Asylum Cases · Trauma-Informed · Trilingual
Asylum Psychological Evaluation
A clinical evaluation that documents what you lived through and how it affects you now, written for the people who will review your case. Interviews are trauma-informed and conducted directly in English, Português, or Español.
What this evaluation is for
An asylum psychological evaluation assesses the psychological impact of past persecution and the fear of returning. It connects your experiences to your current symptoms and functioning, and it presents those findings in a structured clinical report your attorney can file with your case.
Trauma does not keep tidy records. Memories can be fragmented, out of order, or hard to say out loud, and that is normal. A trauma-informed interview accounts for how memory works after harm, moves at a humane pace, and never treats difficulty remembering as a character flaw.
Who this evaluation may be relevant to
- People applying for asylum who experienced persecution, violence, or threats in their home country
- People whose fear of return is shaping their mental health today
- Family members included in a case, when the attorney requests it
- Speakers of Português or Español who want an interview with no interpreter in the room
What the evaluation may explore
- Past experiences: what happened, in your words, at a pace you can manage
- Current symptoms: trauma reactions, anxiety, depression, sleep, concentration, and physical stress responses
- How symptoms affect daily functioning: work, family, health, and memory
- How your personal timeline fits together, including dates that are hard to pin down
- Medical or mental health records, when they exist and are shared
Deadlines are treated seriously
Asylum cases run on court and filing dates. Tell us your deadline in the request form and it is factored into scheduling from the first call. Timing is always discussed honestly: what is realistic is promised, and what is not realistic is said plainly.
The report
The written report sets out your history, clinical observations, symptoms, and the clinical connection between what happened and how you present today. Interviews generally take two to three hours, sometimes across more than one session, and reports are typically completed within seven to fourteen days of the final interview.
What may help before the interview
- Your attorney's referral question and any declaration drafts they want considered
- A rough personal timeline of events, even an imperfect one
- Medical or mental health records, when they exist
- Identity documents your attorney suggests
If gathering any of this feels overwhelming, start without it. The intake call sorts out what actually matters for your case.
What the evaluator does not decide
An evaluation documents clinical findings. It is honest, independent, and written for legal review. It is not a legal opinion, and it never promises an outcome.
- Whether your account is credible. Credibility determinations belong to the asylum office and the court, never to the evaluator.
- Whether you qualify for asylum. Eligibility is a legal decision made by the reviewing authority.
- How much weight the report will carry. The evaluator's duty is accuracy and clinical honesty.
Not ready to book yet?
A free tool for laying out important dates and events before your interview.
Build a Personal History TimelineCommon questions, answered
Straight answers before you book.
What if I cannot remember everything in order?
That is expected. Trauma affects how memory is stored and recalled, and the interview is structured with that in mind. Gaps and uncertainty are documented honestly, not held against you.
Will I have to retell the worst parts in detail?
Only to the extent clinically needed, and at a pace you can manage. A trauma-informed evaluation is thorough without being punishing, and you can pause at any time.
How fast can an asylum evaluation be completed?
Interviews can usually be scheduled within one to two weeks of the first call, and reports typically follow within seven to fourteen days of the final interview. If you have a court date, say so in the request form; timing is planned around it honestly.
Does the evaluation decide whether I get asylum?
No. It documents clinical findings that your attorney submits as evidence. The decision belongs to the asylum office or the immigration judge.
Can the interview be in my language?
Yes. Interviews are conducted directly in English, Português, or Español, with no interpreter needed for those three languages.