IMMIGRATION DNA TESTING
Immigration DNA testing verifies biological relationships between U.S. citizens or permanent residents (petitioners) and relatives (beneficiaries) seeking visas or citizenship. Tests provide evidence for immigration petitions but do not guarantee approval.
Where Can I Get Immigration DNA Testing?
Performing an immigration DNA test requires the involvement of an accredited lab to ensure your family follows immigration evidence submission guidelines.
Call 888-204-0583 to initiate your case today or free phone consultation regarding appointment scheduling.Appointments can be scheduled near most major cities nationwide.
When Can DNA Testing Be Done for Immigration?
DNA testing for immigration purposes occurs when United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Embassy, or the Passport Agency suggests it to support a claimed biological relationship. The requesting immigration agency will send a Request for Evidence (RFE) letter, giving the petitioner an opportunity to submit secondary evidence. A Request for Evidence letter is an office action issued by USCIS that provide petitioners an option to submit secondary evidence.
You may choose to perform a family relationship DNA test upon receiving an RFE letter. Do not perform a DNA test before receiving an RFE letter, as it may negatively impact your case status.
What Is Immigration DNA Testing?
An immigration DNA test is a scientific analysis that uses polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to analyze specific genetic markers. DNA testing determines biological relationships between a parent and child, siblings, or grandparents and grandchildren. These genetic relationship tests aim to prove claimed family relationships during the visa application process and the Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) filing process.
Suggested Testing Options
Below are the suggested relationship testing options USCIS, U.S Embassy/Consulate and Passport Agency may provide as an option.
- Paternity Testing: Test determines if an alleged father and child are related
- Maternity Testing: Test determines if a mother and child are related
- Sibling DNA Testing: Test determines two people share common parent
- Grandparent DNA Testing: Test determines if a grandparent and grandchild are biologically related.
The above-mentioned testing options are commonly performed to maintain alignment with immigration guidelines for petitioner to file with immediate family members only.
Accredited DNA Lab Testing
For legally recognized DNA results, especially in immigration cases, testing must be performed by an AABB-accredited lab, such as our partner facility. AABB accreditation guarantees adherence to the highest industry standards, which is a requirement for immigration agencies.
How the Process Works
To ensure you remain compliant with all immigration agencies evidence submission guidelines. Follow the process below.
Document Receipt & Consultation:
- Receive an RFE letter requesting additional evidence
- Contact our office at 888-204-0583 for consultation and case initiation details
- Complete sample collection at a designated facility
Appointment Scheduling Process:
Domestic (U.S.)
An appointment will be scheduled for individual/s located in the United States at one of our over 2500 sample collection sites in our network.
International
- For beneficiaries overseas, our partner lab ships DNA supplies and a sample collection request to an embassy or consulate abroad. The embassy is responsible for coordinating DNA specimen collection appointments for the beneficiary. The embassy or consulate will then ship the DNA sample back to our partner lab for testing and analysis.
- The laboratory will ship a copy of your results to the requesting immigration office, USCIS, or U.S. Embassy/Consulate.
Countries We Service
| Geographic Location | Region/Area | Countries |
|---|---|---|
| North America | Caribbean | Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands |
| Central America | Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama | |
| North American Mainland | Canada, Mexico, United States | |
| South America | Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela | |
| Europe | Western Europe | Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Azores, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vatican City |
| Eastern Europe | Albania, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine | |
| Asia | Central Asia | Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan |
| East Asia | China, Japan, Mongolia, Okinawa, South Korea, Taiwan | |
| Middle East | Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen | |
| South Asia | Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka | |
| Southeast Asia | Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Saipan, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam | |
| Oceania | Polynesia | Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Samoa, Tonga, Wallis & Futuna |
| Melanesia | Fiji, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, New Zealand, Palau (Republic of), Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu | |
| Africa | North Africa | Algeria, Egypt, Morocco |
| West Africa | Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cรดte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia , Mali , Mauritania , Niger , Senegal , Sierra Leone , Togo | |
| East Africa | Burundi , Djibouti , Eritrea , Ethiopia , Kenya , Lesotho , Madagascar , Malawi , Mauritius , Mozambique , Rwanda , Seychelles , Somalia , South Sudan , Tanzania , Uganda , Zambia , Zimbabwe | |
| Central Africa | Cameroon , Central African Republic , Chad , Congo (Democratic Republic) , Congo (Republic of) , Equatorial Guinea , Gabon | |
| Southern Africa | Botswana , Namibia , Reunion Island , South Africa , Swaziland |
How Much Does an Immigration DNA Test Cost?
Pricing for immigration testing services starts at $525. The cost varies depending on your location, the number of people involved in your DNA test, and where each person is located. Call 888-970-4211 to learn more about pricing and the process.
How Long Will It Take to Receive My DNA Results?
For domestic cases, results are typically available within 3 days after all samples reach the laboratory. International cases average 8 weeks or longer, depending on embassy processing times and international shipping. Once completed, results are sent to the requesting immigration office, with copies provided to you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Immigration DNA Testing
To ensure a smooth transition toward your understanding of the DNA testing for immigration process. Below are common questions that will aid in your understanding.
What is required for immigration DNA testing?
A petitioner or beneficiary must receive a Request for Evidence letter from USCIS, a U.S. Consulate, or a U.S. embassy before performing a DNA test.
What method is used to collect my DNA samples?
The DNA sample collection method for immigration DNA testing uses a cheek swab. Blood draw collections are also viable but more invasive and painful while providing the same accuracy.
How accurate is immigration DNA testing?
All testing occurs at our partner AABB-accredited laboratory, meeting high industry standards. Accuracy depends on sample quality, with samples tested between 18-22 genetic markers. While testing processes are accurate, they do not guarantee visa approval.
Are my test results private?
Yes. All DNA specimens and results remain confidential. Specimens are retained for three months before destruction. Results are released only to participants involved in the test. An unrelated third party receives results only with a court order presented to the lab. The lab will notify clients before releasing results.
Can immigration ask for a DNA test?
Yes, an immigration office may suggest that a family perform a relationship test to prove a claimed biological relationship. Immigration DNA testing is voluntary and provided when evidence submitted during the visa application process is incomplete.