Clear guidance for the journey to your American future.
North Star Immigration Law PLLC is a modern practice focused on family-based immigration, business immigration, naturalization, and study & exchange visas. Secure technology, transparent flat fees, and counsel that fits your schedule and meets you where you are.
Consult
A secure consultation at a time that works for you.
Prepare
Upload documents through our encrypted client portal.
File
Petitions assembled, reviewed, and filed with precision.
Track
Real-time status updates at every milestone of your case.
Focused counsel in four areas of U.S. immigration law.
Family-Based Immigration
Spousal and fiancé(e) visas, parent and child petitions, adjustment of status, consular processing, and waivers — keeping families together across borders.
Learn more →Business Immigration
Employment-based visas and green cards for employers, founders, and professionals — from H-1B and L-1 petitions to PERM labor certification and EB categories.
Learn more →Naturalization
Citizenship applications (N-400), certificates of citizenship, interview and civics test preparation, and guidance through every step to your oath ceremony.
Learn more →Study & Exchange Visas
F-1 and M-1 student visas, J-1 exchange visitor programs, and B-1/B-2 visitor visas — from initial SEVIS enrollment and consular interviews through status changes and travel while your case is pending.
Learn more →Technology that lightens the load — for you.
Immigration cases are document-heavy and deadline-driven. North Star was built from day one as a digital-first practice — powered by a modern, secure case management platform — so the burden of paperwork, scheduling, and status-checking falls on our systems, not on you.
- Encrypted client portal — upload documents, sign forms electronically, and message securely from your phone or computer.
- Smart immigration forms — your answers flow automatically into the correct USCIS and Department of State forms, reducing errors and rework.
- Automated case tracking — receive notifications when USCIS or the NVC takes action on your case, without calling to ask.
- Smart intake questionnaires — structured digital intake, available in multiple languages, gets your petition drafted faster.
- Video consultations — meet at a time that works for you, in the evening or across time zones.
- Transparent flat fees — most matters are quoted as a flat fee up front, so there are no surprise hourly bills.
Ready to take the first step?
Complete a short questionnaire about your matter, and we will follow up to schedule a consultation.
A solo practice built around you.
North Star Immigration Law PLLC was founded on a simple idea: quality immigration counsel should fit the client's life, not the other way around. The firm serves families, professionals, and employers navigating U.S. immigration — from marriage-based petitions and naturalization to employment-based visas and permanent residence.
As a solo attorney, Ian Wiesenberg personally handles every case from intake to decision. You will never be passed between associates or wonder who is actually working on your petition. Direct access, candid advice, and meticulous preparation are the foundation of the practice.
Prior to founding the firm, Ian gained experience at a leading global immigration practice, where he supported government filings and cross-border employment matters for multinational employers. Time spent living abroad before law school gave him firsthand perspective on the practical realities his clients face.
Beyond the firm, Ian is the founder of Children of the Morning Calm, a nonprofit that assists Korean adoptees with birth family searches and Korean visa matters.
The firm's name reflects its purpose: a fixed point of guidance through a complex and ever-shifting system.
What working with North Star looks like.
1 · Case Review
You complete our online questionnaire. We review your facts, confirm your matter fits our practice areas, and schedule a video consultation.
2 · Engagement & Strategy
After the consultation you receive a written fee quote and engagement letter electronically. Once engaged, we map your strategy and a realistic timeline.
3 · Preparation to Decision
You upload documents and complete smart questionnaires in the secure client portal; we prepare, review, and file. You receive automatic updates at every government milestone until your case is decided.
Immigration counsel, delivered efficiently.
The firm concentrates on affirmative, paperwork-driven immigration matters that benefit most from a technology-forward practice. Every engagement includes secure document handling through our client portal, electronic signatures, and proactive status updates.
Family-Based Immigration
Reuniting spouses, children, parents, and siblings is the heart of U.S. immigration law — and of this practice. We guide families through every stage, whether the relative is already in the United States or processing through a U.S. consulate abroad.
- I-130 petitions for immediate relatives and family preference categories
- K-1 fiancé(e) visas and K-3 spousal visas
- Adjustment of status (I-485) within the U.S.
- Consular processing through the National Visa Center
- I-751 removal of conditions on residence
- I-601 / I-601A waivers of inadmissibility
- Affidavit of support (I-864) strategy and joint sponsors
- Work and travel authorization while a case is pending
Business Immigration
We counsel employers, startups, founders, and individual professionals on temporary work visas and employment-based permanent residence — with the predictable timelines and document automation that corporate clients expect.
- H-1B specialty occupation petitions and cap registration
- L-1A / L-1B intracompany transfers
- O-1 visas for individuals of extraordinary ability
- TN status for Canadian and Mexican professionals
- E-1 / E-2 treaty trader and investor visas
- PERM labor certification
- EB-1, EB-2 (including NIW), and EB-3 green card petitions
- I-9 and compliance guidance for employers
Naturalization & Citizenship
Becoming a U.S. citizen is the final milestone of the immigration journey. We prepare strong N-400 applications, anticipate eligibility issues before USCIS does, and make sure you walk into your interview ready.
