Gay Russian couple seeking asylum in US...

Andrew Nasonov remembers the moment he knew going home to his native Russia was not an option.

It was after his wedding in D.C. last year to his long-time partner Igor Bazilevskii. It was a sunny fall day, and they took photos in front of the White House. This, Nasonov thought, could never happen in Russia. At least not while the country’s anti-gay propaganda laws turned LGBT people into criminals.

“After we got married, I finally decided that, no, I will not be going back to that country,” Nasonov said through an interpreter.

So the pair extended their visit to the U.S. permanently. They let their tourist visas expire and made friends with lawyers who would help them seek asylum.

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