Immigration Evaluations
Trauma-informed immigration evaluations for those pursuing immigration status in the United States under VAWA, U Visas, T Visas, or the Hardship Waiver.
Immigration Evaluations Available
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AL, AZ, CA, CT, DC, FL, IA, IL, IN, MA, MD, MS, NJ, NY, OR, TX & WA
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Immigration Evaluations Available 〰️ AL, AZ, CA, CT, DC, FL, IA, IL, IN, MA, MD, MS, NJ, NY, OR, TX & WA 〰️
VAWA EVALUATIONS, U VISA, T VISA & HARDSHIP WAIVERS
Comprehensive immigration evaluations to support your immigration process
The immigration process is a complicated one, and when your immigration case is making use of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), U visas, T visas, or hardship waivers, it can be even more complex.
At Nueva Vida Therapy, we provide experienced mental health evaluations for immigration cases, including VAWA, U visas, T visas, hardship waivers, and cancellation of removal. Our team is dedicated to offering compassionate, thorough evaluations to support you through this challenging process.
IMMIGRATION EVALUATIONS IN ENGLISH & SPANISH
We provide mental health evaluations for immigration claims, offering thorough and compassionate assessments that highlight the impact of trauma and hardship on our clients’ lives.
Our experienced therapists provide comprehensive evaluations for VAWA, U visa, T visa, hardship waiver, and cancellation of removal cases. These evaluations serve as critical evidence and offer meaningful support for your immigration claim.
Professional assessment of the mental, emotional, and physical impacts on you and on any other individuals involved in the immigration claim.
One, 2-3 Hour Appointment to understand the specifics of your immigration claim and ask clarifying questions so your therapist can understand the full facts of your situation.
A 10-25 page evaluation write-up, with a detailed discussion of your situation, the impacts of abuse or hardship, and any other relevant information to support your case.
How to Prepare for Your Immigration Evaluation
✓Bring a timeline of key events
✓Prepare any documents your attorney wants you to share
✓Plan for privacy during the appointment (especially for telehealth)
✓Water, tissues, and breaks are welcome
My Immigration Evaluation Process
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Our initial consultation session will be a phone call. This session lets us start gathering information about your situation, including what type of evaluation you need and the attorney you are working with.
Your experienced immigration evaluation therapist will explain the evaluation process, answer any questions you have, and work with you to figure out the full scope of the evaluation.
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After determining that an evaluation is appropriate, your immigration evaluation therapist typically gathers all necessary information in one 2-3 hour appointment. If needed, an additional appointment can be scheduled to ensure thorough coverage. This session is a space for you to share your experiences, provide relevant background information, and discuss the hardships faced as a result of domestic violence, labor abuse, or other qualifying circumstances.
The therapists’ role in this appointment is to listen with empathy and non-judgment, ask you clarifying questions, and help you feel comfortable sharing by creating a safe and supportive environment throughout the process.
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After our evaluation appointment, your therapist will carefully review the information provided and put together a comprehensive written report. It typically takes two weeks to complete the report.
This report typically consists of 10-25 pages and includes an overview of the steps you’ve gone through in the evaluation process, a detailed summary of your experiences, and the impact of the abuse or hardships on your mental health and well-being. It will also include the impacts on other individuals who are involved in your particular case, if appropriate, as well as any other relevant information required for your immigration case.
FOR ATTORNEYS
Immigration mental health evaluations that support your case and protect the client experience
Nueva Vida Therapy provides trauma-informed immigration evaluations in English and Spanish, with a clear, organized process that helps you meet deadlines and submit a report you can use with confidence.
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We provide evaluations for:
VAWA
U Visa
T Visa
Extreme Hardship Waivers
Cancellation of Removal
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Deliverable: A comprehensive written evaluation report for legal submission (typically 10–25 pages).
Timeline: Reports are typically delivered within 2 weeks of the evaluation appointment.
Rush options: Expedited timelines available for an additional fee (7-day and 5-day options, based on availability).
Interview format: Most evaluations are completed in one 2–3 hour session. A second session may be scheduled if clinically indicated.
Language access: Services available in English and Spanish.
Trauma-informed care: Sessions are paced with breaks as needed, prioritizing emotional safety and dignity while still gathering the necessary clinical detail.
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Client consent first: We require a signed Release of Information before communicating with counsel.
Referral workflow: Once we receive the referral and confirm fit/availability, we coordinate directly with the client to schedule.
Records review: If you have declarations, prior evaluations, relevant medical/mental health records, or a case timeline, we can review what’s provided and clinically relevant.
