The process of immigration to the United States can be an extensive and complex procedure. It takes a lot of time and money. DNA testing for immigration purposes has come a long way in helping a piece of that process become a bit easier.
Before DNA testing, confirming your relationship meant chasing down birth certificates and other legal paper work for relationship confirmation. If the information was not complete, this sometimes meant starting the process over again . . . and again. Now, providing evidence of a relationship for immigration purposes is a great deal more manageable.
The immigration DNA-testing process
- DNA tests as part of the immigration process must be a legal paternity test requested by the United States Embassy.
- Legal paternity testing requires having samples for participants living in the United States collected at a collection facility near their home, by a disinterested third party.
- The Collector supervises testing from collection to submission, ensuring an impartial chain-of-custody process.
- A client support professional from a lab (like IDENTIGENE) schedules the appointment based on the individual’s time requirements, and advises what will be needed for the DNA test collection to help ensure the best possible experience.
- Those living overseas have their DNA test collection conducted at the United States Embassy, or one of their affiliates.
- The price for immigration testing does include the cost of shipping supplies to and from the embassy as well as sending the results to the embassy. Although the lab doesn’t have any control over how long the US Embassy takes to collect DNA for those overseas , we help make the process easier by walking you through the steps you should take prior to the collection so that you’re prepared.
- The samples are all sent to the laboratory for DNA testing.
- Once complete, results are sent directly to the embassy.
In all immigration situations, the US Embassy maintains strict criteria for DNA test results, which we vigorously adhere to. At IDENTIGENE we also do all we can to make the process as easy as possible for you.
movldi says
i have to do anliz 2 children these children are not my 100 percent i must prove into thesc children are not mine and i need help to do a test bed for 4 years i found them on ashipki and dad y said into thesc children naw y realize y am not daddy into prove y am not daddy it s very important to me my life is very dangerous
Fausto Barraza says
my situation is this; y have one daugther 21 years old not married whith one persons , not my wife, i’m a U>S. citizen she asking me if i can do something to obtain its green card, i know i need to obtain the DNA testing because she dont have my name, she live on the border Nogales, Sonora and have a passport to came to Nogales, Arizona to take the test, me the FATHER I LIVE ON LAS VEGAS, NEV. CAN YOU LET ME KNOW, HOW MUCH ITS THE COST, AND THE FACTIBILITY TO OBTAIN THIS DOCUMENT TO BRING TO INMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION, I WAIT FOR YOUR RESPONSE AND THANKS FOR THE ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER..
KD says
Hi Fausto,
The Department of State has an outline of the process at http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1337.html#1.
Basically, the “petitioner” (person wishing to emigrate) should contact USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) and apply for a visa based on a family relationship (see: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1310.html). UCIS will verify that a DNA test is needed. Once the petitioner has the application number, they can contact Identigene (1-888-404-GENE) to arrange for testing and collections. For the person in the U.S., we’ll arrange collection at one of our facilities (in AZ). The person from Mexico can also get tested in AZ (if they are visiting) or at the embassy in Mexico. The fees for collections in the U.S. and international shipping vary by destination, but a typical immigration test costs about $600. Participants should call Identigene for an exact price. Our customer service line is open M-F 9:00 a.m to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
We will attempt to contact you via email and phone. Thank you.
sylvia says
Hi my situation is this, i was born abroad my mother is a US citizen but her name is not on my birth certificate I have lived in the US all my life my father is deceased she is the only parent i have and all my siblings are americans. I am trying to get a passport to prove my citizenship but I figured in order to do that i need a dna test to prove i am her biological daughter. How do i go about doing that can i make an appointment ? I am at a loss as to how to go about this. Thank you in advance for your help.
Identigene says
Hi Sylvia,
Yes, we can definitely help you, and you’re right that a DNA test will likely be required to prove you are her daughter. Identigene does test for maternity. You will need a legal test so you will need to contact us so we can set up a collection appointment. Please call us at 1-888-404-4363 and feel free to ask any other questions you may have. Thank you for choosing IDENTIGENE!
sylvia says
Thank you so much i will give you guys a call.
