For individuals across the United States
Immigration Evaluations
So you were told you need an evaluation but you’re unsure how to proceed…
You might be seeking asylum in the United States. Or worried about your loved ones if you were to leave this country. Perhaps you have experienced significant trauma. Or fear that trauma might happen if you return to your home country. The legal process might feel like it’s taking forever. It’s hard to sleep with so much uncertainty. It’s hard to concentrate. You might not have many people you can talk to about this or who will understand. You may have never even gone to therapy before. You might be wondering – is this process ever going to end?
Will I my partner my child my family be okay?
Whether it’s you, your family member, child, partner, or immigration attorney looking for an immigration evaluation, you’ve come to the right place. You need a good report and you need it fast. We can get you what you need. Come to us for trustworthy, detailed reports that can be completed quickly with as little stress as possible.
As a practice that specializes in helping people address trauma and loss, we know exactly how important this is to you. And how stressful the process can be.
Polaris Psychology offers immigration evaluations tailored to your unique needs and your unique situation to best support your immigration case.
What is an immigration evaluation?
An immigration evaluation, also referred to as a psychological evaluation for immigration cases, is a thorough assessment designed to understand your individual circumstances and determine your eligibility for immigration relief. Through friendly conversations, questionnaires, and a careful review of your circumstances, we aim to gather information about the challenges you face. Our goal is to support your case by providing insights into the difficulties you’ve encountered, helping you on your journey towards a better future.
Though we can’t guarantee relief from deportation or a waiver of immigration requirements, our immigration evaluations hold significant value as they provide crucial evidence to support an applicant’s case, which immigration authorities carefully consider in their decision-making process.
Why do I need one?
Chances are, your attorney or legal representative has suggested that you pursue an immigration evaluation. In hardship or asylum cases, a caring and thorough psychological evaluation is required to truly understand your unique situation and needs. By assessing your mental well-being and emotional experiences, the evaluation helps immigration authorities grasp the challenges you’ve faced or the fears you carry. It provides vital evidence to support your case, ensuring that your hardships or fears are recognized and considered. This evaluation process embraces your well-being and aims to make fair decisions that honor your experiences while also addressing your mental health needs throughout your immigration journey.
What if I’ve never talked to anyone about this?
We understand that discussing the events that forced you to flee your country can be challenging. Rest assured that we maintain the strictest confidentiality regarding everything you share with us. You have complete control over the pace of the evaluation, and you are under no obligation to answer any questions you’re uncomfortable with. Our primary focus is to document your experiences and assess their impact on your emotional and psychological well-being. With our extensive experience in supporting trauma survivors, our utmost priority is to create a safe and empathetic environment where you feel understood and accepted. You should never feel the need to explain your feelings or be embarrassed about sharing your story with us.
You need a good report and you need it fast.
We can get you what you need
Come to us for trustworthy, detailed reports that can be completed quickly with as little stress as possible.
Immigration Evaluation Services
Asylum
A psychological evaluation for asylum cases focuses on understanding the individual’s experiences, hardships, and trauma that led them to seek asylum from their home country. These evaluations prioritize assessing the impact of these events on the individual’s emotional and psychological well-being. The goal of the evaluation is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the individual’s mental health and the significant impact that their past experiences have had on their overall well-being.
Hardship Waivers (I-601 or I-601A)
A psychological evaluation is crucial in extreme hardship waiver (I-601 or I-601A) or cancellation of removal cases. It can serve as powerful evidence, should there be significant suffering that a relative would face if separated from the applicant or compelled to relocate to another country to be with them. The evaluation sheds light on the emotional and psychological impact, and any profound hardship experienced by those involved.
T-Visa
In T-visa cases, evaluations focus on assessing the psychological and emotional impacts experienced by individuals who have been victims of human trafficking. These evaluations aim to understand the emotional and psychological consequences of the trafficking experience.
U-Visa
Psychological evaluations for U-Visa cases focus on assessing the psychological impact of a qualifying crime against an individual.
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
Psychological evaluations for VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) cases place emphasis on understanding the impact of domestic violence or abuse on the individual’s mental health and well-being. The psychological evaluation provides valuable insights into the individual’s psychological state, any emotional suffering endured due to domestic violence, and what protection and support is needed.
How does it all work?
The Process
Step 1: Get Started Today.
Reach out today to book a free 15 minute consultation. We will talk about your unique needs in an assessment and whether we can provide you with the type of assessment you need. Click here to schedule some time on my calendar today.
Step 2: Meet for the assessment
The type of immigration evaluation you seek will determine what information we collect. An immigration evaluation will capture a comprehensive look at you, your current life, and your history. This evaluation typically lasts around 2 hours in length and sometimes will involve one-to-two meetings. This also often includes completing certain tests. These tests often look at how you think, feel, and function in everyday life. This evaluation will be virtual, unless you live in the New England area and prefer to meet in person. Dr. Mead is licensed in 37+ states (see map here) and it is likely easiest for all to meet virtually.
