What an Immigration Evaluation Actually Is (and What It Is Not)
It is not a test you can fail, and it is not an interrogation. A plain-language walkthrough.
Immigration Psychological Evaluations in California
Your story is the evidence.
We put it on the page in the terms a case is decided on.
TelehealthAvailable anywhere in California
WeekendsAppointments available
Typically 20+ pagesWritten report
$1,200 standardDraft report in 15 business days
Ala Therapy Collective provides immigration psychological evaluations for people filing with USCIS or facing an immigration court case anywhere in California, through secure telehealth. We work with self-petitioners and immigration attorneys, and we also serve clients in Hawaii, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah.
A strong evaluation does not lean on volume. It connects each finding to the record and leaves an adjudicator with fewer open questions than they started with.
Updated October 2026
You should not have to prove what happened to you by yourself. Putting it on the record is our work.
What Is an Immigration Psychological Evaluation?
An immigration psychological evaluation is a written assessment by a licensed clinician. It documents the psychological effects of what happened to you, or of what separation or removal would do to a family member, and ties those findings to the legal standard in your case.
This is not ongoing therapy and it is not legal representation. It is evidence, and it does not replace your own declaration or your attorney's legal argument. It gives an adjudicator clinical information they are not trained to produce themselves. In hardship waiver cases, the USCIS Policy Manual places the burden on the person applying to prove extreme hardship to a qualifying relative, by a preponderance of the evidence.
For a plain-language walkthrough of what an evaluation is and is not, read What an Immigration Evaluation Actually Is (and What It Is Not).
Immigration Evaluations We Provide in California
The report is shaped to its filing. What an asylum claim needs and what a hardship waiver needs are not the same, and the evaluation answers the question actually in front of it.
Form I-360
VAWA Psychological Evaluation
A VAWA self-petition lets a person who was subjected to battery or extreme cruelty by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident family member petition on their own, without the abuser's knowledge, consent, or participation. USCIS lists battery or extreme cruelty and good moral character among the requirements.
The evaluation documents the psychological effects of the abuse in clinical terms. That can include abuse and coercive control, trauma responses, barriers to leaving, and the impact of the relationship over time. It does not cover every requirement, and your attorney handles the rest of the petition.
Form I-914
T Visa Psychological Evaluation
The T visa (T nonimmigrant status) is for survivors of a severe form of trafficking, whether sex trafficking or labor trafficking carried out through force, fraud, or coercion. The evaluation documents trafficking history, coercion and exploitation, current symptoms, and the hardship factors that come up in T visa cases, including fear of retaliation, safety concerns if removed, and the loss of trafficking-specific treatment.
Form I-918
U Visa Psychological Evaluation
The U visa (U nonimmigrant status) is for victims of qualifying criminal activity who suffered substantial physical or mental abuse and who have been, are being, or are likely to be helpful to law enforcement. A law enforcement agency completes the Supplement B certification.
USCIS considers the abuse in its totality, and a series of acts can add up to substantial abuse even when no single act would. The evaluation documents the mental abuse in clinical terms, including trauma symptoms, day-to-day functioning, treatment history, and the continuing effects of the victimization.
Form I-589
Asylum Psychological Evaluation
Asylum is for people who suffered persecution, or have a well-founded fear of it, on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. In most cases the application is due within one year of arrival, unless an exception applies.
The evaluation documents trauma exposure, current symptoms, and the psychological concerns tied to returning. It can also explain why a story arrives in fragments, which adjudicators can misread.
Forms I-601, I-601A, EOIR-42B
Hardship Waiver and Cancellation of Removal Evaluation
Extreme hardship waivers focus on a qualifying relative. For the I-601A provisional unlawful presence waiver, USCIS identifies the qualifying relative as a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse or parent. The evaluation documents the psychological and family factors that matter for the qualifying relative, including the effects of separation and of relocation.
Cancellation of removal is decided by an immigration judge under a higher standard: exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse, parent, or child. When psychological evidence is relevant, the evaluation documents the mental health and family impact of removal and the circumstances of the qualifying family members. Your attorney will tell you which standard applies and who should be interviewed.
What the Evaluation Documents
An evaluation reaches past the label to what a file leaves unexplained: why someone stayed, why the story arrives in fragments, why survival did not look like what people expect. We document trauma history and current symptoms, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and dissociation, alongside the harm specific to your case.
Then we connect those findings to the standard your case has to meet, because a diagnosis on its own does not answer the legal question.
How an Evaluation Works
Every evaluation follows the same six steps.
Step One
You reach out
Send a message through our secure client portal, or email immigration@alatherapycollective.com. Tell us the type of evaluation you need (VAWA, T visa, U visa, asylum, or hardship), and include your attorney's deadline if there is one.
