US for up to six years. The job candidate is entered into a lottery for one of 85,000 visas. Despite challenges, including a demand for visas that has outstripped supply and ongoing discussions about reforms, startups continue to recruit talent abroad through this Rube Goldberg system to gain a competitive edge.

Using data from the Department of Labor and US Citizenship and Immigration Services, we ranked the startup employers that filed the most H-1B requests during the 2024 government fiscal year. The data comes from applications submitted by businesses seeking to sponsor workers' visas.

Here are the startups leading the charge, ranked by their number of filings.

Ripple: provides crypto infrastructure for financial services

Headquarters: San Francisco

Total funding: $325 million, according to PitchBook

Total certified H-1B filings: 26

Grammarly: writing assistant that edits and corrects language

Headquarters: San Francisco

Total funding: $400 million, according to PitchBook

Total certified H-1B filings: 28

Plaid: collects and shares personal financial info with apps and other services

Headquarters: San Francisco

Total funding: $734 million, according to the company

Total certified H-1B filings: 28

Carta: helps businesses track ownership and manage equity plans

Headquarters: San Francisco

Total funding: $1.19 billion, according to PitchBook

Total certified H-1B filings: 30

Thumbtack: allows users to search for and hire local service providers

Headquarters: San Francisco

Total funding: More than $500 million, according to the company

Total certified H-1B filings: 31

X Corp.: social media platform

Headquarters: San Francisco

Total funding: Elon Musk took X private at a purchase price of $44 billion in 2022.

Total certified H-1B filings: 32

Anthropic: develops foundation AI models aimed at business users

Headquarters: San Francisco

Total funding: More than $17 billion, according to the company

Total certified H-1B filings: 35

Zipline: develops and operates drone delivery fleets

Headquarters: South San Francisco, California

Total funding: $1.23 billion, according to PitchBook

Total certified H-1B filings: 35

Turo: car rental marketplace

Headquarters: San Francisco

Total funding: $527 million, according to the company

Total certified H-1B filings: 36

Scale AI: data labeling company helping apps and models scale

Headquarters: San Francisco

Total funding: $1.6 billion, according to PitchBook

Total certified H-1B filings: 42

Gusto: payroll and HR solution for small businesses

Headquarters: San Francisco

Total funding: $751 million, according to PitchBook

Total certified H-1B filings: 48

Verkada: cloud-managed security cameras

Headquarters: San Mateo, California

Total funding: $700 million, according to the company

Total certified H-1B filings: 52

Nuro: develops self-driving tech for robotaxis and delivery vehicles

Headquarters: Mountain View, California

Total funding: More than $2 billion, according to the company

Total certified H-1B filings: 59

Cohesity: develops software for securing and managing cloud data

Headquarters: San Jose, California

Total funding: $1.8 billion, according to the company

Total certified H-1B filings: 61

OpenAI: develops cutting-edge AI models and apps like ChatGPT

Headquarters: San Francisco

Total funding: $63.92 billion, according to PitchBook

Total certified H-1B filings: 74

Chime: provides fee-free mobile banking services

Headquarters: San Francisco

Total funding: $2.65 billion, according to PitchBook

Total certified H-1B filings: 101

Stripe: provides financial infrastructure for businesses

Headquarters: San Francisco and Dublin

Total funding: $8.73 billion, according to PitchBook

Total certified H-1B filings: 265

Databricks: cloud-based platform to help enterprises build, scale, and govern data

Headquarters: San Francisco

Total funding: More than $14 billion, according to the company

Total certified H-1B filings: 283

ByteDance: Chinese internet technology company

Headquarters: Beijing

Total funding: $18.95 billion, according to PitchBook

Total certified H-1B filings: 997

TikTok: video-based social media platform

Headquarters: Los Angeles and Singapore

Total funding: TikTok is a subsidiary of ByteDance, which has raised $18.95 billion in venture capital, according to PitchBook.

Total certified H-1B filings: 614

• 29 countries offer residence visas for remote workers, or "digital nomad visas."
• Spain and Italy have joined the growing list of countries offering digital nomad visa programs.
• Governments hope the visas will help develop more sustainable tourist economies.

