U Visa Psychological Evaluation (I-918)

The person evaluated is the crime victim, the same person who is petitioning for the U-Visa. This differs from the hardship waivers, where a qualifying relative is evaluated. Here the victim is the petitioner and the subject of the evaluation. The assessment centers on the mental or physical abuse the victim experienced, the symptoms that followed, and how daily functioning has changed.

The U visa is for victims of qualifying crimes (among them domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and other serious offenses) who suffered substantial mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution. The clinical evaluation speaks to one element: the substantial mental or physical abuse. It documents that harm in measurable clinical terms; it does not address the legal certification or cooperation requirements, which the attorney handles.

Adjudicators weigh substantial abuse case by case, looking at factors such as the nature of the injury, the severity of the perpetrator's conduct, the severity of the harm, how long the harm lasted, and whether any harm to health or mental soundness is permanent or serious, including the worsening of a pre-existing condition. No single factor decides the question, and a pattern of acts taken together can amount to substantial abuse even when no single act would on its own. The evaluation gives the adjudicator clinical detail relevant to those factors; whether the standard is met is a determination for USCIS.

The evaluation does not decide the legal question. It gives the adjudicator measurable clinical evidence to weigh: the evaluator builds the clinical picture from three sources, the victim's own account, direct clinical observation, and standardized test results, and connects concrete detail (sleep, intrusive memories, avoidance, hypervigilance, changes in work and relationships) to symptom patterns and to a DSM-5-TR diagnostic framework. The interview follows a trauma-informed protocol so the account can be gathered without retraumatizing the person describing it.

The clinician selects standardized measures for the person's age, symptoms, language, and the psychological effects of the reported criminal activity. 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 U-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 I-918 petition, the law enforcement certification (Form I-918 Supplement B), the client's personal statement, or legal arguments; those stay with the attorney. Questions about eligibility, certification, or filing strategy are for the referring attorney.