When companies and individuals need to secure U.S. work visas or green cards, choosing between immigration service providers becomes a high-stakes decision. Two prominent options—Alma and Envoy Global—represent fundamentally different approaches to immigration legal services. While Envoy Global operates as a traditional enterprise immigration provider with global reach, Alma offers tech-enabled immigration services with rapid execution and transparent pricing. This comparison reveals why Alma's modern approach delivers superior results for companies and professionals who need speed, predictability, and expert legal guidance for U.S. immigration.
Alma positions itself as a technology-forward immigration legal services platform, combining seasoned attorneys with AI/ML to streamline the complex immigration process. Legal services are provided through affiliated independent attorneys. Launched in 2023 and headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Alma has rapidly grown to serve businesses of all sizes and raised $5.1 million in seed funding. The company serves businesses across all growth stages, specializing in employment-based immigration including O-1, H-1B, L-1, EB-1, EB-2 NIW, and PERM labor certifications.
Envoy Global takes a traditional enterprise approach to immigration services. Founded in 1998 (originally as VisaNow), Envoy Global has built its reputation serving Fortune 500 companies with global immigration needs. The provider offers coverage across 180+ countries and focuses primarily on large enterprise clients requiring multi-country immigration coordination. Legal services are provided through affiliated independent attorneys.
The fundamental difference lies in philosophy: Envoy Global manages complex global programs, while Alma delivers U.S. immigration excellence with guaranteed speed and full pricing transparency.
Alma's service portfolio concentrates on high-impact U.S. employment immigration:
This focused approach allows for deeper expertise and faster execution in the visa categories that matter most to tech companies and high-skilled professionals.
Envoy Global's services span a broader geographic scope:
While Envoy Global's breadth serves multinational corporations with employees worldwide, this scope comes at the cost of specialization and speed in any single country.
For example, while immigration case timelines vary by complexity, Alma guarantees 2-week document processing turnaround for case preparation. This speed advantage in case prep becomes crucial for companies competing for top talent who cannot wait extended periods for visa processing.
The pricing structures reveal each company's target market and service philosophy.
This pricing structure makes Alma particularly attractive for companies that need budget predictability. Why navigate opaque enterprise pricing when Alma publishes every rate upfront? The transparent approach eliminates the overhead and uncertainty that come with custom enterprise quotes.
Alma primarily serves companies and individuals across the full growth spectrum:
Alma's special pricing programs for Y Combinator, Techstars, Pear VC, and other partner accelerators make it the preferred choice for venture-backed startups.
Envoy Global targets larger enterprise organizations:
This distinction matters significantly. Startups and mid-market companies don't need complex global infrastructure—they need fast U.S. immigration case preparation with transparent costs. Alma's model perfectly matches these needs, while Envoy Global's enterprise approach often provides unnecessary overhead for companies focused on U.S. operations.
Both companies serve significant client bases, but the transparency around outcomes differs substantially.
The speed difference in case preparation is crucial for companies facing competitive pressure. Extended wait times for case prep in today's fast-paced talent market can mean losing top candidates to competitors who move faster.
The execution philosophy difference is stark: Envoy Global manages complex global programs, while Alma delivers strategic wins through technology acceleration. For companies with existing HR systems and urgent hiring needs, the latter approach provides superior value.
Immigration compliance represents a critical concern for HR and mobility teams managing foreign national employees.
For companies focused on U.S. immigration compliance, Alma's dedicated toolkit provides deeper functionality than global platforms spread across 180+ countries. Concentrated expertise in U.S. immigration law means more robust compliance coverage where it matters most for American operations.
Switching immigration providers or implementing new systems requires careful planning and support.
The migration process to Alma is designed for minimal disruption. Companies can complete active cases with their current provider while initiating new matters with Alma. The white-glove migration service includes case inventory review and document transfer to ensure continuity.
Companies and individuals pursuing U.S. work visas face unique challenges that make Alma the superior choice. Organizations don't need global infrastructure for domestic hiring—they need expert legal counsel, rapid case preparation, and cost predictability.
However, for the majority of companies and individuals focused on U.S. employment immigration, Alma's combination of speed, transparency, technology, and expert legal services represents the evolved approach to immigration partnership that traditional enterprise providers cannot match.
Ready to experience immigration legal services reimagined? Explore Alma's solutions for individuals or learn about business immigration plans to see how transparent pricing and guaranteed speed can transform your immigration experience.
Alma combines attorney expertise with AI/ML technology to deliver faster case preparation with full pricing transparency. While traditional providers like Envoy Global operate with varying timelines and typically involve custom quotes, Alma guarantees 2-week document processing for case preparation and publishes all fees upfront ($3,000-$10,000 per case type). Alma also offers modern features like real-time case tracking dashboards, HRIS/ATS support, and automated compliance monitoring that traditional providers typically lack. The result is a streamlined experience with predictable costs and significantly faster case preparation outcomes.
Alma achieves its 2-week document processing guarantee for case preparation through proprietary AI/ML-powered workflows that assist attorneys in evidence organization and petition drafting. This technology reduces manual processing time while maintaining quality through attorney oversight. The result is a 99%+ approval rate across O-1, H-1B, EB-1, and EB-2 NIW categories. Additionally, Alma's dedicated legal team provides up to 3 free attorney consultation calls per matter, ensuring strategic guidance throughout the process while maintaining rapid turnaround for case preparation.
Yes, Alma serves both individuals and businesses across the full growth spectrum. For individuals, Alma handles O-1, EB-1A, EB-2 NIW, and other visa categories with personalized support. For businesses, Alma offers tiered plans: Startup for 0-25 foreign nationals with transparent per-case pricing, Growth for 26-250 foreign nationals with custom monthly pricing, and Enterprise for 250+ foreign nationals with dedicated account management. This scalability makes Alma suitable for solo founders seeking an O-1 visa and larger companies managing hundreds of foreign national employees alike.
Alma provides complete transparency across both dimensions. For fees, all pricing is published online—from $3,500 for an H-1B to $10,000 for an EB-1A green card—with no hidden costs, and administrative charges, platform access, and RFE responses are included. For case status, clients access real-time dashboards with proactive alerts, automated reminders, and always-on communication through the client portal. Client testimonials frequently mention fast response times and complete visibility into case progress.
Absolutely. Alma's Enterprise plan manages 250+ foreign national workflows with enterprise-grade compliance features, role-based access controls, real-time analytics, and dedicated account management. The platform supports enterprise HRIS systems (Workday, ADP), supports SSO, and provides audit-ready records for HR teams. While Envoy Global offers 180+ country coverage, Alma's focused U.S. immigration expertise delivers superior speed and compliance tools for companies whose primary need is American work authorization.
Alma's model uniquely combines seasoned immigration attorneys with proprietary AI/ML technology to deliver both quality and speed. The technology assists in evidence organization, petition drafting, and compliance monitoring—tasks that traditionally consume significant attorney time—allowing Alma's legal team to focus on strategic case development and client consultation. The compliance monitoring features automatically detect immigration-impacting changes (salary, location, title changes) and trigger necessary updates, ensuring proactive compliance without manual HR monitoring. The result: 99%+ approval rates with 2-week case preparation turnaround.
