He Came to America as a Refugee. Now Andrei Romanenko Defends the Door That Once Opened for Him.

Immigration law is usually discussed through forms, deadlines and government acronyms. For the people living through it, the reality is visceral: separation from a child, years awaiting an asylum hearing, or one decision determining where a family may build its future.

Andrei Romanenko understands that reality from both sides of the attorney’s desk.

Born and raised in Minsk, Romanenko came to the United States as a refugee after fleeing political persecution in Belarus. That history is not ornamental. Before representing immigrants seeking protection, permanent residence and citizenship, he had confronted the instability of displacement himself.

Romanenko earned his law degree from UC Berkeley, completed a business-law certificate, served as an assistant managing editor of the Berkeley Journal of International Law and contributed to an Immigration Benchbook published by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. After working with immigration firms, he took the lead at the Law Office of Andrei Romanenko PC.

His defining credential carries weight. Romanenko is a Certified Legal Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law through the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization—a distinction requiring demonstrated experience, specialized education, examination and professional evaluation.

His work extends far beyond uncomplicated applications. Romanenko handles political asylum, removal defense, appeals, family and employment matters, adjustment of status and naturalization. He has represented immigrants before USCIS, the Board of Immigration Appeals, immigration courts and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

The outcomes reveal what that breadth can mean. Romanenko took over a complex political-asylum case after several attorneys declined it, with less than six months remaining before the final court date. The immigration process had lasted approximately a decade. Romanenko accepted the challenge, prepared the client and won the case.

His record also includes winning an immigration appeal and the resulting court proceedings, reopening an immigration matter and obtaining adjustment of status, and securing cancellation of removal for a permanent resident placed in proceedings because of an extensive juvenile and adult record. That victory preserved the client’s lawful permanent residence and a future that had appeared uncertain.

In another matter, a complication threatened a permanent-residency case pending for more than four years. Romanenko prepared a Form I-290B Motion to Reconsider, resolved the issue and helped the client obtain lawful permanent residence. He has also secured naturalization for an applicant with two prior arrest records, obtained an employment-based E18 green card and guided a business-immigration client to an L-1 visa.

Past outcomes cannot guarantee another case, but they demonstrate his range—from humanitarian protection and courtroom defense to citizenship and business mobility.

Romanenko’s public service reinforces that commitment. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors appointed him to the city’s Immigrant Rights Commission, where he contributed to discussions about policies affecting immigrant communities. He also volunteered as an attorney of the day in San Francisco Immigration Court, representing people who could not afford private counsel.

Then there is Romanenko’s command of language, which reads less like a résumé entry than evidence of a relentlessly curious mind. He speaks English, Russian, Belarusian and Spanish, with additional proficiency in Japanese and Polish—a range supported by a bachelor’s degree in Japanese and years of study. In immigration law, where nuance can reshape a declaration, interview or courtroom argument, that ability is more than impressive. It helps him recognize cultural context, examine foreign-language records and understand how a client’s story can change across borders and translations. It is the mark of a disciplined learner—and precisely the kind of intellectual firepower clients want in their corner.

Client feedback completes the picture. The Law Office of Andrei Romanenko maintains a 4.8-star Google rating based on 209 reviews—a substantial public record for a practice handling matters that are often prolonged, technically demanding and emotionally exhausting.

Romanenko’s story is not simply that of an immigrant who became an immigration attorney. It is the story of someone who experienced the protection of American law, mastered its complexities and built a career helping others pursue the same security.

That combination of experience, reputation, verified professional standing, and public credibility is why Andrei Romanenko was included on FreddieFender.com.