Psychosocial hardship evaluations for I-601 and I-601A waivers Also called a mental health evaluation for immigration.
An immigration hardship evaluation is a psychosocial evaluation documenting how family separation and hardship would affect your qualifying relative, for an I-601 or I-601A waiver case. It is for families with a hardship waiver case and for the attorneys who represent them. Evaluations are conducted remotely. To start, send a short, non-confidential inquiry or book a free 15-minute fit call.
Evaluations are conducted remotely and are used in U.S. immigration courts and USCIS adjudications. Please share the venue so I can flag any jurisdiction-specific considerations.
The evaluation centers on the qualifying relative.
In a hardship waiver case, the hardship that matters is the hardship to the qualifying relative: the family member whose life would change if the person applying for the waiver could not stay or return. That is why the documents I ask for include qualifying relative information and medical records for qualifying relatives. Your attorney confirms who the qualifying relative is in your case.
Form I-601 is the Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility. Form I-601A is the Application for Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver, which certain immigrant visa applicants who are relatives of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents file before leaving the United States for an immigrant visa interview (USCIS, I-601; USCIS, I-601A). Which form applies is a legal question for your attorney.
What the evaluation looks at
An immigration hardship evaluation is written to support the legal record. In a hardship waiver case, it looks at:
In this kind of case
- Extreme hardship.
- Family separation impact.
- Caregiving.
- Functioning.
- Contextual risk.
What every report includes
- Clinical interview and trauma-informed psychosocial history.
- CIAS contextual analysis: cultural, developmental, economic, and U.S. climate factors.
- Functioning, coping, symptom impact, and prognosis.
- DSM-5-TR-informed diagnostic formulation where clinically appropriate.
How it works
1. Fit and scope check
You, or your attorney, start with a short inquiry. Use the inquiry form or book a free 15-minute fit call. The fit check confirms case type, timeline, jurisdiction, conflict check, and whether an evaluation is appropriate before any documents are exchanged.
2. Secure document transfer
After fit is confirmed, relevant records are provided through secure means. Please do not send confidential materials through the first inquiry.
3. Multi-session evaluation
Trauma-informed interviews, interpreter planning where needed, and structured psychosocial assessment. Evaluations are conducted remotely.
4. Draft and final report
A draft is reviewed for factual, jurisdictional, and privilege-related corrections. Clinical opinions are not altered on request. The final report is delivered for the record.
What the evaluation costs
Fees are confirmed in writing after case type, deadline, scope, jurisdiction, interpreter needs, and testimony needs are reviewed.
| Case type | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hardship Waiver | $900–$1,400 | Family separation, caregiving, hardship impact, and context. |
| Rush | +$300–$500 | Depending on deadline and availability. |
| Testimony | Quoted separately | Fee schedule provided at engagement. |
Standard turnaround is usually 2–3 weeks from completed intake and document receipt. A sliding scale may be available for qualifying nonprofit legal-aid referrals; please note nonprofit or legal-aid status in the inquiry. All case types and fees are on the fees page.
What to send after fit is confirmed
Please do not send confidential materials through the first inquiry. After scope is confirmed, documents are transferred through secure means. Useful documents may include:
- Qualifying relative information
- Declaration of hardship impact
- Medical records for qualifying relatives
- Evidence of ties to U.S. and country of origin
What to include in the first inquiry
Case type, deadline or hearing date, venue, interpreter needs, nonprofit or legal-aid referral status, and enough non-confidential information to assess fit. Do not send declarations, medical records, or other protected health information until secure intake is confirmed.
For attorneys
- Standard turnaround is 2–3 weeks from completed intake and document receipt. Rush is available at +$300–$500 depending on the deadline. Master-calendar timelines are flagged at fit check so scheduling is realistic.
- A draft is shared so counsel can flag factual, jurisdictional, or privilege-related corrections. Clinical opinions are not altered on request.
- Each report is signed under penalty of perjury and includes the credentials, methodology, and limitations sections counsel typically rely on.
- Testimony is available where scheduling allows, including EOIR merits hearings and related proceedings. Testimony fees are quoted separately at engagement and confirmed in writing.
Process, checklists, and credentials
The attorney overview covers collaboration, document checklists by case type, interpreters, detained clients, and the sliding scale for legal-aid referrals. A current CV is available on request.
No attorney yet?
An attorney prepares your waiver case and decides which form applies. I do not give legal advice and I do not assess whether a waiver will be granted. Read what to do if you do not have an attorney yet →
Common questions
Who is evaluated in a hardship case?
The evaluation centers on the qualifying relative, the family member whose hardship the waiver case asks the decision-maker to consider. The documents I ask for include qualifying relative information and medical records for qualifying relatives. Your attorney confirms who the qualifying relative is.
How many sessions does the evaluation take?
The evaluation is multi-session: trauma-informed interviews, interpreter planning where needed, and structured psychosocial assessment. Scheduling is discussed at the fit check. Standard turnaround for the report is usually 2–3 weeks from completed intake and document receipt.
Can the evaluation be done remotely?
Yes. Evaluations are conducted remotely. Please share the venue at inquiry, meaning the court or USCIS office handling the case, so jurisdiction-specific considerations can be flagged.
Do you work with interpreters?
Yes. Interpreter planning is part of the evaluation when language access is needed, with attention to language match, dialect, gender preference, and trauma-informed practice. An attorney may propose an approved interpreter; alternatively, a vetted interpreter can be arranged.
Do you evaluate people who are detained?
Yes, on a case-by-case basis. Detained evaluations require coordination with counsel, the facility, and (where needed) telehealth or in-person scheduling. Please flag detention status and facility at the initial inquiry so feasibility can be confirmed quickly.
What if I cannot talk about what happened?
You do not have to tell your story perfectly, or all at once. Silence, changing stories, and delayed disclosure are not automatically dishonesty. Trauma, culture, language, shame, developmental history, and fear shape how experience is remembered, ordered, and disclosed. The interviews are trauma-informed and take place over more than one session, and part of my work is to document the context that shapes what a family member can say about the hardship, using the CIAS framework.
How is an evaluation different from therapy?
An evaluation documents your experience and its effects for the people deciding your case. It is not treatment. I listen carefully and with respect, but the purpose of the sessions is a written report for the legal record, and clinical opinions in that report are not altered on request.
Who sees the report?
Records are exchanged only after secure intake is established. When an attorney retains me, reports are released to retaining counsel only. If you are filing without an attorney, how the report is delivered to you is confirmed at the fit check. Protected health information is not requested in the initial inquiry.
How much does it cost?
The typical range for this case type is $900–$1,400. Rush is +$300–$500 depending on deadline and availability, and testimony is quoted separately. Fees are confirmed in writing after the case is reviewed. A sliding scale may be available for qualifying nonprofit legal-aid referrals.
Do I need an attorney?
I do not give legal advice, and I do not decide or assess anyone's case; that is your attorney's role. If you do not have an attorney yet, this page explains where to start.
Other evaluations I provide
Asylum
Asylum mental health evaluation (I-589): trauma, fear of return, and disclosure.
VAWA
VAWA mental health evaluation (I-360): coercive control, battery or extreme cruelty.
U and T visas
U and T visa mental health evaluation (I-918, I-914): abuse, trafficking, and coercion.
All mental health evaluations for immigration · Fees · For attorneys
Ready to start?
The first step is a short, non-confidential inquiry or a free 15-minute fit call.