Annually, the United States grants around 140,000 employment-based immigrant visas, primarily targeting skilled professionals and entrepreneurs who contribute to business growth, research advancements, and innovation. Despite a significant interest from Africa, individuals from the continent receive less than 10% of these visas each year.
Founded in 2024 and headquartered in Washington DC, AgoraVisa is an immigration consultancy determined to address this disparity. The company integrates advanced technology with legal expertise to assist Africa’s elite talent in obtaining U.S. employment-based visas.
AgoraVisa’s goal is to empower African innovators, including founders, entrepreneurs, researchers, and creatives, who aspire to work or relocate to the United States. The firm has also started to attract attention from other international markets.
The company pairs clients with dedicated case managers and independent immigration attorneys, while utilizing a cloud-based document management system and artificial intelligence (AI) to evaluate visa eligibility. Currently, AgoraVisa handles four visa categories: O1, EB1, EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW), and EB3.
Oluyomi Ojo, the lead of the team, shares that after relocating to the U.S. in 2020, many founders and entrepreneurs sought his advice on navigating the complex immigration landscape, which inspired the creation of AgoraVisa.
“We see this as a challenge that must be resolved to provide Africans and individuals from emerging economies with lawful pathways to immigrate to the United States,” Ojo explained.
How the Process Works
Applicants begin by submitting their information, which is analyzed by AgoraVisa’s AI system against U.S. visa criteria and other relevant data. The AI then offers tailored recommendations regarding eligibility and suggests the most appropriate visa options.
“The system asks a few questions about your background, requests your LinkedIn profile and other details,” Ojo described. “It cross-references this data with U.S. immigration policies and past successful cases, then provides personalized eligibility feedback.”
The AI-driven eligibility assessment is free of charge. Applicants interested in a more comprehensive evaluation can schedule a 30-minute consultation with AgoraVisa’s experts for $50, gaining detailed insights into their immigration prospects, timelines, and requirements.
Following this initial session, those who decide to move forward are onboarded onto the platform and assigned a case manager. This manager assists with uploading necessary documents to the secure cloud system and conducts thorough reviews.
At advanced stages, independent attorneys take over to offer legal representation, transitioning the case from document preparation to formal submission.
Once all paperwork is finalized, AgoraVisa files the petition with U.S. authorities, advocating for the applicant’s immigration purpose. Throughout the process, all communications and updates are accessible via the platform, allowing clients to monitor their case status in real time.
“Your assigned attorney fully represents your case, and you receive continuous feedback through the system until your application is approved,” Ojo emphasized.
The comprehensive immigration service ranges from $11,000 to $15,000, depending on the visa category, covering consultations and legal support throughout the journey. This service fee constitutes the company’s main source of revenue.
“While the future may bring changes, AgoraVisa has not sought external funding and currently has no plans to do so,” Ojo added.
Although the immigration consulting sector is becoming increasingly competitive, Ojo refrains from naming competitors. “Discussing rivals only serves as free promotion for them,” he remarked.
Instead, he highlights AgoraVisa’s unique advantage: the seamless integration of technology, legal professionals, and case managers that simplifies a traditionally complex and expensive process, making it more transparent and efficient.
Despite global demand for migration services, AgoraVisa concentrates on U.S. inbound applicants from Africa, Asia, Canada, the U.K., and other regions. The company cites the U.S. as the world’s leading innovation hub and leverages its expertise in navigating American immigration laws as reasons for this focus.
While countries like India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines represent nearly half of U.S. immigrant visa recipients, Ojo points out that Africa remains AgoraVisa’s primary market. “Africans are underrepresented in U.S. immigration. For example, more Canadians obtain green cards in the U.S. than individuals from most African nations,” he noted.
The firm is also exploring opportunities in other high-immigration countries such as the U.K. and Canada but remains committed to expanding its U.S. visa offerings to assist a broader range of applicants.
Ojo views the migration of talent to the U.S. not as a brain drain but as a form of brain circulation that fosters global prosperity. “Welcoming skilled African professionals to develop global products benefits both Africa and the United States,” he said.
He clarified that AgoraVisa operates independently and has no formal ties with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which retains final authority over visa approvals. Nevertheless, the company boasts a 99.9% success rate, attributed to meticulous case evaluation and comprehensive support.
Ojo acknowledges that frequent changes in immigration policies pose ongoing challenges. However, AgoraVisa continuously updates its procedures to stay aligned with evolving regulations.
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