What is an Immigration Evaluation?
An immigration evaluation, also known as a hardship evaluation or psychological evaluation, is a professional assessment conducted by a licensed professional, such as a licensed professional counselor, licensed clinical social worker, or psychologist. Immigration evaluations provide a thorough explanation of an individual’s current mental state and the hardships they are facing related to their immigration case. They often include the licensed professional’s observations and recommendations, including their concerns as to how deportation or relocation could impact an individual and/or their family, based on evidence collected throughout an interview.
Why Elect for an Immigration Evaluation?
Given the significant volume and processing times for immigration applications, it is worth you strongly considering an immigration evaluation from a licensed mental health professional to strengthen your case and chances of approval. With processing rates being anywhere from 15 to 60 months depending on your form of petition, you could face prolonged uncertainty before receiving an answer, and if you could have strengthened your case from the start, then why not do so? You do not want to find out that your application was denied almost two or five years after submission and possibly go through the process again or worse, be relocated to another country. The investment of an immigration evaluation from an expert is worth your future and your peace of mind. Read on to learn 3 keys ways an immigration evaluation can strengthen your case!
Types of Waivers or Petitions
There are several kinds of waivers or petitions one may apply for to meet their immigration needs. Each one requires certain criteria to be met in order to be eligible. You may find additional links and sources to help you determine which application is best suited for your needs. In addition, speaking with an immigration lawyer can help you identify what options you have and the required paperwork you may need to file. Below are some of the most common kinds of applications for immigration relief and which an immigration evaluation may help to increase credibility:
I-601 or Extreme Hardship Waivers
This type of waiver allows certain individuals to enter or remain in the U.S. if their removal would cause extreme hardship to a qualifying U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident family member.
Spousal Abuse or Violence against Women Act (VAWA)
Despite it being called the Violence Against Women Act, this petition allows anyone of any gender who has been abused, including spouse, children, and parents, to self-petition for legal status without the abuser’s knowledge or consent.
Asylum or Refugee
This application provides individuals with protection who are fleeing their home country due to fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, sex, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.
T Visa
A T Visa provides immigration relief to victims of human trafficking. Under this petition, an individual is allowed to remain in the U.S. and must have complied with any reasonable request from law enforcement in their investigation and/or prosecution of human trafficking cases. In addition, an individual must show that they would suffer extreme hardship if they were removed from the U.S.
U Visa
This type of petition grants legal status, and even work eligibility, to undocumented immigrants who have been a victim of a serious crime and who have suffered from mental or physical abuse. Under this petition, an individual must be willing to assist law enforcement in investigating and/or prosecuting the criminal activity.
Processing Times and Acceptance Rates for Immigration Applications
There are many different immigrations applications that one may apply for, although one may not qualify for every single one of them. As previously discussed, common applications are: Extreme Hardship Waivers, Asylum and Refugee Status, VAWA Petitions, T Visa, U Visas, and more. Each application has various processing times as well as acceptance and denial rates. Here are a few:
VAWA Statistics
In 2023, a total of 50,929 VAWA self-petitions were received by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In that year alone, 7,819 were approved and 3,872 were denied. While the number of applications that were approved or denied is not reflective of the full 50,929 petitions that were submitted, it paints a clear picture of how many VAWA self-petitions are being submitted and processed within a given year. According to the USCIS, the average processing times for a VAWA petition that was adjudicated in 2023 was about 28.3 months, with a low range of 23.5 months, and a high range of 31.1 month. That is over two years of “waiting” before an adjudication officer came across an application and either denied or approved it.
T Visas and U Visas Statistics
In a similar manner, although at a lesser rate, there were 13,574 T Visas applications submitted in 2023, with 3,676 approved and 954 rejected. The processing times for adjudicated T Visas in 2022 averaged between 15.8 and 18.4 months. As for U Visas, 53,109 applications were received, with 17,889 applications approved and 6,967 denied. Again, the approval and denied applications are not reflective of the total applications submitted.
As we can see by the numbers, there has been a drastic increase in the volume of petitions being submitted for T and U Visas, as well as VAWA petitions in 2023. What is alarming is that for U Visa petitions, there is a statute in place that caps applications approvals at 10,000 per fiscal year. Right now, the amount being submitted for U Visas far exceeds what can be granted; however, because of the growing backlog and volume of petitions being submitted, USCIS implemented the Bona Fide Determination (BFD) policy in 2021. The BFD policy grants work authorization and deferred action to U Visa petitioners and their qualifying family members living the United States whose applications are pending bona fide status. Under this determination, an applicant is granted protection from deportation. Can you guess the average processing time for the BFD determination or waitlist determination for U Visa? It is about 5 years!
3 Key Ways an Immigration Evaluation Can Help Strengthen Your Immigration Application
Maybe you are starting the process to apply for status or relief, and are wondering how to go about it. So you have started researching and shopping around for the best people to help you through the process. Or, maybe you have already hired a lawyer who can help ensure that your application is correct and submitted in a timely manner. Now you are seeing or possibly even being told, that an immigration evaluation could really give you the extra bit you need to strengthen your case. You wonder how much it is going to cost on top of the lawyer and application fees; you may even wonder if the evaluation is really worth it for you. The answer is yes, absolutely. There are several different ways an immigration evaluation can strengthen your immigration application, below are 3 key ways:
Establishes Credibility An immigration evaluation conducted by a licensed professional within the mental health field can add an extra layer of trustworthiness and credibility to your application. Licensed professionals can objectively assess your mental health and hardship, making the application more reliable to immigration authorities.
