In September 2025, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
issued a memorandum tightening the criteria for determining good moral character
in citizenship applicants.
This new approach goes beyond the usual criminal background checks: it now includes a comprehensive assessment of conduct, community involvement, social media behavior, family responsibility, and other factors that have not always been examined in such detail.
Psychological evaluations for immigration are key to proving subjective aspects such as emotional stability, resilience, and stress management. They also allow for the documentation of past trauma and the ability to adapt. All of these factors can be considered when assessing “moral character.” In this article, we explain why these evaluations are becoming increasingly important and how they can help you if you are seeking to regularize your immigration status or if you are a lawyer representing immigration cases.
Changes implemented by USCIS regarding “Good Moral Character”
- USCIS has issued a memorandum requiring a more rigorous and holistic assessment of the moral character of citizenship applicants.
- Factors such as the following are considered:
- Previous behavior, not only legal but also social: interactions in the community, social media, public reputation.
- Civic or community involvement, family responsibility, positive contributions to the environment.
- Consistency between what the person says and what they have expressed on social media or other media.
Thesea factors, which are mostly subjective, open the door for documented and professional psychological evaluations to strengthen immigration files.
Psychological evaluations can make a difference
- They provide objective evidence about internal states. Factors such as trauma, anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress can affect social behavior and conduct. They also influence the ability to fulfill certain obligations. A psychologist can assess, diagnose, and document how these aspects impact a person’s life.
- They support credibility in the face of discrepancies: If there are inconsistencies on social media or in interviews, a professional evaluation can explain whether these discrepancies were due to psychological conditions (e.g., dissociation, altered memory, etc.).
- Strengthen asylum cases, special visas, adjustment of status: In many cases, immigration law allows psychological suffering or trauma to be taken into account (e.g., for asylum, domestic violence, U visas, or VAWA). Having complete reports improves the likelihood of success.
- Importance in light of the new standard of good moral character: With higher standards for evaluating personality, integrity, and behavior, psychological assessments become a strategic tool.
How a proper psychological evaluation should be conducted
Para que sea útil en un proceso migratorio, una evaluación psicológica debe cumplir ciertos criterios:
| Element | What should be included |
|---|---|
| Clear diagnosis | General terms such as “anxiety” and “emotional disorder” are not sufficient; it must be formally documented according to recognized clinical criteria. |
| Connection (“nexus”) | Explicar cómo los síntomas del diagnóstico han afectado conductas relevantes al caso migratorio (por ejemplo, capacidad de integrarse, riesgo de deportación, miedo de regresar al país de origen). |
| Competent evaluator | Licensed counselor, preferably with experience in immigration cases. |
| Documentation | Detailed written reports, including medical history, tests or measurement scales, reference to professional standards, clear chronology. |
| Cultural context | Recognize intergenerational trauma, cultural barriers, language, discrimination, and other factors that affect mental health. |
At Carla Parola Counseling, we support immigrants and attorneys
with psychological evaluations to strengthen complex immigration cases.
📲Request your free consultation now
