The immigration process for individuals moving to the United States can be complicated and stressful for all those involved. Finding an organization to help provide support as well as needed psychological evaluations is important. Immigration Evaluation should include a comprehensive evaluation and report conducted and compiled by a knowledgeable professional regarding extreme immigration hardships and associated mental health issues.
Evaluations should contain information about the immigrant’s background, personal and family history as well as work and health information. They may include in-person interviews as well as written and computerized tests. All the information is then analyzed and compiled into a comprehensive report to illustrate particular points in an immigrant’s case. Specific immigration cases may include:
- Extreme and Exceptional Hardship cases, which usually involved deportation of a family member of a U.S. citizen. These require evaluations that can summarize hardships that would result if waivers for deportation are not granted.
- Spousal Abuse cases can require immigration evaluations that show physical, mental, sexual or psychological abuse took place within a marriage between a U.S. citizen and a foreign-born individual. Such evaluations could allow the foreign national to remain in the country even if a marriage is dissolved.
- Immigration evaluations may be used to show that an immigrant is healthy enough after being a victim of serious crimes such as trafficking and sexual abuse to stay and work in the country.
- Evaluations may be required in political asylum cases as well. These immigrants may have been seriously abused or tortured in their home countries, which resulted in escaping to the United States for safety. Evaluations can help determine the level of stress and severity of the trauma and the expectations for healing the future.
- Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions may also require an immigration evaluation to support the medical findings. An in-depth assessment may review issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, learning disabilities as well as depression.