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Psychological Evaluations for Immigration Cases in NYC

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Types of Immigration Cases I Help With

  • VAWA Psychological evaluation NYC

    VAWA

    A VAWA applicant might need a psychological evaluation to document the emotional and psychological impact of the abuse they experienced, which can support their case.

  • Asylum

    An asylum applicant might need a psychological evaluation to provide evidence of trauma or persecution that supports their claim for protection.

  • U-Visa

    A U-Visa applicant might need a psychological evaluation to document the emotional and psychological effects of the crime they suffered, strengthening their application.

  • Deportation

    A person fighting deportation might need a psychological evaluation to demonstrate the mental health impact of deportation on themselves or their family, supporting their case for relief.

  • Hardship

    A person immigrating under the cause of hardship might need a psychological evaluation to demonstrate the severe emotional or mental health impact their relocation or separation would have on a qualifying relative.

  • T-Visa

    A person applying for a T-Visa might need a psychological evaluation to document the trauma and psychological effects of their experience as a victim of human trafficking.

For Attorneys and Service Providers

With over 25 years of experience, we work closely with attorneys and service providers to ensure that each assessment meets the highest professional and ethical standards. Our reports are detailed, research-based, and tailored to highlight the unique psychological factors relevant to each case.

Testimonials

From clients and attorneys we work with.

“I am very happy to recommend Maria Blacque-Belair. She did a psychological evaluation for my asylum case. She really listened to me and understood what I went through. I was able to speak with her in French which helped a lot. In addition to doing the evaluation, she also was very helpful in helping me understand about the asylum process. N’hésitez pas à demander les services de Maria. ”
— Monique
“Thank you for the evaluation. I have reviewed the document. It is a very profound and detailed account of her mental health situation. I was also grateful for you including a section about the one-year filing deadline, something that I had not considered perhaps being attributed to the client’s mental state. ”
— From Marlon Campeche, staff attorney, Catholic Migration Service

Expert Evaluator

  • Maria Blacque-Belair. LCSW

    Maria is a clinical social worker who has many years of experience in drafting immigration psychological evaluations, including testifying in immigration court.

    She speaks English, Spanish and French. In addition, she has two decades of non-profit work with immigrants and asylum-seekers, and has worked in close collaboration with attorneys and legal representatives.  Her evaluations can be done in person and or remotely.

Learn More

 FAQs


    • A psychological evaluation can considerably support your immigration case, such as an asylum application, U visa, T visa, cancellation of a deportation order, or proof of extreme hardship.

    • The psychological evaluation provides evidence for the immigration authorities to decide whether to grant you your immigration requests.

    •   It acts as evidence of the psychological impact of past persecution, such as experiencing severe depression and anxiety and PTSD symptoms in your current life.

    • If you missed your one-year- deadline for mental health reasons, a psychological evaluation can help to prevent your asylum from being denied. 

    • A psychological evaluation can also help to support a request for an expedited asylum interview.

    • The U visa is immigration relief for victims of crimes that include domestic violence, even if they are undocumented. To apply for a U visa, victims must report and cooperate with the police in the investigation.

    • If a U visa is granted, the victim can apply for a work permit and, after 3 years, can apply for a green card (residency). However, the approval process (petition) can take a very long time, up to 10 years.  In some cases, it is possible to apply for a work permit before the decision has been made, and this is an issue that requires consulting with your lawyer. If there are no physical marks of the crime, then the psychological evaluation is extremely important to demonstrate “substantial harm”

    • A WAVA petition is for undocumented victims of domestic violence who are married to a US citizen or a green card holder.

    • No police report or cooperation is needed.  If the spouse is a US citizen, the victim can file for residency and work permit at the same time as submitting the VAWA petition.

    • If the spouse has only a green card, the victim can apply for a work permit once the petition has been approved. The waiting time is currently, on average, three years.

    • A psychological evaluation needs to demonstrate extreme psychological cruelty inflicted on the victim. The psychological review becomes the primary evidence if there are no physical scars.

    • For Cancellation of removal (deportation), a US citizen or green card holder must demonstrate extraordinary hardship if their spouse, parent, or child under 21 has been ordered to be deported. A judge can only make this decision. 

    • To be eligible for cancellation of removal, you must meet certain conditions, including:

    • Being physically present in the United States for a continuous period of at least 10 years 

    • Being a person of good moral character for at least 10 years 

    • Not having any disqualifying criminal convictions 

    • The psychological evaluation will assess how the potential deportation will impact the US Citizen or green card holder, not the person with a removal order. 

    • If the person is granted cancelation of removal, she or he can apply for a green card.

    The psychological evaluation will have to demonstrate that the US citizen will suffer exceptional and extremely unusual hardship if their loved one is deported.

    • Hardship waivers allow non-citizens to seek admission to the United States as immigrants or adjust their status to permanent residents, even if they are inadmissible for particular reasons. 

    • The noncitizen can apply for a green card if the hardship waiver is granted.

    • The psychological evaluation will focus on the citizen/green card holder's psychological impact if their loved one cannot remain in the US.

    • For most of these immigration reliefs, you will need a lawyer.  Often, the lawyer will recommend that you get a psychological evaluation.  Sometimes, the lawyer already knows psychological evaluators and will provide you with their names or contact them directly.

    If you apply for asylum without a lawyer, you can submit a psychological evaluation with your other pieces of evidence. However, you must find a qualified mental health professional to do the psychological evaluation.  The same applies if you request an expedited request to advance your asylum interview date. A psychological assessment will demonstrate why you must get an expedited interview date if there are valid and severe mental health reasons.  Please note that expedited requests are rarely granted, and therefore, be careful before deciding to pay for a psychological evaluation.

  • No, it is not necessary. A mental health evaluator should focus only on doing the evaluation, which should take up to three meetings at most.  This mental health professional, sometimes called an immigration therapist, must know about immigration legal issues. 

    If you are already in a counseling program or receiving private therapy, your lawyer may also request that they write a short letter.

  • A few clinics and non-profit organizations offer free psychological evaluations for immigrants. However, they tend to have a long waiting list due to high demand. Many private therapists also offer their services in providing psychological evaluations for immigrants. You will need to contact them directly and find out their fees. Also, your lawyer may recommend evaluators they know and are working with.


    • I have been working with immigrants and asylum seekers for twenty years

    • I am a licensed clinical social worker in New York ( License no: RO75010). The immigration court recognizes this license to provide psychological evaluations. 

    • I have been working with immigration lawyers for over two decades

    • I founded the non-profit organization RIF Asylum Support in 2007

    • I speak English, French, and Spanish