Technology

Algorizin Immigration Co-Pilot: Navigate Your Immigration Journey

Learn about the Algorizin Immigration Co-Pilot which is designed to help international students navigate the complex U.S. immigration process.
Siam Hossain
8 min

Elevator Pitch

Immigration Co-Pilot streamlines the complex immigration process with an AI assistant that offers personalized, step-by-step guidance. It reduces dependence on costly legal advice, making accurate and accessible immigration support available to everyone.

Visual Overview

Team

Meet our team behind the functionality of the Immigration Co-Pilot:

Key Stakeholder - Siam Hossain (CEO)

Principal Engineer - Tareq U Mahmud

Frontend Engineer - Eshtiyak Fahim

Backend Engineer - Mir Arif Hasan

Product Manager - Toukir Tasnim Chowdhury

Machine Learning Engineer - Farasatul Adnan

Software Engineers / Developers:

Problem Statement

International students often face complex legal procedures and high costs when navigating U.S. visa applications and managing their current immigration status.

Existing solutions, primarily traditional legal consultations, can be expensive and lack personalized support. This gap leaves many without accessible, tailored guidance to efficiently manage their immigration process.

Background of the Problem

Many international students aspire to remain in the US post-graduation but are hampered by a lack of tailored career and immigration advice. The challenge is compounded by the complexities of securing work authorization, such as transitioning from OPT to H1B, and residency in the U.S.

There are more roadblocks to navigating job prospects for international students who need to take extra steps for career opportunities including finding a job before the three-month deadline to secure employment or risk having to leave the country.

With more than 1 million international students in the U.S. in the 2022/23 academic year alone, the need for comprehensive career and immigration guidance has never been greater to ensure these talented individuals can thrive and achieve their goals in the U.S.

Current solutions predominantly include expensive legal advisories and online resources.

Legal consultations are expensive which is an obstacle for individuals seeking detailed advice tailored to their specific circumstances.

Online resources often offer conflicting or outdated information. These resources fail to provide personalized guidance and support, which are crucial given the complex nature of individual immigration cases.

User’s Pain Points

  • Visa Process Confusion: 70% of students feel unsure about the steps from OPT to H-1B to Green Card.
  • Targeted Job Search: Students struggle to tailor their resumes to US standards and find sponsor-friendly companies.
  • Costly Legal Advice: The high cost of immigration lawyers puts reliable, personalized legal advice out of reach for many students and young professionals.
  • Overwhelmed & Isolated: Many feel anxious due to a vast amount of unstructured information and lack of support.
  • Uncertainty About Future Prospects: The uncertainty of not knowing whether they will be able to remain in the U.S. long-term can be distressing for students who wish to build their lives and careers here.

Solution Overview

Algorizin Immigration Co-Pilot is designed to alleviate the complexities and stress associated with navigating the U.S. immigration processes for international students.

By integrating AI-driven features, the platform provides personalized assistance and resources that address the unique challenges these students face.

From simplifying visa requirements to enhancing job search strategies, Immigration Co-Pilot empowers students to overcome obstacles and thrive in the U.S.

For example, our AI assistant offers guidance on various work visa options for international students in the US and provides insights into obtaining a green card for individuals with extraordinary abilities.

Key Features

  • AI-Powered Immigration Assistance: Users can ask any immigration-related questions and receive instant, reliable answers. The AI system is trained on a vast database of immigration laws, policies, and procedures.
  • Personalized Guidance: AI-driven assessments address specific visa challenges, providing tailored advice and solutions for various visa categories.
  • Real-time Updates: Regular updates on policy changes and immigration news ensure users stay informed and proactive in their journey toward employment and visa management.
  • Lawyer Vetting Feature: Users can have the AI-provided answers reviewed by certified immigration lawyers for added assurance, at a lower cost compared to traditional consultations.
  • Document Organization and Petition Drafting: The Immigration Co-Pilot will assist in collecting and organizing necessary documents for visa applications. It will also draft petitions, which can be reviewed and finalized with minimal lawyer involvement.
  • User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive design for ease of use, regardless of the user's tech-savviness.

Development Process

Tech Stack:

Frontend

Technology: React, Next.js

Folder Structure:

  • Pages: For routing and page components.
  • Components: Reusable UI components.
  • Styles: CSS or SASS files for styling.

Backend

Technology: Node.js (REST APIs)

Folder Structure: Modular based

3rd Party Integrations & Database:

  • PostgreSQL (from Supabase)
  • Authentication: Supabase for user authentication and management
  • Google SSO: Credential put in Supabase
  • SMTP/Email: Credential put in Supabase and Backend

Technical Challenges

Developing a comprehensive solution requires addressing various technical hurdles. With sole development, decision-making becomes pivotal, often necessitating trade-offs between utilizing familiar frameworks and venturing into new ones.