In the lead-up to the election, Business Insider reported millions of Americans were considering leaving the country if former President Donald Trump won his 2024 campaign. After his victory was announced, searches for the phrase "moving to Canada" spiked — along with inquiries about international digital nomad visas.

The specialized visas allow remote workers to live and work in countries like Malta, Portugal, and Costa Rica — as long as their income comes from outside the country.

And as some American tourists consider moving abroad, dozens of countries have, in recent years, launched special visas designed specifically for remote workers to drive tourism in their countries.

In some countries, the visas have become so popular that they've had to start turning people away. As of October 2024, for example, Cyprus is no longer accepting digital nomads after it filled the 500 slots it had available for its visa program.

Nonetheless, there are still plenty of options elsewhere. Here are 29 countries that offer visas specifically for remote workers, the minimum income required to apply, and how much they cost.

Europe digital nomad visas

Malta

Malta, an island south of Italy, has a permit that allows nomads to keep their jobs elsewhere and legally stay in the country for one year with a chance of renewal.

To be eligible, you must be from a country outside the EU and EEA and have a minimum gross annual income of 42,000 euros. The Nomad Residence Permit requires applicants to have health insurance, hold a valid travel document, have a rental or purchase agreement, and pass a background check. There is no application deadline, but there is a 300-euro application fee.

Latvia

Latvia introduced its digital nomad visa in February 2022, allowing applicants to spend up to a year in the country with the opportunity to renew for another.

Digital nomads must either work for a company based in a member state of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe) or a company registered in one of those countries for at least six months.

They must also have health insurance and make at least 2.5 times the country's average monthly salary of the previous year, which the government website reports is about $4,043 (€3,843). There's also a $63 (€60) state fee for the visa application.

Romania

To apply for Romania's digital nomad visa, digital nomads must show proof they can work remotely, either as freelancers, business owners, or employees of a company registered outside the country.

Applicants are also required to have a clean criminal record, medical insurance for the duration of the visa with a minimum liability of $31,580 (€30,000), make at least three times the average gross monthly salary in Romania, around $3,467 (€3,300), and pay an application fee of $126 (€120).

Hungary

Known as the White Card, the digital nomad visa in Hungary requires applicants to be employed by a company outside the country, have shares in a company outside the country, or work as a freelancer.

In addition to providing proof of health insurance and proof of accommodation, those keen on getting a White Card must earn at least $3,146 (€3,000) a month. Application fees can cost as much as $297 (€284).

Croatia

Croatia allows non-EU citizens to apply for its digital nomad visa program, which grants up to one year of residency for remote workers.

The program also allows residency for close family members of the visa applicant so long as the family meets the country's income requirements. To be eligible, applicants must make a minimum of 2,870 euros a month (or $3,035) or have a minimum of 34,440 euros (or $36,430) already available in their account.

Iceland

In Iceland, a long-term visa for remote work can grant you 90 to 180 days while working. The program requires that you are from a country outside the EU and EEA and also from a country that does not need a visa to travel to the Schengen area (US citizens can travel to Iceland without a visa).

Applicants must also have a monthly income of 1,000,000 Icelandic króna (or $7,156) or 1,300,000 Icelandic króna if they bring a spouse.

Greece

Greece started its Digital Nomad Visa in 2021 and is still operating today. The program lets non-EU digital nomads, with a 3,500-euro monthly income, stay for 12 months.

The application fee is refundable at 75 euros, and there's also an administration fee of about 150 euros.

Portugal

Portugal has been kind to digital nomads. With its "Temporary Residence Visa for the Exercise of Professional Activity Provided Remotely Outside the National Territory," or D8 visa, launched in 2022, non-EU nomads can still freely work there.

Applicants must be over 18 years old, prove income over 3,280 euros a month, and show proof of accommodation for at least 12 months. The application fee ranges from 75 to 90 euros.

Estonia

Estonia launched its Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) program in 2020, offering up to a year of residency for eligible workers looking to live in the Northern European country bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland.

Eligible remote workers must prove they earn at least 3,504 euros a month (or $3,706) and apply in person at their nearest Estonian Embassy or Consulate. Application fees range between 80 and 100 euros ($84 and $105).

Spain

Spain's Digital Nomad Visa Program allows remote workers, their spouse or unmarried partner, and dependent children to reside in the country for one year.