- N-400 applications for naturalization
- Eligibility analysis: residence, physical presence, good moral character
- Disability and age-based exceptions to the English and civics tests
- N-600 certificates of citizenship for children
- Citizenship through acquisition or derivation analysis
- Interview and civics test preparation sessions by video
Study & Exchange Visas
Whether you are coming to the United States to study, participate in an exchange program, or visit temporarily, we help you build a complete, well-documented application and stay in status once you arrive.
- F-1 academic student visas and SEVIS Form I-20 review
- M-1 vocational and non-academic student visas
- J-1 exchange visitor visas, including DS-2019 and program sponsor issues
- J-1 two-year home-residency requirement (212(e)) waiver applications
- B-1 business visitor and B-2 tourist visas
- F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM OPT extensions
- Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and on/off-campus work authorization
- Change of status and reinstatement for students out of status
- Extensions of stay and change of nonimmigrant status (Form I-539)
- Dependent visas for spouses and children (F-2, M-2, J-2, B-2)
Flat fees. No surprises.
Most matters are quoted as a transparent flat fee after an initial consultation, with payment plans available for many case types. Government filing fees are always itemized separately.
Tell us about your matter.
This short questionnaire helps us understand your situation before your consultation. It takes about five minutes. All information is kept confidential.
Understand the system before you navigate it.
A plain-language starting point for U.S. immigration law, plus direct links to the official government sources where current rules, forms, and case status information live. This page is general information, not legal advice — every case depends on its specific facts.
How U.S. immigration is structured
U.S. immigration law is federal, governed primarily by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Most people immigrate through one of a few channels: family sponsorship by a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, employment sponsorship by a U.S. employer, the diversity visa lottery, or humanitarian programs. Temporary "nonimmigrant" visas (such as student, visitor, and work visas) are separate from permanent "immigrant" status (a green card).
Family-based immigration basics
U.S. citizens may petition for spouses, children, parents, and siblings; permanent residents may petition for spouses and unmarried children. "Immediate relatives" of citizens have no annual visa limit, while other categories wait in line according to the Department of State's monthly Visa Bulletin. Cases conclude either by adjustment of status inside the U.S. or consular processing abroad through the National Visa Center.
Employment-based immigration basics
Employers sponsor temporary workers through visas like the H-1B (specialty occupations), L-1 (intracompany transfers), and O-1 (extraordinary ability). Permanent residence runs through the EB-1 to EB-5 preference categories, often requiring a PERM labor certification from the Department of Labor first. Some individuals, such as those qualifying for a National Interest Waiver, may self-petition without an employer.
Naturalization basics
Most applicants qualify for citizenship after 5 years as a permanent resident (or 3 years if married to and living with a U.S. citizen), along with physical presence, continuous residence, good moral character, and passing English and civics tests. The process is filed on Form N-400 and ends with an interview and the Oath of Allegiance. Some children acquire or derive citizenship automatically through their parents.
Where to check the current rules.
Immigration policy changes frequently. These official government sites are always the most reliable source for current forms, fees, processing times, and announcements.
Agency news & policy developments.
Curated summaries of notable developments from USCIS, the BIA, the NVC, and other agencies.
New DHS rule addresses citizenship status of children born to foreign government employees
Effective September 4, 2026, a DHS interim final rule expands a longstanding registration pathway that previously applied only to children born in the U.S. to accredited foreign diplomats. Under the new rule, a child born on or after the effective date is not considered a U.S. citizen at birth if neither parent is a U.S. citizen and at least one parent is a "foreign government employee" — a broader category that now includes embassy or consulate staff, other official foreign government personnel, and certain international-organization employees with immunity. Such children may instead voluntarily register for lawful permanent residence. The rule follows an August 2026 executive order issued after the Supreme Court's June 30, 2026 decision on birthright citizenship, and its implementation is currently affected by a pending injunction in ongoing litigation. Families who may be affected should seek individualized guidance given the unsettled legal landscape. Read the USCIS alert →
USCIS to phase in mandatory electronic filing
Effective August 11, 2026, a DHS interim final rule authorizes USCIS to require electronic ("e-filing") submission for any immigration form that has been available for online filing for at least 180 days, a shift the agency frames as strengthening fraud detection and national security screening. No form is immediately mandatory-e-file; USCIS must give at least 60 days' public notice before requiring e-filing for a specific form, and a hardship waiver is available for those unable to file online. Clients should consider setting up a USCIS online account now, ahead of any form-specific mandate affecting their case. Read the USCIS alert →
Travel advisory raises Ceuta, Spain to Level 3
On August 1, 2026, the State Department updated its Spain Travel Advisory to raise the Ceuta area to Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) because of unrest tied to a large, uncontrolled arrival of migrants from Morocco, prompting Spain to deploy its military, National Police, and Guardia Civil. Spain's overall advisory level remains at Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution). Clients with travel plans through Ceuta, or family members transiting the area, should review the advisory before finalizing itineraries. Read the full advisory →
USCIS rescinds the 2022 public charge regulation
DHS has issued a final rule rescinding the 2022 public charge regulation, giving USCIS officers broader, case-by-case discretion to weigh public benefits use when deciding whether an applicant for a visa, admission, or adjustment of status is likely to become a public charge. The rule takes effect September 18, 2026, and will affect a wide range of pending and future applications. Clients planning to file should discuss how this shift may affect their case timing and documentation. Read the USCIS announcement →