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CA Licensed • PSY28494 • Santa Clarita

The Clinical Evidence Your Immigration Case Needs

Doctoral-level psychological evaluations for attorneys and immigration applicants across California. Statewide telehealth from Santa Clarita; in-person available across Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. Reports in 5 to 7 days.

Dr. Julia Mantonya, PsyD — California Licensed Clinical Psychologist (PSY28494) providing immigration psychological evaluations from Santa Clarita
100%
Confidential. ICE cannot
access your records
Psychotherapist-patient privilege
81.6%
Asylum grant rate when
a psych eval was included
vs 42.4% without. Correlational. PHR 2021 (n=2,584)
5-7
Business days from
referral to report
Industry avg: 2-4 weeks
9+
Years of forensic
assessment experience
California state facilities

Not every evaluator carries the same weight

After Urias-Orellana v. Bondi (March 2026), it’s much harder to overturn a denial on appeal. The immigration judge in that case specifically noted the absence of any “medical, psychiatric, or psychological evaluations” in the record. Get the strongest clinical evidence in at the first hearing — not later.

PsyD doctoral-level evaluator

Doctor of Psychology credential. N-648 disability waivers and competency evaluations specifically require a doctoral-level psychologist; a master's-level clinician cannot sign them. This is the highest credentialing standard for your case.

9+ years in high-security clinical settings

Over nine years working in high-security forensic clinical settings. The training that comes with that environment carries over directly into immigration cases: high-stakes psychological assessment, risk evaluation, and forensic report writing.

Documents what words cannot

Judges frequently cite inconsistency as grounds for denial. But trauma disrupts how the brain encodes memory in the first place. Recall fragments. Gaps appear. Avoidance takes over. A psychological evaluation reframes these patterns as documented trauma responses, not deception, and gives the judge clinical language for what they're seeing.

Completely confidential

Your file is protected by psychotherapist-patient privilege and California law. We will never share your records with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), or any other government agency. All data is encrypted. Privacy details

First contact to report in 5-7 days

Industry average is 2 to 4 weeks. Rush options available for hearing deadlines.

1

Contact

Email, call, or use the form. Tell us your case type and timeline.

2

Clinical interview

A 90 to 120 minute trauma-informed interview via secure telehealth or in person, with interpreter support throughout.

3

Testing & report

Validated testing battery plus a 15-25 page clinical report with DSM-5-TR diagnoses and case-specific conclusions. Unlimited revisions included.

See the full 6-step process →

Flat fees. No hidden charges.

VAWA Self-Petition
$2,000
Domestic violence by a U.S. citizen or resident spouse. When the police reports don't exist, the evaluation is the evidence.
VAWA evaluation details >
U-Visa (Crime Victims)
$1,800
Criminal victimization and substantial abuse. 416K petitions sit pending for 10K annual slots.
U-Visa evaluation details >
T-Visa (Trafficking)
$2,000
Trafficking survivors. We document psychological coercion, trauma bonding, and exploitation.
T-Visa evaluation details >
Extreme Hardship Waiver
$2,500
I-601 and I-601A waivers. Dual-scenario hardship analysis for qualifying U.S. citizen or resident relatives.
Hardship waiver details >
Cancellation of Removal
$2,500
Exceptional and extremely unusual hardship. Only 4,000 grants are issued nationwide each year.
Cancellation evaluation details >
N-648 Disability Waiver
$1,500
Naturalization disability waiver. A PsyD is required. Therapists and counselors cannot sign this form.
N-648 evaluation details >
Competency Evaluation
$1,500
Ability to participate in proceedings. A PsyD is required. Franco-Gonzalez safeguards apply.
Competency evaluation details >

Payment plans available. Reduced-fee evaluations may be available through California legal aid organizations.

Frequently asked questions

Tap a question to expand.

What is a psychological evaluation for immigration?

A clinical assessment by a licensed psychologist that documents how persecution, abuse, or trauma has affected your mental health. It includes a 90- to 120-minute interview, validated psychological testing (PCL-5, PHQ-9, GAD-7, and others), and a 15- to 25-page report with DSM-5-TR diagnoses. A Physicians for Human Rights study of 2,584 asylum cases (Atkinson et al., 2021) found cases that included a psychological evaluation were granted at 81.6%, compared to 42.4% without. The association is correlational and was observed in asylum cases specifically.

How much does an immigration psychological evaluation cost?

Flat fees range from $1,500 to $2,500 depending on case type. Asylum and VAWA are $2,000, U-Visa is $1,800, hardship waivers are $2,500, and N-648 disability waivers are $1,500. Rush options and reduced-fee evaluations through California legal aid organizations may be available.

Can ICE access my evaluation records?

No. Your records are protected by psychotherapist-patient privilege under federal law (Jaffee v. Redmond) and California Evidence Code 1014. ICE administrative subpoenas are not self-enforcing and cannot compel a psychologist to produce records without a court order. We will never voluntarily share your information with any government agency. All records are encrypted with AES-256 at rest and TLS 1.3 in transit.

Can the evaluation be done via telehealth?

Yes. All evaluations can be conducted via secure HIPAA-compliant telehealth from anywhere in California. Telehealth evaluations are fully accepted by USCIS and immigration courts. In-person evaluations are available across the greater Los Angeles area.

Do I need an attorney to get an evaluation?

No. While most evaluations are referred by immigration attorneys, individuals can contact us directly. If you don’t have an attorney yet, we can help connect you with immigration legal services in California. The evaluation is most effective when coordinated with your legal strategy.

Is Spanish interpretation available?

Yes. Spanish interpretation is included at no additional cost for all evaluations. Professional interpreter services for other languages can be arranged.

Contact us

Get in touch

Call, email, or use the form. Whatever's easiest for you.

Location

Santa Clarita, CA
Statewide telehealth available

Response Time

Within 1 to 2 business days

Send us a message

Every inquiry is strictly confidential.

Email Us
The information on this page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or clinical advice. For legal advice specific to your immigration case, please consult a licensed immigration attorney.