VAWA Psychological Evaluation (I-360)

The person evaluated is the survivor, also called the self-petitioner, not a separate qualifying relative. VAWA lets a survivor petition on their own when the abuser is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse or parent, without depending on that abuser to file. The evaluation centers on the survivor's account, mental health, and functioning. This is different from an I-601A or I-601 hardship case, where a qualifying relative is evaluated.

VAWA covers battery or extreme cruelty, and extreme cruelty reaches well beyond physical violence. It includes patterns of coercion, threats, isolation, and psychological and emotional abuse committed by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse or parent. The evaluation documents the clinical impact of that conduct on the survivor. The legal determination of eligibility stays with the referring attorney.

A psychological evaluation is not legally required for a VAWA self-petition. Attorneys request one because clinical evidence can document extreme cruelty in cases where police reports or medical records were never created, which is common with abuse that leaves few physical traces. The report gives USCIS documented evidence of the harm rather than the survivor's statement alone. Whether to include it, and whether to file it before submitting or in response to a request for evidence, is the attorney's call.

The evaluation is a clinical interview by secure, HIPAA-compliant Google Meet, conducted with a trauma-informed approach. The evaluator asks about personal history, the reported abuse, and its effects on daily life. Standardized measures are selected under the VAWA protocol for the person's age, symptoms, and language. Breaks are available, and the survivor sets the pace.

The evaluator builds the clinical picture from three sources: the survivor's own account, direct clinical observation, and standardized test results. The report ties concrete detail (sleep, intrusive memories, hypervigilance, mood, the survivor's ability to work and care for children) to the abuse described, using DSM-5-TR criteria. It describes psychological impact; it does not argue the legal case or state a predetermined finding.

Emotional abuse is documented the same way any clinical finding is: through specifics. The report records the pattern and frequency of the conduct as the survivor describes it, quotes representative words that were used, and ties them to measurable effects on daily functioning. This gives the adjudicator a concrete account of harm that leaves few physical traces, without the evaluator drawing legal conclusions.

The clinician selects standardized measures under the firm's VAWA assessment protocol, taking account of the person's age, symptoms, and language. The measures document the psychological effects of the reported abuse and its impact on daily functioning. Diagnostic impressions follow DSM-5-TR criteria when supported by the evidence. Immigration eligibility remains a question for the referring attorney.

A standard VAWA 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-360 self-petition, the survivor's personal declaration, or legal arguments; those stay with the attorney. It is forensic evaluation, not therapy or treatment. Questions about eligibility or filing strategy are for the referring attorney.