Immigration Psychological Evaluations
Secure telehealth across PSYPACT states · English & Spanish · Licensed in PA, FL, CO
A clear, honest account of what you have lived through and what it has done to you, written by a psychologist who takes the time to listen.
Let’s start with what this actually is
If your attorney sent you here, you probably heard the words “psychological evaluation” and felt your stomach drop a little. That is a normal reaction. Let me tell you what it is, in plain language.
An immigration psychological evaluation is a written report, prepared by a licensed psychologist, that helps the people deciding your case understand something the paperwork cannot show them: what you have been through, and what it has done to you. Your forms tell them what happened. My report helps them understand what it has meant.
We meet over secure video. I listen. I ask questions, carefully, and only the ones your case actually requires. I use a few well-established questionnaires. Then I write a report that connects your experience to the specific legal standard your attorney is working with, in language a judge or officer can follow.
I am an immigrant myself, so I know something about what it means to have your future depend on a file. That is part of why I do this work the way I do it: slowly enough to be thorough, and gently enough that you leave feeling heard rather than examined.
The evaluations I provide
Each kind of case asks a slightly different question. Your attorney will know which one applies to you. If you do not have an attorney yet, we can still talk, and I will be honest about what I can and cannot do for you.
Asylum
For people who fled persecution, or who fear what would happen if they were sent back. The evaluation documents the psychological effects of what you experienced, often trauma, anxiety, or depression, and describes how those effects fit with your account of what happened.
Extreme hardship waivers (I-601 and I-601A)
Here, the person I usually meet with is not the applicant but the family member: the U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse or parent whose life would be upended by separation, or by moving abroad to stay together. The evaluation looks honestly at what that would mean for their mental health, their physical health, their work, and their family, and puts it in words an adjudicator can weigh.
VAWA (Violence Against Women Act)
For people of any gender who experienced abuse from a U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse, parent, or adult child. The evaluation documents the psychological impact of the abuse, with care for the fact that telling this story is hard. You set the pace.
U visa
For people who were the victim of certain serious crimes in the United States and suffered real harm as a result. The evaluation documents the mental and emotional effects of the crime, the “substantial abuse” the law asks about, clearly and specifically.
T visa
For survivors of human trafficking. The evaluation documents the psychological effects of what happened, with particular attention to your safety, your sense of trust, and moving at a speed you can manage.
N-648 (Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions)
For people who want to become citizens but have a medical, mental, or cognitive condition that makes it impossible to learn English or civics for the naturalization test. As a licensed clinical psychologist, I can complete both the evaluation and the N-648 form USCIS requires, explaining the condition and why it prevents learning the material, in the detail the form calls for.
1
A free 20-minute call
We talk about your case and your timeline, and whether I am the right fit. No obligation, no pressure. English or Spanish, whichever is more comfortable for you.
2
We meet
Most evaluations involve one meeting over secure video, lasting two to three hours, from your home. If more time is needed to complete a comprehensive evaluation, I’ll schedule an additional meeting. I take a careful history, ask how you are doing now, and give you a few standardized questionnaires. If it helps your case and you consent, I also review relevant records.
3
I write
This is where most of the work happens. I put together a detailed report that ties what I found to the legal standard in your case, in plain language. Standard turnaround is four to six weeks after our last meeting. If your deadline is closer, two faster options are available for an additional fee: an expedited report in two to three weeks, or a priority weekend evaluation, where we meet on a weekend and your report is ready within one to two weeks (subject to availability).
4
It reaches your attorney
With your signed release, I send the report directly to your attorney, and I am available to them if questions come up.
How it works
From a free first call to a finished report in your attorney’s hands, here is what to expect.
A few things I hold to
You do not have to tell me everything. I ask about what your case requires and nothing more. There is no reward for suffering on the page; there is only what is true and what is relevant.
I write what I find. Attorneys and adjudicators trust my reports because they are honest. That honesty is exactly what makes a report useful to you.
Nothing leaves my office without your permission. What you share is confidential, protected by state and federal law, and shared only with the people you sign a release for.
You can do all of this in Spanish. The call, the sessions, the questionnaires, the conversation about your report. The report itself is written in English, as your filing requires, and I am glad to walk you through it in whichever language you prefer. More about working with a Spanish-speaking psychologist.
You do not need to live near me. Evaluations are available by secure telehealth across PSYPACT states. I am licensed in Pennsylvania, Florida, and Colorado and authorized through PSYPACT, and I will confirm on our call that I can work with you where you are. How PSYPACT telehealth works.
What it costs
I believe you should know before we start.
- Standard (report in four to six weeks): $1,600 for asylum, hardship waiver, VAWA, U visa, and T visa evaluations; $1,200 for N-648 evaluations
- Expedited (report in two to three weeks): add $500, for a total of $2,100, or $1,700 for N-648
- Priority weekend evaluation (we meet on a weekend; report within one to two weeks of our meeting; subject to availability): add another $500 on top of expedited, for a total of $2,600, or $2,200 for N-648
The expedited and priority weekend options are available for every evaluation type, including N-648. Half is due to schedule; the balance is due when the final report is delivered. Payment plans are available; ask me on our call. Records review beyond the first 30 minutes is billed at my current hourly rate. Immigration evaluations are generally not covered by insurance.
