Immigration Evaluations

In Extreme and Exceptional Hardship cases, a citizen of the United States, or a legal permanent resident (LPR) of the United States, is the spouse, fiancée, parent, or child of an individual who could be deported from the United States. The U.S. citizen applies for a waiver on the basis that deportation would result in extreme and exceptional hardship.

The purpose of the psychological evaluation is to assess and explain the hardships that all the relevant family members would
face if the waiver were not granted. The professional opinion rendered in a psychological evaluation greatly strengthens the case.

VAWA Evaluations are used in cases where a person immigrates to the United States (often under a fiancee visa) and marries an American citizen. It can happen that this relationship becomes abusive, with the American citizen as the abuser and the immigrant spouse as the victim. Often, the abuser will threaten the victim with deportation to keep her/him silent about the abuse. When this happens, the victim can leave their abuser and petition US Immigration to be allowed to stay in the United States and eventually receive a Green Card (permanent resident status) by proving that they are being abused by their American husband/wife.

If you already have an immigration attorney for your VAWA petition, we will be happy to work with your attorney. If you do not have an attorney, we can refer you to an attorney who is experienced with VAWA petitions.

Applicants for political asylum often have been exposed to extreme deprivation, severe abuse, and even torture in their home country. Frequently, the mistreatment is associated with a political, religious, and/or ethnic persecution. At some point, the individual flees his or her country to the United States and files a Political Asylum claim.
The purpose of an immigration evaluation in asylum cases is to collect information about this mistreatment and to examine the psychological impact that these circumstances have had on the immigrant. It is most common that the individual has developed psychological problems as a result of the abuse, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD), severe anxiety, and/or depression.
If your immigration case involves is political asylum, it is important to assess the extent and severity of your original trauma, whether you continue to suffer from psychological symptoms after your arrival in the U.S., and how long-lasting the psychological consequences could be. In addition to the legal aid you are receiving, the immigration evaluation can help you communicate and document the mental health aspects of your case.

U Visa gives legal status to immigrants, including undocumented immigrants, who have been victims of serious crimes in the United States. Such crimes including, but are not limited to, sexual abuse, domestic violence, involuntary servitude, sexual exploitation, kidnapping, trafficking, and rape. With a U Visa, the immigrant may stay and work in the U.S. for up to four years. After three years, however, a victim with a U visa may apply for a green card. The goal of the psychological evaluation is to assess the extent of serious physical, mental, or emotional consequences of the experience. An applicant for a U Visa has to be willing to assist the police and/or District Attorney’s Office in the investigation and/or with the prosecution of the criminal.