Sometimes, psychological evaluations are necessary or requested by the USCIS as part of an immigration case. The results of these evaluations would help the USCIS agents or the U.S immigration court to rule on a case. 

An immigration psychological evaluation includes a clinical interview with a licensed psychologist, during which information regarding your legal case, as well as your medical and psychological background background are obtained. There are also some psychological testings that are administered based on the type of evaluation you need. At the end, the psychologist would review all the information, and review any medical or legal records on your case and provide a comprehensive report. If you have a legal representative, a copy of your report will be sent to your attorney with your consent. 

Our clinical team at The Green Room have over 15 years of experience working in the immigration field. Some of the members of our staff and providers are fluent in Spanish and Farsi. We know that immigration cases are often time-sensitive, so we make every effort to get you scheduled within a week and submit the results of your report within two weeks after your initial evaluation. If needed, we are able to rush your report with an additional fee. 

There are several instances in which the U.S immigration court or the UCSIS may require you to get an immigration psychological evaluation done before they can make a final decision on your case. Proceedings that require these evaluations include:

Medical Exemption Certificate for Disability Exceptions (Form N-648)

The N-648 form allows you to be medically exempt from taking the U.S. citizenship exam, which includes passing the English exam, as well as U.S history and civic exam. As part of this evaluation, a medical doctor or a licensed clinical psychologist needs to certify that due to certain medical or psychological disability, the applicant is unable to take the U.S. citizenship exam. If approved, the applicant could become a U.S. citizenship and proceed with taking the oath ceremony without having to take the exam. Some of the psychological conditions that could potentially cause medical disability for an applicant includes major depression, generalized anxiety, PTSD, cognitive disorder, memory issues, mental retardation, head trauma, severe psychiatric disorders, and the like. For more information regarding N-648 evaluations, please be sure to read our most recent blogs about N-648 forms commonly asked questions. 

Hardship Waiver Petition- (601) Form

If you’re new to the country and were convicted of a crime, you may be allowed to cancel your impending deportation by proving that your removal would cause extreme hardship to your family. 

Asylum Petition

You can be granted asylum in the United States if your race, religion, nationality, or political views cause you to be persecuted in your home country. In this situation, the immigration court might require you to have a psychological evaluation done with a psychologist to support your claim ad provide the court with evidence of your hardship or persecution, which would strengthen your case. 

Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)

If you are a victim of spousal emotional, physical, or sexual abuse who is a U.S citizen and the petitioner of your immigration case, you may be able to adjust your immigration status and gain U.S. citizenship on your own through Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). You would then need to be evaluated by a clinical psychologist, who could documents the details of your trauma, made a diagnostic assessment, and provide support for your claim to the immigration court. 

During the initial appointment, the clinician will walk you through each step of your evaluation to make the process as easy as possible. The evaluator would inquier about your family history, medical and psychological history, work history, and such. You may also be asked to take a number of psychological tests including neurocognitive test, depression and anxiety inventory tests, PTSD check lists, or partner violence surveys. Upon completion of the clinical interview, and following review of all the medical and legal records, the evaluator will provide you or your attorney with a comprehensive report that you could submit with the immigration court to provide more evidence to your case.