Ostrom Law Office practices solely in the area of U.S. immigration law. Within this area, we focus primarily on business immigration, petitions for qualified family members, citizenship applications, and certain waivers.

We provide on our website general information on the eligibility requirements and the processes we employ to obtain non-immigrant (temporary) and immigrant (permanent) status in the United States on behalf of our clients.

In the Business Immigration section, you will find information about the main types of business-related temporary visas available, and ways to gain permanent resident status in the U.S. through employer-sponsorship, and also through self-sponsorship, depending on your situation and qualifications.

Professors, Researchers, and Physicians have distinct avenues available to work and live in the United States. We provide information that relates specifically to these fields.

In the Family Immigration section, you will find information on how to gain permanent residence through a family member, such as a fiancée, spouse, child, parent, or sibling, depending on your situation.

Once you have obtained Legal Permanent Residence, you can eventually apply for U.S. citizenship through Naturalization, if you are so inclined, and if you are eligible. In our Citizenship section, you can find information about this process.

For those with certain grounds of inadmissibility, we can apply for Waivers, if eligible, to potentially overcome these hurdles and allow you to pursue nonimmigrant and immigrant options in the United States. In our Waiver section, you can see the types of waiver applications that we prepare for clients.

Based in Minneapolis, immigration lawyer Caroline Ostrom has over 20 years’ experience in the areas outlined above. We welcome you to contact us for assistance with your immigration matter.

Employment-Based Immigration

Temporary Visas

H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa

The H-1B is a temporary (non-immigrant) employer-sponsored visa for a foreign worker in a “specialty occupation.” The H-1B can be issued for up to three years, and then extended for an additional three years, for a total of six years in H-1B stat… Read More

L-1A / L-1B Intracompany Transferee

The L-1 visa permits multinational companies to transfer certain individuals into the United States. The L-1A is for executives and managers, while the L-1B is for “specialized knowledge” workers. Like the H-1B, an L-1 is a “dual intent” noni… Read More

TN NAFTA Professionals

The TN Visa is a non-immigrant visa option for citizens of Canada and Mexico. It was created as part of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and now continues to be available under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Caroline Ostrom… Read More

E-2 Treaty Investor Visa

The E-2 visa is a non-immigrant, temporary visa for qualifying investors to direct and develop a U.S. company. The E-2 can be used to start a business or buy an existing business in the U.S., but the individual and majority ownership of the company m… Read More

O-1 Extraordinary Ability

The O-1 is a temporary, nonimmigrant visa for individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, athletics, or the motion picture/TV industry. Caroline Ostrom, Minneapolis business immigration attorney… Read More

Green Card Through Employment

PERM (Labor Certification)

Caroline Ostrom, Minneapolis business immigration attorney, helps employers evaluate whether a position is suitable for Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) and assists with every step of the PERM process. The PERM is the first of three processes nee… Read More

EB-1A Extraordinary Ability and EB-1B Outstanding Professor / Researcher

EB-1 petitions are intended for the most highly qualified foreign nationals. These petitions have two distinct advantages over most other employment-based immigrant petitions. First, no labor certification (PERM) is required for EB-1 petitions. Secon… Read More

EB-1C Multinational Manager or Executive

The Multinational Manager or Executive EB-1C visa allows international companies to transfer top-level executives and managers to the U.S. as permanent residents. It is similar to the L-1A temporary visa, but the intent here is for the Manager or Exe… Read More

EB-2 National Interest Waiver

A National Interest Waiver (NIW) petition is an appealing option for those who qualify, to petition for legal permanent residence. A National Interest Waiver (NIW) petition requests that the PERM (Labor Certification) requirement be waived for the sa… Read More

I-140 – Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker based on a Labor Certification (PERM)

Caroline Ostrom, Minneapolis business immigration attorney, assists employers with every step of the I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker. Form I-140 is typically filed with USCIS upon receiving an approved labor certification from the Departme… Read More

I-485– Employment-Based Application to Adjustment to Legal Permanent Resident

Caroline Ostrom, Minneapolis business immigration attorney, assists clients with every step of the I-485, Application for Permanent Residence. This is the final step necessary for a green card through employment for all workers – including categori… Read More

Family-Based Immigration

Caroline Ostrom, Minneapolis immigration attorney, enjoys helping qualifying couples and family members gain Legal Permanent Resident status in the U.S., allowing families to stay together, or reuniting families through visa processing at U.S. Consul… Read More

Green Card Applications for Spouses and Qualifying Relatives

Under U.S. immigration laws, U.S. citizens and Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs) (green card holders) can apply for permanent residence for certain family members. Whether the Petitioner is a U.S. citizen or legal resident determines the different typ… Read More

I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions

Legal Permanent Residents who obtain their status based on a marriage that is less than two years old at the time of the grant are initially given Condition Permanent Residence, which is valid for two years. Within 90 days prior to the expiration of… Read More

Citizenship

Legal Permanent Residents (“LPR”s) in the U.S. can apply for U.S. citizenship provided certain conditions are met. There are issues to take into consideration prior to applying for citizenship, including time spent outside of the U.S., any crimin… Read More

Waivers

Under the immigration laws, certain acts can result in a person being inadmissible to the U.S., either in temporary categories, or as a permanent resident. Some common grounds of inadmissibility are prior immigration violations, criminal offenses, an… Read More

The 212(D)(3) NonImmigrant Waiver

Section 212 (d)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (“the Act”) provides a potential waiver of most inadmissibility grounds for those applying for an underlying non-immigrant visa, such as a B-1/B-2 tourist, F-1 student, H-1B or L visa. The… Read More

J-1 Exchange Visitor Two-Year Home Country Physical Presence Requirement Waiver

Some J-1 visa holders are subject to a two-year home country physical requirement, also known as the foreign residence requirement, under the Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”), Section 212(e). This two year requirement applies to the J-1 fo… Read More

I-601A Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver

The I-601A, Application for Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver is a good mechanism for certain qualifying immediate relatives of U.S. citizens to gain Legal Permanent Residence (LPR) status. Caroline Ostrom, Minneapolis immigration attorney, assist… Read More

Professors, Researchers and Physicians

Professors and Researchers

The United States is fortunate to be the preferred destination for many of the world’s most talented professors and researchers. At Ostrom Law Office, we are proud to facilitate the efforts of universities, colleges and businesses in attracting and… Read More

U.S. Immigration Visas for Physicians

Clinical physicians face unique circumstances with respect to U.S. immigration options. Many foreign physicians begin their U.S. immigration journey by participating in a medical residency or fellowship. Caroline Ostrom, Minneapolis business immigrat… Read More