Identigene says
Glad we could be of help!
Genevieve says
Hello my daughter dad got deported so we can’t take DNA test here if I do will it help him with coming back to U S Since He Has One Child With Me?
IDENTIGENE says
Hi, Genevieve! We suggest you contact the U.S. Embassy here as well as the embassy in the country where father is to see what their options and/or requirements are for your particular situation. You may also contact our Client Support Center for additional info at 888-404-4363 (M-F, 9 AM to 5:30 PM Eastern Time).
Amanda says
My situation…. The guy I need to have tested is currently in another country. How long will it take to get results once my baby is born?
Admin says
Hi, Amanda. It depends on how quickly samples are returned from the other country. Results are posted online, so there’s no distance barrier to contend with there. Once all samples are received at the lab, results are posted very fast – in two business days. If you have any other questions about how-to’s and timing, feel free to call us directly at 888-404-4363.
Marlina says
Hi! I want to test my child. The father does not know anything about her; they live in different countries. Should she approach the Embassy and request for the test? Thanks for your response.
Admin says
Hi, Marlina. I’m assuming she’s over 18? Then she can request a test if she wants to, yes.
Dd says
What if a parent conducts a DNA test that was not requested by the embassy after port of entry and it comes back negative . . . Could the child be deported?
Admin says
Hi, Dd. Unless the test was a legal test, immigration would not accept results. As for deportation, you’d have to consult with an immigration attorney about the legalities.
Dd says
Would they ever consider revisiting a DNA test even after port of entry and the green card issued and delivered?
Admin says
Hi, Dd. Again, that’s a question to ask an immigration lawyer.
Kia says
The father was deported and hadn’t been apart but now want to be put on birth certificate. Obviously he needs to do paternity test to establish but if he’s just using it to get back into the us is there a way to get it denied? My son doesnt need to be used for his benits to try and get back into the US what can I do to not have him put on the birth certificate? I’m ok if he wants to prove he’s the father and step up
Identigene says
Hi, Kia. Those are definitely questions you should ask an immigration attorney. Good luck!
CD says
My filipina wife and I were married in August of 2016. Our daughter was born in December of 2016. We were married at birth and I am the father on the birth certificate which we have registered and hold copies of. Also we have copies of our Marriage Contract.
Will I be required to take a DNA test because my daughter was born in hte Philippines? The more I research this DNA thing the more confused I get.
Identigene says
Hi, CD. Rather than trying to find answers online, I recommend that you contact the experts at our parent company, DDC, directly by phone. You get contact information and learn more here: https://dnacenter.com/immigration-dna-testing/
Janet says
My father is in the US with me. He wants to petition my sister but is afraid a blood test will be perform. He is on her birth certificate but during an agument the mother told him the child is not his. Will the embassy ask for proof of paternity?
Identigene says
Hi, Janet. Yes, the embassy will most likely ask for proof of paternity by way of a DNA test. Your father may want to retain an immigration attorney if the DNA test ends up showing that he’s not the biological father. The attorney would know how to leverage the facts that your father is on the birth certificate and that he has been acting as her father all these years.
Kk says
Hi, really want to know some things. If my mother is petitioning for me and I dont have a birth certificate to prove she’s my mom. Do I do the DNA before she petition? Also want to know if I’m in the country already we can be checked at the same place?
Identigene says
Hi, K. Please call the immigration experts at this number: 800-681-7162 and they will be happy to help you.
JABS says
Hi.
I got petitioned for by my sister. The petition has gone through and filling the electronic D-260.
The thing is we are expecting a child but there is nothing on the form for expectant children.
How do I add the unborn child to the petition.
Thanks
Identigene says
Hi, JABS. Please contact our immigration-case support line at 800-831-1906 (M-F, 8-6:30 Eastern) and they’ll be able to help you. Thanks!