Applicants must have an undergraduate or postgraduate degree from a "University, College, or Business School of prestige" or have at least 3 years of work experience in their current field, in addition to earning at least 200% of the monthly Spanish national minimum wage — currently set at 37.8 euros/day ($39) or 1,134 euros/month ($1,199).

Italy

Italy's Digital Nomad Visa is available to non-EU citizens who are highly specialized workers with careers that require post-secondary degrees or at least three years of professional training or experience.

The visa lasts up to one year for the applicant, their spouse, and dependent children. To be eligible, the applicant must prove that their salary is at least three times the annual minimum wage of 24,789 euros (or $26,221) and that they have at least 30,000 euros (or $50,000) worth of medical insurance coverage.

Asia and Africa digital nomad visas

Bali, Indonesia

In April, Bali introduced a Remote Worker Visa (E33G), which allows digital nomads to work from Bali for a year. Foreign workers in Bali must be employed by a company outside Indonesia and receive a yearly income of at least $60,000.

The application fee for a standard single-entry visa costs 12,900,000 Indonesian rupiah, or about $810.

Thailand

The Destination Thailand Visa allows digital nomads to stay in Thailand for up to 180 days per visit, on a multiple-entry basis, within five years. The visa fee costs 10,000 Thai baht, or $284.

Applicants must be at least 20 years old and have at least THB 500,000, or about $14,400 USD, in their bank. Employed workers are required to have a foreign employment contract, while freelancers need a professional portfolio.

Japan

Japan introduced a new digital nomad visa in April. This visa allows holders to work remotely in the country for up to six months. Visa holders must be nationals or citizens of selected regions, including the US and UK.

Applicants must have an annual income of at least 10,000,000 Japanese yen, or $65,000, and submit their applications in person or by mail to the nearest embassy or consulate general of Japan. A single-entry visa costs $22, while a multiple-entry visa costs $43, but some countries, including the US, are exempt from this fee.

United Arab Emirates

UAE's virtual work residence visa allows holders to live and work remotely in the UAE — including Dubai and Abu Dhabi — for up to a year. Applicants must make at least $3,500 a month and have sufficient health insurance coverage within the country.

The service fee to apply for the visa is 300 United Arab Emirates Dirhams, or about $80.

Cabo Verde

Cabo Verde's Remote Working Program allows remote workers to stay for up to 6 months, with the option of renewal after. Individual applicants must have an average bank balance of 1,500 euros, or $1,570, in the past 6 months.

The visa fee costs 20 euros, and applicants must submit an online form to indicate their interest.

South Africa

South Africa recently launched a remote work visa, which allows holders to stay for at least 3 months and up to 3 years. While details are still being finalized, the latest visa requirements state that applicants must have a salary of at least 650,796 South African Rand, or about $36,000, and a valid foreign-based employment contract.

Caribbean digital nomad visas

Grenada

To receive a digital nomad visa from Grenada, you need a valid passport, an annual income of at least EC$100,000 a year, or about $37,000, full COVID-19 vaccination, and valid health insurance.

There is no application deadline. The fee is $1,500 for individuals, $2,000 for a family of four, and $200 for each additional dependent.

St. Lucia

St. Lucia's Digital Nomad Visa program, "Don't Just Visit, Live It," has no income threshold. The one-year visa is available to remote workers, freelancers, and students.

The application fee costs $125 XCD (about $47) for a single-entry visa or $190 XCD (about $70) for a multiple-entry visa.

Curaçao

Curaçao's Digital Nomad Visa, the At Home in Curaçao program, has no salary requirements. Still, you must be employed, own a business, or have freelance clients outside the country.

Health insurance, a clean criminal record, and proof of accommodation or a lease on the island are also required. The visa application fee is about $294.

Dominica

To qualify for Dominica's Digital Nomad Visa, the Work in Nature (WIN) Program, you must be 18 years old and have a clean criminal record.

You will also need an income of at least $50,000 or have sufficient funds to support yourself and any family members accompanying you during a 12-month stay.

The application fee is $100. The individual visa costs $800, and the primary applicant can also apply for their spouse and dependents for a total fee of $1,200.

Anguilla

The digital nomad visa in Anguilla has no income requirements, but interested travelers must fill out an application at least 7 days before arrival.

