Immigration Evaluations

Immigration evaluations are comprehensive psychological evaluations that are used in immigration cases to help the court determine whether a person can legally stay in the United States. Immigration evaluations can provide evidence of trauma and its impact in asylum cases and U- or T-visas, and describe the hardship that would be experienced if a family member were to be deported.

We offer Immigration Evaluations for:

• Political Asylum: for individuals who are seeking asylum from their country of origin due to mistreatment or abuse based on their political beliefs, religious affiliation, ethnic identity, or gender.

• Violence against Women Act (VAWA): for undocumented individuals who have experienced abuse by their spouse who is a U.S. Citizen.

• U -Visa: for victims of violent crimes in the U.S. who have suffered mental or physical harm and are assisting law enforcement.

• T-Visa: For victims of human trafficking (and their immediate family) if they agree to assist law enforcement.

• Hardship Waivers: A citizen or resident of the United States applies for a waiver because the deportation of a family member will cause extreme hardship for themselves or their family.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the process of an evaluation?

The immigration evaluation involves comprehensive in-depth interviews with you and depending on the visa, members of your immediate family. The interviews occur over the course of two to three meetings which are approximately 60-90 minutes each. During the assessment process, we will cover your relevant personal, marital, family, work, medical and psychiatric history.

The evaluation will also consist of objective assessments. Following are examples of measures or instruments that may be used in your evaluation:

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Surveys

• Personality Inventories

• Mental Status Measures

• Self-Report Measures for Depression, Anxiety, and Attention Deficit Disorder

• Health Inventories

• Partner Violence Surveys

• Measures of Violent Behavior And Tendencies

• Malingered Symptom Inventories

• Measures of Achievement

Following the interviews, two to three hours will be spent on interpretation, research and report writing, and if applicable, collaboration with your attorney.

The final product is a 12-15 page comprehensive psychological evaluation.

Who will be doing the evaluation?

Both Joanne Bagshaw, PhD, LCPC, and Atar Stav, LCPC complete immigration evaluations. They both have extensive training working with immigrants, trauma, victims of violence, and the intersection of mental health and the law.

What if I need an interpreter?

You are welcome to bring an interpreter with you. Please confirm with your attorney whether your interpreter needs to be a certified court interpreter. Atar Stav is able to provide evaluations in French and Hebrew.

How much does an evaluation cost?

Unless there are extenuating circumstances, immigration evaluations are $1500.

How long will it take?

Most evaluations are completed within two weeks after the last interview.

Do I really need an immigration evaluation?

Psychological evaluations can greatly increase your chance to remain in the United States. For instance, a recent study showed that applicants with psychological evaluations had significantly more positive outcomes, 75.4%, compared with the national asylum grant rate of 42.4%.

Do you work with law firms?

Yes, we work either directly with the client or law firms to service their clients.