Immigration Evaluations in Austin, TX
Immigration evaluations for Austin clients, conducted by video
Neema Counseling writes psychosocial and mental health evaluations for immigration cases across Texas, including Austin and the surrounding metro. The evaluation itself is conducted by video, not at an office. Our Austin location at 2717 Rio Grande Street, three blocks west of the University of Texas campus, is where we see clients for ongoing counseling.
Meeting by video is a practical advantage for an Austin case. There is no drive down I-35 or MoPac at the one hour your attorney could get you a slot. You are interviewed from your own home, which is usually where people speak most openly about what they have lived through. And if you have moved out toward Pflugerville, Kyle or San Marcos since your case opened, nothing about your evaluation changes.
Schedule an immigration evaluation
Who we evaluate in Austin
Immigration cases in Austin do not look like one thing. Across a given month our evaluators meet with:
- A spouse or parent facing separation from a U.S. citizen family member, where the case turns on what that separation would mean for the relative who stays.
- Someone who was the victim of a qualifying crime and has been asked to document its effect.
- A person seeking relief from abuse under VAWA.
- A student or young professional carrying a family member's case alongside coursework or a first job.
- An asylum seeker preparing to describe experiences they have spent years trying not to describe.
Whatever brought you here, the interview is not a test, and there is no answer that helps or hurts. Your evaluator's job is to understand your situation accurately and put it in writing in a form your attorney can use.
What it costs and how long it takes
The fee for an immigration mental health evaluation for hardship waiver, U visa, VAWA and T visa cases is $750. Asylum evaluations are $900. The fee is the same anywhere in Texas.
The full process usually takes three to five weeks, counting scheduling, the interviews, review of any documents your attorney sends, and the writing. Most of that is the writing. Two interview meetings is typical, sometimes three; the report is the long part. If your filing deadline is tight, an expedited timeline may be possible for an additional fee, depending on clinician availability.
Who performs the evaluation
Neema's immigration evaluations are conducted by Licensed Professional Counselors, and they are psychosocial and mental health evaluations. If your attorney needs formal psychological testing or expert testimony from a psychologist, we will refer you to a colleague who provides it, rather than take a case we are not the right fit for.
Attorneys tend to find that clarity useful. Knowing exactly what kind of evaluation is in front of them is part of how an attorney decides what weight to give it and what else the filing needs.
You can read more about what an immigration evaluation involves, step by step, in what to expect from an immigration evaluation, or see the full list of case types on our main immigration evaluations page.
Working with your Austin immigration attorney
If you have an attorney, ask them to send us the specific question the report needs to answer before your first session: which qualifying relative, which standard, which filing. That single detail does more for the usefulness of a report than anything else an attorney can give us.
If you do not have an attorney yet, start there. An evaluation is one piece of evidence inside a legal case, and we cannot tell you whether it will help yours. That is your attorney's judgment, not ours. Neema Counseling does not give legal advice.
Counseling in Austin, during the case and after it
An immigration case does not end when the report is filed. Waiting is its own kind of strain, and so is everything that came before it.
For clients who want ongoing counseling, our Austin office is in West Campus at 2717 Rio Grande Street, Austin, TX 78705, and we also see Austin clients online. Counseling at Neema meets clients where they are. We do offer Christian counseling, so your therapist will not treat your faith as separate from what you are carrying. We work with clients of all faiths and backgrounds.
If immigration stress has turned into something that is not going away on its own, how to cope with difficult emotions after immigrating is a good place to start reading, and Christian counseling in Austin, TX covers what ongoing counseling here looks like.
Faith and church in Austin
Some clients come to us through their church. Others are looking for a counselor who will not treat their faith as a symptom to be managed. The Austin churches our clients name most often are The Well on Neal Street, Red Rocks Austin off North I-35, and Refuge Community Church in southeast Austin. If a pastor referred you, they can be involved in whatever way you want, or not at all. That is your call and it stays your call.
Español: esta información también está disponible en español, en nuestra página de evaluaciones de inmigración.
Start an immigration evaluation in Austin
If your attorney has asked for an evaluation, the next step is to get on the calendar. Evaluations are conducted by video across Texas and Colorado, so where you are in the Austin area does not affect scheduling.
Schedule an immigration evaluation or contact our team with questions about which service fits your case.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to come to the Austin office for my immigration evaluation?
No. Immigration evaluations are conducted by video across Texas and Colorado. The Austin office at 2717 Rio Grande Street is where we see clients for counseling appointments.
How much does an immigration evaluation cost in Austin?
$750 for hardship waiver, U visa, VAWA and T visa evaluations, and $900 for asylum evaluations. The fee is the same anywhere in Texas.
How long will my report take?
Three to five weeks from scheduling through the finished report, including the interviews and the writing. If your case is time sensitive, an expedited timeline may be available for an additional fee, depending on clinician availability.
Do I need an immigration attorney before scheduling?
Yes, it is strongly recommended. The evaluation is written to address what your attorney's filing needs, and without that direction the report is far less useful.
Does the free 15-minute consultation apply to immigration evaluations?
No. The free consultation is for counseling. To begin an evaluation, schedule directly or contact our team.
Who will conduct my evaluation?
Fabian Armenta, LPC, or Lauren Jones, LPC-S, both Licensed Professional Counselors at Neema Counseling. Evaluations in Spanish are conducted by Fabian. Lauren also works with Spanish-speaking clients, with Elvia Delgado, LPC-Associate, assisting with translation. If your case calls for formal psychological testing or testimony from a psychologist, we will tell you up front and refer you to a colleague who can provide it.