Boundless Immigration Expands Global Footprint with Localyze Acquisition Amid U.S. Immigration Uncertainty
In a strategic move that broadens its international presence, Seattle-based Boundless Immigration has acquired Berlin’s Localyze, a company specializing in European immigration services. The acquisition comes at a critical time as the Trump administration continues to implement stricter U.S. immigration policies, including a recently announced $100,000 fee for H-1B visas commonly utilized by tech companies for hiring foreign talent in STEM fields. “This acquisition fits perfectly with what our customers are asking for in an era of unprecedented uncertainty and increased chaos and turmoil about various U.S. policies,” explained Boundless CEO Xiao Wang. While the financial details of the transaction weren’t disclosed, the move represents a significant expansion for Boundless, which until now has primarily focused on helping individuals and businesses navigate U.S. immigration processes.
The timing of this acquisition couldn’t be more relevant for Boundless’s client base. With mounting uncertainty surrounding American immigration policies, many employers are actively exploring alternatives, including establishing international offices where talented workers can be based outside the United States. Meanwhile, individuals still hoping to live and work in America are increasingly interested in exploring different visa pathways that might provide more secure routes to citizenship. Wang emphasized that corporate clients with global operations prefer the simplicity of working through a single platform to manage employee visas worldwide. Before this acquisition, Boundless had partnered with international law firms to address these needs, but bringing Localyze’s capabilities in-house creates a more seamless solution for clients navigating complex immigration systems across continents.
Localyze significantly expands the geographic reach of Boundless, bringing expertise in immigration processes for more than 30 countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Lithuania, Poland, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates. The German company’s 40-person team and immigration platform will be fully integrated into Boundless’s operations, creating a truly global immigration service. Hanna Asmussen, CEO and co-founder of Localyze, shared her enthusiasm for the merger in a statement: “Our mission has always been to help companies build world-class teams by removing the geographic barriers to talent. Joining Boundless is the fastest way to achieve that mission on a global scale.” According to Wang, discussions about this acquisition had been ongoing for more than a year before reaching completion.
The acquisition marks another milestone in Boundless’s growth trajectory since spinning out of Pioneer Square Labs in 2017. This represents the company’s third acquisition, following previous purchases of San Francisco-based Bridge in 2023 and RapidVisa in 2020. Prior to this latest acquisition, Boundless had raised more than $50 million from investors and employed over 500 people. Localyze, founded in 2018, participated in Y Combinator the following year and had secured more than $47 million in funding according to PitchBook. The immigration technology sector in Seattle also includes Casium, another startup that emerged from the AI2 Incubator last year, highlighting the growing importance of technological solutions for navigating increasingly complex immigration systems worldwide.
For Boundless, adaptability has become a core strength in an area where policy shifts can dramatically impact clients’ lives and plans. Wang emphasized that the company is “hardwired to respond to changes and make the best of them—including tumultuous public policies.” This resilience has positioned Boundless to not only weather the uncertain immigration landscape but to identify strategic opportunities within it. By expanding its geographic coverage through the Localyze acquisition, Boundless can now offer clients a wider array of options regardless of how U.S. policies evolve. As Wang put it, “We have now just added a whole continent of opportunities and options for people to choose from to live their best life, and that’s fundamentally so exciting.”
The merger of these two immigration-focused companies reflects broader trends in how businesses and individuals are responding to immigration restrictions and uncertainties. Rather than being limited by the policies of any single country, many are seeking global solutions that provide flexibility and multiple pathways forward. Boundless’s expanded capabilities now allow it to serve as a comprehensive immigration partner for multinational corporations and individuals alike, helping them navigate the complex and often changing immigration requirements across North America, Europe, and beyond. As immigration policies continue to evolve worldwide, Boundless appears positioned to help clients find the most advantageous paths forward, whether that means pursuing opportunities in the United States or exploring the many alternatives now available through their expanded global presence.
