An Immigration Psychological Assessment is used by immigration lawyers as documentation to support their case when persuading immigration courts determine whether an individual will be able to remain lawfully in the United States. An immigration psychological assessment consists of a series of clinical interviews and diagnostic psychometric questionnaires. The interpretation and clinical recommendations are written in a 15–20-page report. This written report explains in detail the history, current life, and the difficulties the individual is experiencing. This report does not assume the legal instance of determining whether an individual must remain in the United States as we are not lawyers, instead, it provides lawyers with the context information about the individual and their experiences to build a strong case to present to the court.

In our experience, a psychological assessment adds relevant value to an immigration case. Our comprehensive assessment is conducted by a knowledgeable mental health professional that has been extensively trained in forensic evaluations pertaining immigration and will include the factors of your bio, pscyho, social and spiritual dimensions of the client's life. The report is thoroughly written and will be used by your attorney to effectively support your case and move forward with the appropriate immigration proceedings.

Psychological Immigration Assessments and reports are used in five major areas of immigration proceedings: Extreme Hardship Cases – I-601 Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility and I-601A Application for Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver A psychological assessment can be a strong and valuable evidence in extreme hardship waivers to show that a relative would suffer extreme hardship if they were separated from the applicant or if the relative leaves the US and relocates to another country to be with the applicant. Extremely and Unusual Hardship – EOIR 42B Application for Cancellation of Removal (Deportation) and Adjustment of Status A psychological assessment can also be a valuable piece of evidence in cancellation of removal cases to show that a relative would suffer extreme and unusual hardship if the applicant were to be deported and how it will impact qualifying relatives. Asylum - I-589- Application for Political Asylum In asylum cases, we will inquire about the circumstances that caused you to flee your home country with the objective of establishing that persecution has led to psychological or emotional harm. Spousal Abuse (VAWA) - I-360- Violence Against Women Act Application A psychological assessment can be used in VAWA cases to establish the emotional / psychological harm done to you, as a survivor of battery or extreme cruelty committed by a U.S Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident spouse or family member. U Visa - I-918 and T- Visa - I-914 Application for U- Nonimmigrant Status and T- Nonimmigrant Status Survivors of serious crimes or human trafficking may be eligible for legal status in the United States by applying for T-Visa and U-Visa. A psychological assessment can be used to document significant psychological harm the applicant may have experienced because of surviving a crime or human trafficking.

A psychological assessment begins with a consultation with you and your attorney to gather relevant information about your case and its specific legal issues. The process for each case differs from client to client, however the psychological assessment can be completed after a minimum of 4 meetings. The average timeline is as followed: (a) first appointment with coordinator to gather biopsychosocial history, (b) first appointment with clinician to gather information on specific concerns, (c) second appointment with coordinator to administer clinical questionnaires, (d) last appointment with coordinator to review detailed information in the assessment prior to sending a digital copy of the final written report to you and your attorney. Please note: additional appointments may be needed, based on each case. In addition to meeting with you, in some cases it is necessary for the clinician to speak with other people who know you and who may have important information. The clinician may also request access to certain documents or reports that we use as collateral information to complete the assessment. All appointments for your psychological assessment will take place via telehealth, except under certain circumstances*. The standard turnaround time for the completed report is 2-4 weeks from the last appointment. Rushed reports are available for an additional fee. Once the clinical recommendations are given by the clinician, the Immigration Services Coordinator can meet with you to help connect you and your family to additional resources if needed. *You will need to contact the main office for special accommodation.

The cost depends on the number of hours the immigration assessment will take and the number of family members or relatives we will be interviewing. The cost includes all sessions, diagnostic questionnaires, follow-up contacts, a digital copy of the written report that is sent to you and your attorney, and referrals to additional services that may be needed. We guarantee a total cost without hidden charges, our billing practice follows that of a lawyer where you are charged by the hour or time spent in your case. All interactions for which we bill our time are recorded and can be provided to you to reconcile charges. Contact us for a consultation to determine the assessment fees.

Are immigration psychological assessments covered by insurance? o No, immigration psychological assessments are not covered by insurance. For how long is an assessment valid for? o Typically, psychological assessments for an immigration case are valid for one year. After one year, you will have to meet with our clinician again to update the report or be subject to get a new assessment done. How soon can I start with a psychological assessment? o As soon as your attorney requests you to get an assessment done, please reach out to us to begin the process. Please remember we will need the contact information of your lawyer to make the first consultation call. Immigration evaluation reports are not a quick interview and a simple letter, please have this in mind as it will take you a minimum of 4 weeks to have a complete report. Call us at 385-419-0216 to make an appointment. Can you guarantee that the psychological assessment will help win my case? o No. Although we cannot guarantee that you will win your case with a psychological assessment, the assessment will strengthen and support your case. I am receiving mental health services at MCC, can my therapist do an immigration assessment for me? o No, only those clinicians in the immigration department are trained to perform Immigration assessments. Please call us at 385-419-0216 to begin the process.