Digital nomads also need proof of a negative COVID-19 test 3 to 5 days before they step foot on the island and proof of a health insurance policy covering COVID-19 complications.

Antigua and Barbuda

To nab Antigua and Barbuda's two-year visa through the Nomad Digital Residency Programme, applicants must be 18 or older, earn at least $50,000 a year, and have a clean criminal record.

Their employer must be outside Antigua and Barbuda as well. Application fees range from $1,500 for a single person to $3,000 for a family of three, plus another $650 for each additional dependent.

Barbados

Introduced in June 2020, the Barbados 12-Month Welcome Stamp offers a one-year visa for digital nomads interested in the island and the opportunity to renew.

Applicants must make at least $50,000. Fees are $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a family bundle and must be paid within 28 days of application approval.

North, Central, and South America digital nomad visas

Bermuda

The Work from Bermuda certificate was created for "remote workers, self-employed digital nomads and university students engaged in remote learning," according to the program's web page. It lasts for 12 months and is renewable on a case-by-case basis.

The application fee is $275, and interested applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a clean criminal record, and have valid health insurance.

There is no official salary requirement, but applicants must demonstrate that they "have substantial means" or a "continuous source of income," though no official range is provided.

Colombia

Colombia's "Visa V Digital Nomads" program allows expats from more than 100 countries to live and work remotely in the tropical country for up to two years. Applicants must make a minimum income of three times the current legal monthly minimum wage in Colombia, which currently equals about $885 a month.

The application costs $54, and if approved, the Visa itself costs another $177. People hoping to become digital nomads in Colombia must also provide a contract or employment letter detailing their employment agreement and compensation details. Entrepreneurs may alternatively submit a letter outlining their business project and financial resources.

Belize

Belize offers citizens of the European Union, the United Kindom, the United States, and Canada the chance to live and work in the country via its "Work Where You Vacation" program. Applicants can secure a six-month visa by proving they make a minimum annual income of $75,000 or $100,000 if applying with dependants. Kids under 18 are eligible to enroll in the country's school system.

Applicants must submit a notarized banking reference, a police record, and proof of travel insurance. The visa costs $500 per adult and $200 per child.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica's digital nomad program extends the country's 90-day tourist visa to a full year with the option to renew for an additional year. Applicants must be foreign nationals who earn a minimum of $3,000 a month or $4,000 a month if applying with dependants.

All application materials must be submitted in Spanish. The application costs $100, while the visa is an additional $90.

Brazil

Brazil's digital nomad visa (VITEM XIV) allows foreign nationals from more than 100 countries to work remotely in the South American country for one year and to renew for longer.

The visa is available to remote workers who can prove a monthly minimum income of $1,500 or an available bank balance of at least $18,000. Applicants must submit a background check, a copy of their birth certificate, proof of valid health insurance in Brazil, and documents proving digital nomad status.

The visa costs $290 for US applicants and between $100 and $215 for UK applicants. Expats from all other countries will pay $100 for the visa.

• Dani and Evan Benton moved to Japan on a startup business visa in 2023.
• They bought an abandoned house for $6,500 and turned it into a guesthouse.
• The couple has also started a homestead with a farm and a beekeeping business.

After six years of running an urban farm and renting an Airbnb in New Orleans, followed by 15 months of travel and house-sitting around Mexico, Dani and Evan Benton were ready for their next adventure.

They knew they wanted to live a simple, rural life but still have access to modern amenities. Ideally, they would also be in an area with a nice climate where they could grow as much of their own food as possible.

Their goal had always been to start a homestead similar to what they had back in the US, and doing this in Japan seemed feasible, especially considering that the country has 8.5 million akiya, or abandoned houses, in rural areas for sale.

It helped that Evan also speaks Japanese, having studied the language in college.

Since they always loved old homes and were keen on the idea of renovating an akiya, they decided to take the plunge.

Applying for the startup business visa

In early 2023, the couple started working toward getting a startup business visa in Japan.

Their visa application required them to submit a proposal detailing their business plans.

In addition to their homestead — which would include honey production and a small-scale farming business — the couple also wanted to open a guesthouse. On the side, Dani, 40, was also planning to offer photography services.