Step 3: Synthesized data with expert insight.
We put together the multi-faceted layers of the information we’ve collected from you throughout this process. Understanding all of this information and how it fits together takes time, training, and an investment. This step encapsulates well how important and valuable it is to have a doctoral level, highly trained testing psychologist. (See more in the FAQ Section)
Step 4: Receive your immigration evaluation
Receive your detailed report from the comfort of your own home. Dr. Mead is also happy to coordinate and share your report with your attorney, provided you sign the necessary releases of information.
Though immigration evaluations are not intended to serve as therapy, you may discover that the process helps you reflect on your experiences and begin your healing journey. To support your ongoing therapeutic needs, we provide clients with recommendations for therapists in their local area, allowing you to explore therapy options should you be interested in continuing the healing process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a clinical psychologist so unique in providing psychological assessments?
Clinical psychologists specializing in psychological assessment possess unique, extensive experience, rigorous training, and ongoing supervision, making them uniquely qualified to conduct formal psychological evaluations. Unlike a cursory understanding gained from a brief workshop, these professionals have dedicated years at the highest level of psychological training to mastering the intricate nuances involved in interpreting diverse data gathered during the assessment.
Their expertise enables them to analyze and synthesize complex information, draw accurate conclusions, and provide comprehensive insights into an individual’s psychological functioning. Trusting a clinical psychologist for a formal psychological evaluation ensures that the assessment is conducted with the highest level of professionalism, expertise, and ethical standards, resulting in accurate and meaningful findings that can guide treatment decisions and foster personal growth.
How much does an immigration evaluation cost?
You and your story are worth the investment.
An immigration evaluation is an investment of time, energy, and money. The cost for an immigration evaluation is $1,528, which covers the cost of the clinical interview, the written report, and communication with your lawyer. As a courtesy to all our clients, we will provide a copy of the evaluation report directly to your lawyer and also send a copy to you. If you need expedited evaluations, we offer them for an additional fee ($508).
Investing in an immigration evaluation is a crucial step that can significantly impact the success of your overall immigration case. This evaluation serves as a valuable tool that can support your immigration case by providing objective evidence and professional analysis. It also demonstrates your commitment to following the appropriate legal processes, showcasing your willingness to provide thorough documentation and cooperate fully. By investing in an immigration evaluation, you are equipping yourself with a powerful resource that has the potential to enhance your chances of a favorable outcome in your immigration journey.
Immigration evaluations are also an investment on my end as a testing psychologist. I bring all of my training, experience, heart, and soul to thoroughly investigate your experience and your story, carefully documenting it all in one comprehensive report. As I wholeheartedly dedicate myself to delivering these evaluations, I kindly ask for your reciprocal commitment and investment.
Do you accept insurance for immigration evaluations?
In order to best serve you and your unique needs for a psychological assessment, we are not currently accepting insurance. By not accepting insurance, we are able to fully invest our time, energy, training, and expertise in best serving and understanding you and your unique needs without limitation. This means we can spend however much time might be needed to best evaluate, understand, and provide for you.
Depending on your personal preferences and insurance plan, you may be able to use your insurance provider to pursue full or partial reimbursement for our services as an “out-of-network provider”. We can provide you with documentation to seek reimbursement for these assessments.
Will I get a diagnosis from this?
Possibly. Psychological assessments are focused on evaluating you and finding the best ways to describe what is happening in your life. This often does involve finding a diagnosis or diagnoses that best capture your experience. However, it is important to consider that evaluations are focused on evaluating you and if fitting, giving you a diagnosis. A diagnosis is not guaranteed, but they are often a product of an evaluation.
When will the report be ready?
Typically, the report is finalized within four weeks after our final meeting. However, for urgent cases, we offer expedited services with a nominal fee, ensuring completion of the report within two weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions for Immigration Attorneys
Do you have experience with immigrants and asylum seekers?
Yes, I have extensive experience working with a variety of different individuals, including immigrants and asylum seekers. As a clinical psychologist with generalist training and a specialty with treating trauma and loss, I have a wide range of experience treating individuals across the lifespan (children to elderly). Many of these individuals are immigrants, from immigrant families, asylum seekers, and English may not be their first language.
Can you also see clients for therapy in addition to an evaluation?
Unfortunately, though we would very much like to support clients in this way, in order to maintain objectivity, it is important that we remain solely as evaluators to our immigration evaluation clients. Not only is this important and aligns with our ethical code as clinical psychologists, but allows us to offer the most objective evaluation of the individual.
Can we see the report draft prior to it being finalized?
Yes, of course! We will send you and the client a draft prior to the report being finalized.
How quickly can you see a client? How quickly can you provide a report after seeing a client? Do you provide expedited services?
We can see clients within one-to-two weeks of inquiry. We can provide a report within four weeks of seeing the client. We do provide expedited services of having a completed report within two weeks or less of having seen the client. Expedited services are at a nominal additional fee.
