Immigration Psychological Evaluations
Who should get one?
If you have an open asylum immigration case, extreme hardship immigration case, U-Visa immigration case, or VAWA immigration case, and are struggling with mental health issues, an immigration psychological evaluation may be a valuable asset to help those who are reviewing your case have a more accurate and detailed understanding of who you are, what you are going through, and the state of your mental health.
How can they help your case?
Thousands of people are petitioning the government for visas for themselves or for their loved ones, but there is only one of you. An immigration psychological evaluation assesses your trauma and mental health symptoms. It provides reviewers with details about your unique hardships, barriers to relocating (if any), potential impacts of family separation, and recommendations for treatment and care.
What do interviews look like?
I typically conduct two interviews. Each are about 90 minutes in length. I usually conduct the immigration psychological evaluation interviews through a videoconferencing platform although I am sometimes able to do this in person if that is preferred. I conduct the interviews in English. If given enough time, we can typically work together to find a translator if you prefer to do the interviews in your native language. I do my best to create a warm, supportive environment while asking deeply personal questions to get the most objective and accurate information possible.
What does the report look like?
Reports vary based on your individual case but typically include sections on:
o Early Life
o Current Life
o Trauma
o Mental Health Symptoms
o Physical Health
o Barriers or Stressors Related to Relocating (if any)
What does the research say?
A large retrospective study analyzing 2,584 U.S. immigration cases that included forensic medical evaluations (which often include psychological evaluations) found that 81.6% of applicants were granted relief, compared with a 42.4% national asylum grant rate during the same period. ¹
A qualitative study examining legal perspectives on medical and psychological affidavits in asylum cases found that attorneys and adjudicators frequently described these evaluations as “often making the difference” between successful and unsuccessful asylum applications. ²
A review of psychiatric evaluations of asylum seekers concluded that psychological evaluations play a significant corroborative role, particularly in explaining trauma-related symptoms, inconsistencies in testimony, and functional impairment relevant to legal standards. ³
Programmatic outcome data reported by Physicians for Human Rights indicate asylum grant rates exceeding national averages for applicants who received forensic medical or psychological evaluations, supporting the conclusion that such evaluations strengthen humanitarian claims. ⁴
¹Atkinson, H. G., Wyka, K., Hampton, K., et al. (2021). Impact of forensic medical evaluations on immigration relief grant rates and correlates of outcomes in the United States. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 79, 102145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2021.102145
²Scruggs, E., Guetterman, T. C., Meyer, A. C., et al. (2016). A qualitative study of legal perspectives on medical affidavits in the asylum process. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 18(4), 900–907. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-015-0250-3
³Yang, S., et al. (2021). Validity of psychiatric evaluation of asylum seekers. Psychiatry Journal, Article ID 6671457. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6671457
⁴Physicians for Human Rights. (2022). Forensic evaluations increase likelihood of immigration relief. https://phr.org/our-work/asylum-network/ Note: This is organizational outcome data rather than a randomized study, and should be cited as supportive evidence, not causal proof.