THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT (VAWA)
Immigration Evaluations
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) allows men and women who have endured spousal abuse or domestic violence to apply for lawful status without the spouse’s petition. VAWA psychological evaluations document extreme cruelty, battery, and other forms of abuse. The VAWA evaluations document the client’s current mental state and assess the emotional impact of the abuse endured.
VAWA Psychological evaluations may be used to document the nature, severity, and frequency of spousal abuse or domestic violence. The eligibility requirements and case-law outline categories of battery and cruelty. These categories include but are not limited to verbal abuse, intimidation, manipulation, sexual abuse, physical abuse, etc. After the abusive acts are identified within each cruelty category, we assess their impact on emotional adjustment, social functioning, mental health diagnoses, and long-term impact.