Evaluations are available in English and Spanish. For other languages, a qualified interpreter can be arranged through a verified interpreting service my office uses, at the client’s cost.
For immigration attorneys
I am Estefania Luna, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist (PA, FL, CO; PSYPACT authorized) providing bilingual English/Spanish psychological evaluations for immigration matters by secure telehealth across PSYPACT states. Clients do not need to live near me, and detained clients can be evaluated by telehealth, depending on the individual’s needs and the facility.
What you receive. A report that maps clinical findings to the relevant legal standard (extreme hardship, asylum, VAWA, U visa, T visa, N-648), with DSM-5 impressions where applicable, written in accessible language for adjudicators. Method: structured clinical interview, validated standardized measures, and records review, with collateral contacts as consented. De-identified sample reports are available to referring attorneys on request.
Turnaround. Standard, four to six weeks from the evaluation. Expedited, two to three weeks (+$500). Priority weekend evaluation, held on a weekend with the report delivered within one to two weeks of the evaluation (+$500 on top of expedited; subject to availability). Both options apply to every evaluation type, including N-648. An estimated delivery date is set at intake.
Coordination. With a signed release, I will discuss the referral question with you before the first session and send the completed report directly to you. I am available for follow-up questions. Records review beyond the first 30 minutes is billed at my current hourly rate. Expert testimony may be available on a limited, case-by-case basis, with additional fees based on the time required.
Fees. Standard, $1,600 (asylum, hardship, VAWA, U/T visa) or $1,200 (N-648). Expedited, $2,100 or $1,700 (N-648). Priority weekend, $2,600 or $2,200 (N-648). A 50% deposit schedules the evaluation; balance due on delivery of the final report.
To refer a client, call 720-773-0419 or use the attorney referral form to share the case type, the filing deadline, and your client’s preferred language.
A little about me
I am Dr. Estefania Luna, a licensed clinical psychologist. I earned my doctorate in clinical psychology from Nova Southeastern University and completed my APA-accredited predoctoral internship at Aurora Mental Health & Recovery in Colorado, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at a private practice in Boulder, Colorado. Alongside evaluations, I practice trauma-focused therapy, including EMDR, DBT, and ERP, and that shapes how I approach these conversations: with structure, and with room for you to be a person rather than a case file. I work in English and Spanish.
Questions people ask me
If your question is not here, ask me on our free call.
Do I need an attorney before I contact you?
No, but it helps. Most evaluations are requested by attorneys, who know exactly which legal standard the report needs to address. If you do not have one yet, we can still talk, and I will be candid about whether an evaluation makes sense for you right now.
Will your report decide my case?
No. I do not decide anything, and I cannot promise an outcome. What I can do is make sure the people who decide understand, clearly and credibly, what you have experienced and how it has affected you.
Do I have to talk about everything that happened?
No. I ask about what your case requires, and I am careful about how I ask. You can pause. You can take a break. Some things we will touch on only briefly, and some we may not need to discuss at all.
What if it would be easier for me in Spanish?
Then we will do it in Spanish. The report itself is written in English, as your filing requires, and I will gladly explain it to you in whichever language you prefer.
What if I speak a language other than English or Spanish?
We can still work together. Evaluations are available in English and Spanish. For other languages, a qualified interpreter can be arranged through a verified interpreting service my office uses, at the client’s cost.
I do not live near you. Can we still do this?
Very likely, yes. Evaluations are by secure video, and I am authorized through PSYPACT to work with people across participating states, so you do not need to live near me. Ask on our call and I will confirm that your location is covered.
Can you evaluate someone who is in immigration detention?
Often, yes. Detained clients can be evaluated by telehealth, depending on the individual’s needs and the facility. Your attorney can contact me to make the arrangements.
Will you testify at my hearing?
Expert testimony may be available on a limited, case-by-case basis, with additional fees based on the time required. Your attorney and I can discuss it before the evaluation.
How long before my attorney has the report?
Four to six weeks after our last meeting. If your deadline is closer, an expedited report in two to three weeks is available for an additional $500. For the fastest option, a priority weekend evaluation (another $500 on top of expedited) means we meet on a weekend and your report is ready within one to two weeks, subject to availability. I will give you an estimated date at intake.
My deadline is very close.
Tell me on the call. The expedited and priority weekend options can shorten the timeline. If I can meet your deadline responsibly, I will say so. If I cannot, I will tell you that too, so you and your attorney can plan.
Will insurance cover this?
Immigration evaluations are generally not covered by insurance and are paid privately. For psychological and neuropsychological evaluations, I can provide a superbill you can submit for possible out-of-network reimbursement, but coverage is not guaranteed.
Can you evaluate my child or teenager?
Yes, with a parent or guardian’s consent. For immigration cases, I evaluate minors when appropriate, most often for I-601 and I-601A hardship waivers. I also provide psychological and neuropsychological evaluations for minors, described on my evaluations page.
What should I have ready?
Your attorney’s name and contact information, any court or USCIS documents related to your case, relevant medical or mental-health records, and a list of current medications. Do not worry if you do not have all of it.
What happens to what I tell you?
It stays confidential, protected by state and federal law. The report goes only to you and to whoever you sign a release for, usually your attorney. I do not share anything with USCIS or anyone else on my own.
Let’s talk
Twenty minutes, free, no obligation. Tell me about your case and your timeline, and I will tell you honestly whether I can help.
Se habla español.