Being a lawyer has long been our family tradition. Nonetheless, after graduating with a law degree from a reputable university in Russia, I decided that racing was my true passion and the career I wanted to pursue.
My grandfather, who served as an attorney to Mikhail Gorbachev (the last President of the Soviet Union), had been living in the US since 1993. Through his professional contacts, he personally knew many excellent Russian-speaking attorneys. When I started to think about moving to the US, he advised me to speak to Boris Palant, a true professional and, to my grandfather’s knowledge, the best choice for an immigration lawyer. So I had no hesitation to make my decision.
At that time I was a test driver in Formula-1 and planned to work for NASCAR. During our initial meeting, Boris took into account my accomplishments in motorsports and we agreed to apply for EB-1 visa, which is suitable for individuals with exceptional abilities.
In summary – my petition was approved, and I was granted a green card. In the future, once I become eligible, I plan to become a naturalized US citizen.