Katya Stelmakh

Katya and her team were a lifesaver. When I first came to their firm, I was overwhelmed and anxious about my H1B timelines, confusing paperwork, and a lot at stake. I chose Katya because she came highly recommended for her clarity and responsiveness, and I can confidently say she exceeded all expecta...tions. She not only walked me through every step with patience, but also handled my case with incredible speed and precision. What could’ve been a stressful experience turned into a smooth, well-guided process. Thanks to her, I’m now able to continue my career in the U.S. without uncertainty hanging over me. I’m truly grateful.

A friend who had a great experience referred us to Stelmakh & Associates, and now we can say we’re glad we took that recommendation. From the first consultation, it was clear that Katya and her team understood the EB-1A process in depth. They saw the potential in my professional background and helped... us structure a strong case around my engineering leadership, startup work, scholarly publications, and judging experience. Even though I met all eight criteria, we received a very generic RFE in January – one of those “blank RFEs” that can shake your confidence. But the team didn’t lose focus. They revisited every section, gathered additional context, and gathered new letters and peer reviews to strengthen the petition. Their ability to respond calmly and thoroughly made a huge difference. Ultimately, the petition was approved, and my wife and I are incredibly grateful for that outcome. We’re thankful for the persistence, care, and experience that Katya and her team provided. If you're considering the EB-1A path, I encourage you to talk to them.

I had the pleasure of working with Katya Stelmakh on my EB1A petition, and I can confidently say she is one of the most knowledgeable and strategic immigration lawyers I’ve encountered. From our very first conversation, I was struck by her deep understanding of both immigration law and the nuances of... the tech industry. Her ability to grasp the technical aspects of my background and translate them into a compelling legal case gave me immediate confidence in her approach. Katya’s and her junior attorney Sanjana Bellam’s guidance was clear, thorough, and always tailored to my specific profile. They anticipated potential challenges, addressed them with precision, and helped craft a strong petition that ultimately led to my EB1A approval. Their professionalism, responsiveness, and commitment throughout the process were outstanding. I highly recommend Katya to anyone looking for an attorney who not only understands immigration law but also knows how to present complex technical achievements effectively.

I spent a long time debating whether to leave this review, but ultimately decided that if my experience can spare even one person from going through the same disappointment — then it’s worth it. When you pay a substantial amount for legal services, you naturally expect professionalism, responsiven...ess, and work that matches the fee. Unfortunately, in my case, I received none of that. What I experienced was complete neglect, lack of communication, and the clear sense that no one actually cared about my case. They would ignore emails for weeks or even months — and seemed to consider this perfectly normal. Multiple staff members were included in email threads, and yet none of them would follow up. When signing the agreement, I emphasized that time was critically important to me. They assured me the case would be prepared within two months. The reality? Seven months, even though I provided all supporting documents and evidence from the very beginning. During this time, I had to chase them through every possible channel — email, phone, messages — just to get any kind of reply. And when I did get responses, they were rare, vague, and unhelpful. In the end, I did most of the casework myself. Around 95% of the documents were prepared by me personally — and to this day I don’t understand what exactly I paid for. The final petition was weak, poorly written, lacked strategic focus, and didn’t include any additional documents to strengthen the case. As I later discovered, there were numerous weaknesses that they simply failed to address. When I received an RFE, it became clear: if I didn’t take full control, the case would be lost. I ended up preparing almost the entire response on my own. Had I waited for them, I would have lost several more months and probably the case altogether. Interview preparation was a disaster as well. These attorneys clearly do not understand the specifics of EB1/O1 visas, and from what I experienced, they don’t seem to know why consulates deny applicants. Everything related to interview strategy, key talking points, and proper preparation was either ignored or handled superficially, without any understanding of what truly matters. In conclusion: If you're looking for genuine legal support from a team that truly understands their area of practice — look elsewhere. With this firm, you’ll lose time, money, and peace of mind, and be left with a result you’ll regret.

I'm thrilled to share my positive experience with Stelmakh Law regarding my EB1A petition. After consulting with several lawyers, Stelmakh Law stood out by thoroughly explaining which criteria were the strongest, convincing me of their expertise in identifying a strong candidate for EB1A. I am deeply... grateful to Dmitry and Katya for their strategic approach in presenting each criterion. They requested various pieces of evidence and guided me in strengthening my petition, ensuring that each criterion was clearly and effectively communicated in the support letter and final merits argument. The process took six months, during which every item was meticulously reviewed multiple times. They skillfully crafted my final petition letter, connecting all the dots with great technique. Ultimately, my efforts were rewarded with the approval of my petition in just 11 working days. I highly recommend the Stelmakh Law team for anyone seeking an effective petition.