For immigrants, the U.S. immigration system presents itself as intricate, challenging to navigate, and costly. JustiGuide, a startup, states it addresses these issues with an AI-driven online portal.
The core concept involves aiding immigrants within the U.S. — with plans to broaden its reach internationally — in grasping legal aspects and determining potential visa eligibility. It also aims to facilitate connections with immigration lawyers, thereby expediting and reducing the cost of the entire procedure.
“I believe that enhancing technology accessibility will empower individuals to independently complete forms and comprehend their available options. Consequently, they can engage lawyers specifically for the review phase,” JustiGuide’s founder, Bisi Obateru, conveyed to TechCrunch.
Obateru, a Nigerian native, recounted his personal experience navigating the U.S. immigration system post-graduation. He subsequently obtained an H1-B visa, a typical option for tech professionals, followed by a green card granting permanent residency.
This experience spurred him to establish JustiGuide, intending to assist fellow immigrants. He stated, “Immigrants gain the ability to communicate in their native language and comprehend the potential trajectory of their immigration process.”
The company was awarded the top pitch in the Policy + Protection category during this year’s TechCrunch Disrupt conference.
According to Obateru, JustiGuide caters to startup founders seeking aid in employing immigrants, individuals holding H1-B visas exploring alternative options, international students contemplating business ventures, and legal professionals and firms. He also envisions future collaborations with government entities for technology licensing.
Techcrunch event
San Francisco
|
October 13-15, 2026
The platform features an AI legal research assistant, a system for matching lawyers with immigrants, and promises faster form completion. Obateru clarified that lawyers benefit from a service that aids in document compilation and streamlines processes traditionally handled by paralegals.
Obateru noted that the platform, serving 47,000 users, utilizes an AI named Dolores, which he describes as “a constantly learning AI specific to the U.S. immigration domain.” Dolores also provides translations in 12 languages.
Dolores’s training involved over 40,000 court cases obtained from the Free Law Project, a nonprofit providing free access to legal resources, as per Obateru. The startup is also pursuing registration as a law firm, enabling direct connections between its users and in-house immigration lawyers, he added.
Initially, JustiGuide programmed Dolores to identify immigrants needing assistance by scanning subreddits, Facebook groups, Instagram, and LinkedIn posts based on keywords, and then send them relevant answers, according to Obateru.
To ensure immigrants’ privacy, JustiGuide’s platform is hosted on-site with encryption, and information is shared only upon an immigrant’s connection with a lawyer. Obateru also mentioned the anonymization of certain user data.
