T-Visa Psychological Evaluation (I-914)

The person evaluated is the trafficking victim, the petitioner who survived a severe form of human trafficking. This differs from waivers like the I-601A, where a qualifying relative is evaluated. Here the evaluation centers on the victim's own experience: the trafficking, its psychological effects, and the harm tied to removal from the United States.

The T-Visa requires a victim of a severe form of human trafficking, defined as forced labor, involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or sex trafficking. One element is that the victim would suffer extreme hardship involving unusual and severe harm if removed from the United States. The evaluation documents the clinical facts relevant to that standard.

That is a filing-strategy decision, and it belongs to the referring attorney. Some published practitioner guidance recommends holding the evaluation until USCIS issues a Request for Evidence or a Notice of Intent to Deny, so the report can respond to the exact issues raised. Other attorneys file an evaluation up front to document substantial abuse from the start. Kipu Terra's role is the same on either path: the standard timeline of 5-7 days fits an up-front filing, and the 72-hour expedited option, along with RFE-tailored or supplemental work quoted per case from $750, fits an RFE or NOID deadline. Which path to take is a question for your attorney.

The evaluator builds the clinical picture from three sources: the victim's own account, direct clinical observation, and standardized test results. The interview follows a trauma-informed protocol that paces disclosure and reduces re-traumatization. The report ties concrete detail (sleep, hypervigilance, intrusive memories, fear connected to the traffickers, and functioning at work and at home) to the harm the victim would face on removal.

The clinician selects standardized measures for the person's age, symptoms, language, and the psychological effects of the reported trafficking. The assessment documents symptoms and their impact on daily functioning. Diagnostic impressions follow DSM-5-TR criteria when supported by the evidence. The Clinical Lead reviews and co-signs the report.

A standard T-Visa evaluation starts at $1,000 with a turnaround of 5-7 days. Rush service adds $300 for 72 hours, $500 for 48 hours, or $900 for 24 hours to the case base fee, subject to availability. Complex, RFE, or supplemental cases are quoted per case, from $750. Base prices are published; a more complex case, or live interpretation in French, Haitian Creole, Mandarin Chinese, or Portuguese through a professional language-service partner (generally about $100 per hour), can change the fee, and your exact fee is confirmed in writing before the engagement. The client pays Kipu Terra directly for the evaluation.

Kipu Terra provides the psychological evaluation only. It does not prepare the T-Visa petition, the law enforcement certification, the victim's personal declaration, or legal arguments; those stay with the attorney. Questions about eligibility, the cooperation requirement, or filing strategy are for the referring attorney.