They were drawn to Omishima island, which is over an hour away from Hiroshima airport, partially because it's one of the few areas where the startup business visa is offered.

"What the startup visa does is it encourages foreign people to move to Japan specifically to start small businesses," Dani, a professional photographer, told Business Insider. "You get residency, and you have six months to do things like open your bank account, incorporate your business, get everything funded, and obtain whatever licenses you may need."

One of the main visa requirements is that the couple invest at least 5 million Japanese yen, or around $32,450, into their business bank account or hire a minimum of two employees.

Their proposal was approved after a few revisions, and they were granted their startup business visas by the end of June 2023.

Transforming an akiya into a guesthouse

While they were sorting out their visa applications, the couple also purchased their first akiya, which would be turned into the guesthouse.

Their property-hunting process was smooth because they had been looking at listings even before they left the US. Their eventual plan was to have two akiya — one for the guesthouse and one as their own residence.

"We had a list of houses on Omishima that we wanted to check out in person when we finally made it here," Evan, 41, told BI.

While viewing an akiya — which they would eventually purchase as their residence — their real-estate agent showed them another akiya nearby that hadn't been listed online yet.

The latter was owned by a 75-year-old Japanese man who still lived in the neighborhood. His parents used to live in the house, but they died a decade ago. The house has been untouched ever since, and there were even pieces of furniture left behind.

"That ended up being the guesthouse that we bought," Evan, a former massage therapist, said. "We found our house first, but then we bought the guesthouse first."

They paid 1 million Japanese yen, or about $6,500, for their guesthouse.

"It's like the ultimate recycling project," Dani said. "It's literally saving a whole house and as much of the contents as we could."

Thankfully, the akiya was in pretty good condition, and they were able to live in it during the renovation.

"It was mainly cosmetic, so it was just a lot of things that took so much time to clean," Evan said.

The akiya even had a modern toilet that was already connected to the city sewage system.

"But we didn't have hot water for a long time, so while we were doing the renovation, we would have to go down to the public bath," Dani said.

The couple did the bulk of the work themselves and even documented the renovation process on their YouTube channel.

However, they did hire some contractors for assistance since they had a six-month deadline to get their guesthouse up and running.

"If we had had a whole year to do it, we could have done it ourselves," Dani said.

The couple says they spent about $19,000 on the akiya renovation and $5,000 on furniture, appliances, and other household items.

Guesthouse for rent on Airbnb

Dani and Evan aren't alone in being drawn to these old, vacant homes in the Japanese countryside. Due to the shrinking population and internal migration, Japan has millions of unoccupied houses in rural areas.

However, thanks to the low prices and the lack of restrictions on foreigners purchasing property, more and more foreigners are choosing to buy these old homes and breathe new life into them.

The couple's guesthouse is available for rent on Airbnb from 20,000 Japanese yen a night.

They hosted their first guests in November last year, and when their six-month startup business visa was due the following month, the couple obtained a business manager visa.

Omishima is in the middle of a series of six islands that are connected by a long suspension bridge known as the Shimanami Kaido, a famous biking route and tourist attraction.

There is a grocery store and a few local restaurants nearby, as well as a popular shrine and a samurai museum on the island, Dani said.

Like many places in Japan, Omishima is also very safe, Dani said: "We never lock our doors."

Now that the couple has gotten their guesthouse up and running, they'll be focusing their energy on turning the other akiya they bought — which is two minutes away — into their home.

"It was abandoned for 40 years, so it has a lot of work needed," Dani said.

In addition, they're working to establish their farm and honey production business.

"We enjoyed Mexican food and really missed it in Japan, so essentially, we're focusing on Mexican vegetables, growing tomatoes, tomatillos, and all kinds of hot peppers," Evan said.

As for honey production, the couple just harvested their first batch of honey from their 12 bee colonies, he added.

The couple has been living in Japan for almost two years, and the biggest lifestyle change they've noticed is that they're more connected with their local community than they were back in the US.

Not only do they know more of their neighbors, the couple also has closer relationships with them.

"Everyone lives in the same sort of concentrated area, and then they all go out to their fields and meet each other on the way," Evan said. "So we're always having saying hi to people in the street."

Have you recently relocated to a new country and found your dream home? If you have a story to share, contact this reporter at agoh@businessinsider.com.