I-914 (T-Visa) - Trafficking Victims
For victims of human trafficking (labor or sex trafficking).
What is a T visa psychological evaluation?
A T visa psychological evaluation is a forensic mental health evaluation prepared for an I-914 T visa petition. The evaluator interviews the trafficking survivor, applies standardized assessments, and documents how forced labor, involuntary servitude, or sex trafficking affected the survivor's mental health and daily functioning. The product is a written report addressed to USCIS, not a treatment record. It is also called a T visa psychosocial evaluation; both terms describe the same forensic document.
Who is evaluated in a T-Visa case?
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.
What is the legal standard the evaluation supports?
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.
Should the evaluation be filed with the I-914 petition, or after an RFE?
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 3 to 7 business day standard timeline fits an up-front filing, and the 48-hour expedited option, along with RFE-tailored or supplemental work at $750 to $1,250, fits an RFE or NOID deadline. Which path to take is a question for your attorney.
How does the evaluation document the psychological impact of trafficking?
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.
Which assessments does Kipu Terra use for trafficking cases?
Every evaluation includes the PHQ-9 for depression and the GAD-7 for anxiety. Trafficking cases frequently call for the PCL-5 with the LEC-5 to assess trauma exposure and post-traumatic symptoms. The PSS-14 captures chronic stress, and the WHODAS 2.0 quantifies functional impairment across daily-living domains. Complex cases may add Beck, PAI, or MMPI measures. Diagnostic impressions follow DSM-5-TR criteria.
How long does it take, and what does it cost?
A standard T-Visa evaluation is $750 with a 3 to 7 business day turnaround. Expedited service is $1,050 in 48 hours, and same-day emergency service is $1,650. Complex, RFE, or supplemental cases run $750 to $1,250. Pricing is flat and published, and the client pays Kipu Terra directly for the evaluation.
What this evaluation does not do
Kipu Terra provides the psychosocial 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.
What does the evaluation process involve?
Kipu Terra works on referral from immigration attorneys and offices, who send the case material. Every evaluation then follows the same evidence-based protocol, conducted by secure video (Google Meet), and the finished report returns to the referring office for the waiver filing.
Clinical Interview
One or more sessions conducted via secure video (Google Meet) with the person being evaluated, covering personal history, family dynamics, and the impact of potential separation.
Standardized Assessments
PHQ-9 and GAD-7 on every case. PCL-5 when trauma is indicated. Additional instruments (Beck, PAI, or MMPI measures) for complex cases.
Forensic Report
A 12-to-25-page report with DSM-5-TR diagnostic impressions, direct client quotes, assessment scoring, and a hardship nexus connecting symptoms to USCIS factors.
Dual-Clinician Review
Every report is reviewed and co-signed by our independently licensed Clinical Lead before release, ensuring clinical accuracy and forensic integrity.
What clinical standards back the report?
Each report holds a forensic, impartial tone and traces every clinical statement to interview data, observation, or standardized results. DSM-5-TR diagnostic impressions are data-supported, a hardship nexus connects symptoms to USCIS factors across multiple domains, and an independently licensed Clinical Lead co-signs before release.
- Objective, forensic tone throughout the report
- Statement of impartiality and informed consent documented
- DSM-5-TR diagnostic impressions supported by clinical data
- Hardship nexus connecting symptoms to USCIS factors across multiple domains
- Dual-clinician co-signature on every report
Frequently asked questions
Who is evaluated in a T-Visa case?
The trafficking victim is evaluated. The petitioner who survived forced labor, involuntary servitude, or sex trafficking is the subject of the evaluation, which documents the psychological impact of that experience.
Is the evaluation trauma-informed?
Yes. The interview follows a trauma-informed protocol that paces disclosure and reduces re-traumatization, and trafficking cases frequently use the PCL-5 with the LEC-5 to assess trauma exposure and post-traumatic symptoms.
Can the evaluation be done in Spanish?
Yes. The interview and all communication can be conducted in English or Spanish. The written report is delivered in English addressed to USCIS.
Who signs the report?
Every report is co-signed by two clinicians: a Licensed Master Social Worker who conducts the evaluation, and an independently licensed Clinical Social Worker who reviews and co-signs it.
How quickly can it be ready?
Standard turnaround is 3 to 7 business days. Expedited service is available in 48 hours, and same-day emergency service is available.
Is a psychological evaluation required for a T visa?
No. Form I-914 does not require a psychological evaluation. Many petitions include one anyway, because clinical documentation speaks directly to the substantial-abuse and severe-harm elements a T visa turns on. Whether to include an evaluation, and when to file it, is a decision for the referring attorney.
Should it be filed now or after an RFE?
That timing is a filing-strategy call for the referring attorney, not for the evaluator. Some counsel file the evaluation up front; others hold it until USCIS issues a Request for Evidence or a Notice of Intent to Deny. Kipu Terra's standard, expedited, and RFE-tailored options fit either timeline. See the section above on filing with the I-914 petition or after an RFE.
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