This balancing act not only influences the efficiency of individual development but also impacts the adaptability and scalability of the overall solution.

Some specific technical challenges include:

  • Scaling Limitation: As our user base grows, ensuring the platform can handle increased traffic and usage without sacrificing performance is vital.
  • Legal Accuracy: Providing accurate guidance on immigration processes and regulations is crucial. We'll need to continuously update our platform to reflect changes in immigration laws and policies across different jurisdictions.
  • Data Privacy and Security: Handling sensitive user data, such as immigration documents and personal information  requires robust security measures to ensure privacy.

Key Takeaways

Aayush Byanjankar

During this project, I learned the value of using versatile frameworks like Next.js for rapid frontend development and Node.js for flexible backend integration.

Proficiency in both frontend and backend technologies were crucial for creating cohesive solutions. Effective communication between teams ensured seamless integration, while continuous learning helped us stay ahead in web development.

Some specific key takeaways were:

  • Teamwork: Weekly sprints provide a structured framework for iterative development, fostering a dynamic and adaptive approach to project management.
  • Adaptability: Striking a balance between learning new frameworks and delivering individual contributions fosters continuous growth and innovation.
  • Full-Stack Experience: Utilized Next.js for frontend development and built UI components for the frontend and Node.js for backend integration alongside REST APIs.  

Customer Feedback

"This tool has transformed the eligibility verification process, making complex OPT rules clear and manageable, significantly reducing application anxiety"

“Congratulations to Algorizin on the creation of CoPilot! Your dedication to simplifying the immigration process through AI is commendable. As an immigrant myself, I can relate and It's inspiring to see the development of a tool that offers support and guidance to others pursuing their American dream. Best wishes for the success of CoPilot and the community it fosters!”

“Great idea and initiative! Hope this will help prospective students navigate their student life and future immigration possibilities”

“A breakthrough product!”

“Love the UI!”

Team’s Insights

1. Subrat Pandey

Challenges

Integrating multiple technologies to ensure a seamless user experience was quite a challenge. Additionally, addressing scaling limitations to handle increased traffic without compromising performance required careful planning and execution.

Contributions

I took the lead on backend development, focusing on enhancing the application’s scalability and security. I developed key features for user authentication and data management. This helped to ensure that our users have a reliable and secure platform.

I also ensured that the platform supports various immigration needs in terms of information coverage, from the H-1B visa application process to change of employer H-1B scenarios.

Learnings

This project helped me gain advanced full-stack development skills, especially in balancing various technologies to create a cohesive solution.

I also deepened my understanding of immigration compliance, which was crucial for our application. Overcoming the technical roadblocks along the way improved my problem-solving abilities and taught me valuable lessons in developing scalable and secure applications.

2. Arun Giri

Challenges

Understanding and integrating into a substantial existing codebase was a formidable challenge, especially when it came to repurposing existing components for new functionalities.

Navigating and modifying the large codebase to integrate AI capabilities required meticulous code review and comprehension to enhance the system without introducing errors.

Contributions

Alongside questionnaire development, I contributed to the AI template generation feature by utilizing OpenAI's technology.

This involved prompt engineering to create precise responses, ensuring that the generated contracts and business structures were accurate and tailored to the user’s specific academic and business context.

Learnings

This project has been a profound learning curve in AI application and prompt engineering. It taught me the subtleties of AI-driven content generation, particularly in how nuanced prompt design can vastly improve the relevance and accuracy of AI outputs.

The interplay between AI and existing code has honed my skills in developing adaptable AI integrations, which will be a cornerstone in my future work, allowing for smarter and more user-centric technology solutions.

Conclusion/Impact

Immigration Co-Pilot has effectively transformed how individuals navigate the immigration process, making it more manageable and less intimidating.

By integrating cutting-edge AI technology with community support, the platform has significantly reduced the complexities and stress associated with navigating U.S. immigration processes, including the transition from H-1B visa to green card.

We've helped over 25 international students secure their H-1B visas this year alone, indicating a strong demand and high success rate. Furthermore, the tool has processed more than 850 assessments, proving its effectiveness and user trust.

This has not only empowered students with the knowledge and resources needed to succeed but has also contributed positively to the broader field of educational technology and immigration services.

Moving forward, we plan to expand our services to include more languages and legal partnerships, solidifying our position as a leader in immigration assistance.

Do you want to work on the cutting-edge AI technology? Get in touch with our team to find out more!

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