Step Two
We confirm the plan
We reply with the fee, the timeline, and who needs to be interviewed. Most people go straight to scheduling from here. If you want to talk first, ask and we will set up a short call.
Step Three
Questionnaires
Before your first session, your questionnaires arrive in the client portal. You answer them there.
Step Four
Session one
About 1 hour by secure video. We talk about your history, how you are feeling, and your family.
Step Five
Session two
At least 1 week later, usually 7 to 10 days, for 45 to 60 minutes. We talk again and you complete some short scales.
Step Six
Draft, review, final
The draft report goes in the portal for you and your attorney. You ask for any corrections, then the final report goes in the portal.
Your Report and the Client Portal
Reports typically run 20 or more pages and include a summary section that addresses the legal question in your case. Each report arrives first as a draft, so you and your attorney can read it and ask for corrections before the final report is placed in the portal.
The client portal is a private, secure website called SimplePractice, and it protects your information under federal privacy law. You receive an email with a link, make a password, and you are in. In the portal you fill out your questionnaires, see your appointments, pay by card, and read your report. Your attorney also gets access, so they can see the report there.
We never send a report as an email attachment.
Telehealth Evaluations Across California
Every evaluation is conducted by secure, HIPAA-compliant video on Zoom, and you need to be physically located in California during each session. There is no in-person option in California. Weekend appointments are available, which helps people balancing work, family, and a deadline.
If you do not have a private place for the interview, or you have safety concerns, tell us when you reach out. We can accommodate flexible scheduling.
Your evaluation is shared only with you and the attorney or parties you authorize. Spanish-language evaluations include a certified court interpreter, and the prices are listed under Fees, Timing, and Payment.
Where in California We Serve
Telehealth means the evaluation happens wherever you are in the state. That includes people whose cases are heard at California immigration courts, such as Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Santa Ana, and people filing with USCIS from any county.
Los Angeles and Southern California
Greater Los Angeles, the South Bay, the Valley, and the Inland Empire.
San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, the Peninsula, and the East Bay.
San Diego and Imperial County
San Diego County and Imperial County.
Sacramento and the Central Valley
Sacramento, Fresno, Bakersfield, Stockton, and the agricultural communities of the Valley.
Central Coast
Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Santa Cruz, and the Salinas Valley.
Rural and Remote California
The North Coast, the Sierra, and the desert communities.
For an overview of our California work, see Therapy in California.
Who Conducts Your Evaluation
Shylah Ridgway, LCSW, LICSW conducts every immigration evaluation. She is licensed in California, Oklahoma, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Texas, and Utah, trained through Georgia King's immigration evaluation course, and holds a forensic social work certificate through the Forensic Social Work Alliance, formerly the National Organization of Forensic Social Work.
Fees, Timing, and Payment
The fee depends on how fast you need the draft report. Evaluations are not run through insurance. Payment is by card, through the client portal.
Standard
$1,200
Draft report in 15 business days.
Expedited
$1,700
Draft report in 10 business days.
Urgent
$2,000
Draft report in 5 business days, subject to availability.
Business days do not count weekends or holidays. The days start counting after your sessions and required documents are complete, and corrections you ask for during review can change the delivery date. We do not offer same-day or next-day evaluations. A thorough report takes time, and rushed work invites the scrutiny it is meant to prevent.
Evaluations conducted in Spanish
A Spanish-language evaluation is a longer evaluation. Every session is interpreted by a certified court interpreter, and your written questionnaires and answers are translated so your own words reach the report. These are complete prices, with interpretation and written translation already in them, not add-ons. Interpretation for other languages can be arranged.
Standard, Spanish
$2,000
Draft report in 15 business days.
Expedited, Spanish
$2,500
Draft report in 10 business days.
Urgent, Spanish
$2,800
Draft report in 5 business days, subject to availability.
How payment works
Payment plans are available. A typical plan is 50% at your first session, 25% at your second session, and the last 25% when your draft report is ready. If you need a different schedule, tell us.
Corrections and amendments after delivery
Minor corrections are free for 30 days after your draft is delivered. After that, an amendment with no new interview is $300. A full update that needs a new interview or a substantial rewrite is a new evaluation fee.
Common Questions
Do I need to be in California for the evaluation?
Yes. The evaluation is conducted by secure telehealth, and you need to be physically located in California during each session, from the Bay Area and Los Angeles to the Central Valley and the far north. Weekend appointments are available.
Do you offer in-person evaluations in California?
No. Our California evaluations happen entirely by secure telehealth. If your attorney needs a different format for your filing, tell us when you reach out so you both know before anything is scheduled.
What immigration cases do you evaluate?
VAWA self-petitions (Form I-360), T visas (Form I-914), U visas (Form I-918), asylum claims (Form I-589), and extreme hardship cases tied to waivers (Forms I-601 and I-601A) and cancellation of removal (Form EOIR-42B).
What does the evaluation document?