Demonstrates Hardship An excellent written report will contain detailed evidence of the emotional and physical hardships an individual and/or their family may face, if the application is denied. This may include addressing current mental health issues, history of trauma, development of mental health issues, psychological deterioration, or other challenges.
Provides Supporting Documentation The written report from the evaluation will include diagnostic findings, assessments, and professional observations made by the licensed professional given their professional background and training. Supporting documentation may help create a more convincing application, therefore making it easier for authorities to understand an applicant’s situation.
If an immigration evaluation can boost your case and increase the likelihood of approval, the added cost may be worth the investment. It is an increased chance to securing yours and/or your family’s future. It is worth noting however, that while the chances for approval may strengthen with an immigration evaluation, there is no guarantee that your case will be approved. Again, it is a way to help strengthen your case and why it is vital that you do your own due diligence in who you hire for the assessment. For reference, immigration evaluations average about $1000 in Texas and perhaps more or less in other states. Many professionals may be willing to work on a payment plan with you.
Where Can I Obtain an Immigration Evaluation?
You can obtain an immigration evaluation from a licensed professional, such as Dr. Rachelle Morales. Most often a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and a licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) will only be able to provide you with services in the state they are licensed in. Therefore you must currently be located in the state they are licensed in. A simple google search can lead you to various offices and professionals in your area or state who conduct immigration evaluations. You can look at directories specific to professionals who provide immigration evaluations. For example, check out Dr. Morales’s profile on the Immigration Evaluation Therapist Directory; aside from her, you’ll find various more professionals who have taken advanced training to provide these specialized evaluations.
Why Choose Dr. Rachelle Morales for Your Immigration Evaluation

Dr. Rachelle Morales, Ph.D. from Sana Vida Holistic Counseling, is a bilingual licensed professional counselor (LPC) in the state of Texas who is an expert in providing trauma-informed care and powerful immigration evaluations. She is readily available to conduct professional and affordable immigration evaluations for your needs with expertly written reports for a variety of petitions, such as VAWA, U-Visa, T-Visa, Asylum, I-601 or Extreme Hardship, and Cancellation of Removal. With her, you can have peace of mind in knowing you are receiving expert services from someone who is passionate about helping others and who has taken advanced training to provide you with these powerfully written reports.
If you would like additional information about the process or would like to inquire further about your investment options into an immigration evaluation, you may set up a FREE 15-minute consultation here, or submit a contact message through the website. Most inquiries are followed up within less than 24 hours.
Please note, Dr. Morales is only able to provide evaluations to those currently located in Texas. However, she is able to serve across the state through virtual appointments for people’s convenience.
How to Choose the Best Licensed Professional for an Immigration Evaluation
If Dr. Morales is unable to be your professional evaluator, some tips to make your search worthwhile are:
Make sure you select a licensed professional who is experienced in conducting immigration evaluations
Look at their websites and see if they produce content or offer more information about immigration evaluations (it may indicate they specialize in them or are an expert in the topic)
Seek someone with advanced training for writing clinical evaluations (many will state that they do or share that they have an extensive background writing them)
Book a consultation and see if they are a good fit and are knowledgeable
Ask about their credentials and if they work closely with immigration lawyers (this is important because without proper credentials, your application can be compromised)
Consider their spoken language and whether they speak the same language as you, if not, check to see if they work with professional interpreters (this may cost extra)
Ask how long their written reports are; an excellent evaluation will be roughly around 10-15 pages
Do they use assessments to help with the documentation process?
Are they trauma informed therapists? Do they have a background in knowing the impacts trauma has on an individual’s mind and body? Trauma-informed therapists are more likely to understand the delicateness of talking about violence and trauma during the interview. They can navigate so with care and understanding
Do they provide payment options if you are unable to pay up front?
Why Your Current Therapist Cannot Provide You an Immigration Evaluation
Having your current mental health provider conduct a clinical evaluation for your immigration application can come across as biased. They may have been seeing you for a while and therefore, will naturally favor a positive outcome for you. This could compromise the credibility of your report in the eyes of the adjudication officer. Choosing an outside party to conduct your immigration evaluation shows they that are impartial to your case and that they have no ties to you.
Additional Resources
Below are additional resources and links for your convenience. You’ll find the sites to each application discussed here and additional information to learn more about the current and past processing times for applications. Knowledge is power and informing yourself of the process and the realistic outlooks of adjudication will help you prepare best in securing your future!
For further information regarding statistics relating to T-Visas, U-Visas, and VAWA Petitions, check out the 2024 Annual Report to Congress for Fiscal Year 2023. Here you will find all the processing times and volume of applications submitted for 2023. The annual report is released each year around mid-April.
If you would like additional data on Immigration and Citizenship, visit the USCIS’s webpage that lists various aspects of their operations. You can find more information about historic processing times, as well as information about Asylum processing.
For Victims of Criminal Activity in need of a U Visa
For Victims of Human Trafficking in need of T Visa
For Abused Spouses, Children, and Parents in need of VAWA
For I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility (Extreme Hardship)
For I-589 Application for Asylum and For Withholding of Removal
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