I came to the US in summer 2013 on a tourist visa to see a heart specialist after undergoing several surgeries in Israel that didn’t go as expected. I had no plans to stay in the US as my extended family was back home in Ukraine, where for 15 years I served a mayor in a small town in Crimea. My plans were to see a specialist, have a surgery and return back home.
Victor Yanukovich was president of Ukraine at that time. It is a well-known fact that he had to flee the country due to unrests in Ukraine.
My vacation was close to the end and it became apparent that due to the political situation back home, retuning to Ukraine was not safe. Hence,I decided to seek political asylum in the US.
My immediate family was with me, since we all had tourist visas and had previously traveled many times to the US
At first, I randomly selected and met with a lwayer, who did not impress me. Then, by chance, I heard an interesting radio interview with Boris Palant. He was very well known to my friends as a reputable and experienced immigration specialist. His presentation caught my attention as at that moment I was looking for an attorney.
Needless to say, when we first met Boris was very well prepared for the meeting. We immediately began preparing documents for political asylum. Although my case was straightforward, it was crucial to highlight the important details. It was a lengthy process, taking a few years.
In March 2016 we were called in for an interview. Boris has strict rules. One of his principles is that you must tell only the truth; no lies. I liked that. Of course, Boris had briefed me on the interview process, but it was not a “preparation” as many imagine, there was no coaching involved. Having a knowledgeable and experienced lawyer with your at the interview contributes to at least 50% of success. Knowing that my attorney was Boris Palant gave me confidence. In September 2018 we were issued with green cards.
My collaboration with Boris will continue. I plan to get his assistance for naturalization and citizenship processes.