It documents your trauma history and current mental health symptoms, such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, and dissociation, and connects those findings to the specific legal standard your case has to meet.
Is an evaluation the same as therapy?
No. An evaluation is a written assessment prepared for your immigration filing. It is not ongoing therapy, and Shylah is not accepting new therapy clients in California at this time.
Will an evaluation guarantee my case is approved?
No. No evaluation can promise an outcome. The report is one piece of evidence, and USCIS officers and immigration judges make the decision. Your attorney can tell you how the report fits the rest of your case.
Do I need an immigration attorney to get an evaluation?
No. We work with self-petitioners and with immigration attorneys. If you have an attorney, they can tell you what your case needs from the report, and we will shape the assessment to fit your filing.
How long does the process take?
There are two sessions. The first takes about 1 hour. The second happens at least 1 week later, usually 7 to 10 days, and takes 45 to 60 minutes. The draft report is ready in 15 business days for Standard, 10 for Expedited, or 5 for Urgent. The days start counting after your sessions and required documents are complete, and corrections you ask for during review can change the delivery date.
How much does an immigration evaluation cost?
Standard is $1,200 with the draft report in 15 business days. Expedited is $1,700 with the draft in 10 business days. Urgent is $2,000 with the draft in 5 business days, subject to availability. Evaluations are not run through insurance. Payment is by card, through the client portal.
Can I use insurance for an immigration evaluation?
No. Immigration evaluations are not run through insurance. Payment is by card, through the client portal.
How does payment work?
Payment plans are available. A typical plan is 50% at your first session, 25% at your second session, and the last 25% when your draft report is ready. Payment is by card, through the client portal. If you need a different schedule, tell us.
Can my evaluation be done in Spanish?
Yes. An evaluation conducted in Spanish is $2,000 Standard, $2,500 Expedited, or $2,800 Urgent. That is the complete price, with interpretation and written translation already in it. Every session is interpreted by a certified court interpreter, and your written questionnaires and answers are translated so your own words reach the report.
How long is the report, and how do I get it?
Reports typically run 20 or more pages and include a summary section that addresses the legal question in your case. A draft goes in our secure client portal for you and your attorney to read. After any corrections, the final report goes in the portal. We never send a report as an email attachment.
What if I need a change after the report is delivered?
Minor corrections are free for 30 days after your draft is delivered. After that, an amendment with no new interview is $300. A full update that needs a new interview or a substantial rewrite is a new evaluation fee.
What if my attorney has a deadline?
Send us the date when you reach out. It helps us tell you which timeline fits. We do not offer same-day or next-day evaluations.
Who should be interviewed in a hardship case?
Hardship standards focus on the qualifying relative, so ask your attorney who should be interviewed. If anyone besides you needs an interview, such as a spouse, parent, or child, tell us at the start so we can plan the right number of sessions.
What if I do not have a private place for the interview?
Tell us when you reach out. We can accommodate flexible scheduling for clients with safety concerns or limited access to private space.
Do you work with my immigration attorney?
Yes. The practice works directly with immigration attorneys, shaping the assessment and report to fit your filing. Your attorney also gets access to the client portal to see the report.
Who will see my evaluation?
Your evaluation is shared only with you and the attorney or parties you authorize.
Related Reading From the Blog
The Bird's the Word blog covers immigration evaluations too. Every immigration evaluation post lives in one place, and the newest appear below.
Nest Flicks: A Therapist's Watchlist
What to watch, and what the feelings on screen have to do with real life, starting with immigration.
What One Workplace Comedy Understood About Being Undocumented
What a beloved sitcom understood about discovery, detention, and the people left holding candles.
Sins of the Father: Inherited Immigration Status
Why one discovery gets a Lifetime movie and the other gets suspicion, and what the law actually says.
When the 90 Days End Badly
What coercion looks like with a laugh track, and what happens when a real marriage-based case ends badly.
How to Get Started
Send a message through our secure client portal, or email immigration@alatherapycollective.com. Attorneys can email directly.
Tell us the type of evaluation you need and any deadline. We typically respond within 48 hours, usually much faster, to talk through your case, your timeline, and what to expect.
Get StartedFor California Immigration Attorneys
The legal strategy stays with counsel. The clinical assessment, findings, and report stay with the evaluator.
We work directly with immigration attorneys across California. We shape the assessment and the report to fit the filing, and we can adjust depth, scope, and timing based on where the case stands, whether that is a new filing or a response to a request for evidence.
You get access to the client portal, where the draft and final reports are placed, and we never send a report as an email attachment. Shylah is listed in the Immigration Evaluation Directory and Georgia King's evaluator directory. Attorney referrals welcome. For attorney inquiries, email immigration@alatherapycollective.com.
This page is general information about psychological evaluations, not legal advice. An immigration attorney can tell you which filing fits your situation and what evidence your case needs.