Hardship Waiver

There are cases where extreme hardship is considered and factored into the decision of the officer. Hardship factors/circumstances may be issues that cause extreme and/or exceptional burden. These factors include but are not limited to family ties and impact (ex. Responsibilities of children, caring for a disabled parent), social or cultural impact (ex. Fear of discrimination, inability to communicate in language of country of origin), health conditions and care (ex. Prior trauma, psychological impact).

Psychological impact can revolve around the separation due to the applicant’s departure from the United States, previous psychological trauma that may be exacerbated by relocation/separation. The mental health evaluation provides evidence-based support to the psychological impact/hardship a family member or applicant may experience. The impact can be identified with measurement tools, and diagnostic assessment.