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Leslie Farías Sánchez personally provides immigration evaluation services for clients located in the states where she is licensed:
California (in-person in San Diego)
Oregon
Arizona
For clients located in other states, evaluations are provided through Nueva Vida Therapy’s network of vetted, independently licensed contractor clinicians who are authorized to practice in the client’s state at the time of service.
Important note for referrals: The client’s physical location during the evaluation determines the appropriate clinician assignment. We confirm the assigned provider, state licensure, and scheduling details during intake.
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To streamline intake, please include:
Client name + best contact info
Case type and any filing deadlines
Preferred language (English/Spanish)
Any key documents you’d like considered (declaration, timeline, prior evaluations, supporting records)
Any specific questions you want the evaluation to address (as clinically appropriate)
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The cost of the full evaluation for U Visa, T Visa, and VAWA is $1000, and $1050 for a Hardship Evaluation. This covers the 2-3 hour interview and a 10-25 page detailed report to serve as evidence and support in your immigration claim.
If you need the report in a shorter time frame, there will be an additional fee, subject to the availability of Leslie Farías Sánchez and her independent contractors:
Rush delivery in 7 days: +$200
Rush delivery in 5 days: +$350 -
We are unable to provide definitive advice about your eligibility.
If your attorney hasn’t clarified this for you, yet, or you are in need of an attorney, our team can help connect you to services that may be able to get you an answer.
That said, the initial consult in our evaluation process is intended to make sure an evaluation is appropriate for your situation. We do not charge fees to clients if my services will not be of use to you, as it is important to us that you not go through extra steps or expenses in your immigration process.
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Our therapists do not provide therapy services to those they’ve written immigration evaluations for.
When our therapists work with someone on an immigration evaluation, it is important that they remain unbiased so the evaluation can carry more weight for your immigration claim. We can’t claim to be unbiased if one of our team become your therapist after our work together on the immigration evaluation.
That said, our team will always provide referrals and are happy to help you get set up with a therapist who is a good fit.
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It is our job to develop mutual trust and help you feel comfortable and safe throughout the immigration evaluation process.
We know that the immigration process can be difficult, and even more so when VAWA, U visas, T visas, or hardship waivers come into play.
Your therapist will need to know the details of what you’ve experienced in order to support your claim. They will treat you with empathy and compassion throughout this process, as we consider it an honor to help people in this process. Our team’s therapeutic training helps us understand you and your experiences, and we will always listen without judgment or criticism.
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We will provide the details you share in our final evaluation after our appointment(s), and will ask you to sign a “Release of Information” so that we can consult with your attorney directly.
Ultimately, the report we provide is for your own use, and you get to decide what happens with that information.
We do not share the details of your situation or experiences with anyone other than your attorney and what’s included in your report. Our appointment will be confidential.
Frequently Asked Questions About Immigration Evaluations
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The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is a U.S. federal law established to protect victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. It makes it possible for eligible non-citizen spouses, children, and parents of U.S. citizens to self-petition for lawful permanent residency without the knowledge or assistance of their abusive U.S. citizen or permanent resident family member.
The goal of using VAWA in immigration cases is to make sure eligible non-citizens who are dependent on a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident for their immigration status don’t have to suffer abuse to continue to maintain their lawful residency in the U.S.
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The U visa is a nonimmigrant entry status set aside for individuals who are admissible to the United States and have been harmed by qualifying criminal activity, have information about criminal activity, have suffered physical or mental abuse because of criminal activity, and/or have been helpful to law enforcement in the prosecution of a crime.
Congress created the U visa from the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 to help those hurt by certain crimes stay safe and to help law enforcement prosecute those same crimes.
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T visas, or T nonimmigrant status, are limited-term (up to 4 years) immigration benefits to help people who have been harmed by severe forms of human trafficking. T visa applicants must comply with requests for help in detecting, investigating, or prosecuting human trafficking, though there are some exceptions and exemptions.
Congress created the T visa from the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, hoping to help those harmed by human trafficking stay safe and to help law enforcement end human trafficking operations.
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Hardship waivers were established to help people who can prove that if they are not granted immigration status, there will be extreme hardship to themselves or their relatives who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
These waivers provide an opportunity for individuals to request an exception to certain immigration requirements based on compelling circumstances.
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Cancellation of Removal is a form of immigration relief that may apply in certain removal (deportation) cases. When it is part of a case, a mental health evaluation can help document emotional health, symptoms, and day-to-day functioning, especially when hardship, trauma, or family impact is relevant. Your attorney will determine whether Cancellation of Removal applies and how it fits into your filing.
Understanding VAWA, U Visas, T Visas & Hardship Waivers
Not sure which applies? Your attorney will confirm your legal path. We focus on the clinical evaluation.