Amanda says
My daughter’s father is in Mexico and wants to come here and my daughter wants to help him but she is 20 years old and he didn’t get to sign her birth certificate. How would they go about getting a DNA test so she can prove that he is her father and help him get over here.
Identigene says
Hi, Amanda. Our parent company DDC does DNA testing for immigration all the time. You or your daughter should call 800-831-1906 (M-F, 8-6:30 Eastern Time).
Rachel says
Hi, Badly needed help here. I am a lawful resident here in the US, currently working on my US citizenship but before that , I had petitioned my 2 daughters in the Philippines. My case is dismissed and denied due to lack of evidence that I am the biological mother. ( they were late registered ). I can re apply for petition again but this time, I want to have evident evidence that I am the biological mother and I thought of obtaining a DNA test will help this time. Question is; Can we undergo the test while we are in different country? Thanks in advance. Your advice is appreciated.
Identigene says
Hi, Rachel. Yes, you absolutely can have your DNA collected in different countries. Just give our parent company, DDC, a call and one of our experts will be happy to explain how it works and inform you about the cost. That number is 800-681-7162. Good luck with your daughters…I hope it works out for you!
Eve says
I just did my DNA and found my Bio father who is deceased now.
I was born in Germany, in addition I have found about 8 cousins from my paternal side whom I communicating with. Do I have to do DNA again for legal issues? Such as citizenship. Or can i use the ancestry test ? I was born 1946. Thanks
Identigene says
Hi, Eve. You would need to check with an attorney. The requirements for using DNA evidence for citizenship are very strict and ancestry-testing is not always precise: conclusions are often drawn from inference. Good luck!
Evelyn says
I have a visa and I live in Texas know..My father is a Permanent residence and has retired already …i want my dad to Fix my papers, but on my birth certificate it doesn’t have his last name…Can I go to US Coincil or Do DNA testing? Or do I have to go back to Mexico to get last name changed? Or can I have that process done in Texas?
Identigene says
Hi, Evelyn. Because every state’s different, I suggest you need to contact the Department of Vital Records for the state of Texas and they’ll know what you can do.
multinational says
To amend your Acta de Nacimiento in Mexico, your father would have to recognize you for your name to change on the Acta. (It is paternity fraud otherwise.) Civil code in Jalisco says recognition can be done together with the mother or independently. However, it is more strait forward if your mother and father do that together. A lawyer told me that the her amended acta recorded the changes in the margin. However, Mexico has electronic Actas now, that can be obtained in any State of the Republic of Mexico, which has a standardized format, and the margin may no longer display a record of changes.
Need Help says
Hi, I am trying for my mother to come to the US. I call her my mother because my mother did at cgild and she had been with my dad since, she is the only mother I knew since Birth. Her name is on my certificate and all documents that I know. But we do not have an adoption paper because we didn’t know we need it then. Right now I am in the US, a Citizen and want her to come. How can I go about this. Please help in anyway you can.
Identigene says
Hi! Please call our immigration-testing experts at 800-681-7162.
multinational says
First paternity test said I am not the father of a child born in Mexico. I found on the net that false positives occur in parents who are chimeras, and that chimerism is common in twins. I am a US citizen and a twin in Mexico. I have neither abandoned the child nor recognized the child as both acts are legally irreversible. Under the UN International Convention of the Rights of the Child, the child has a right to know and be cared for by their parents. Paternity is relevant to citizenship also.
I have paid again and sent a second sample set with notification I am a twin and could be a chimera on my sample envelope, but haven’t received confirmation you received the samples that the courier says was delivered a week ago.
I am not seeking legal advice.
Identigene says
Hi! I cannot discuss particulars of your case in a public forum. However, your samples are in the process of being tested. If you have questions, please contact us directly at 800-344-9583. Thanks!
BEV says
Hello, I am in a bit of a dilemna. I am a US Citizen and my husband is a Legal Resident of the US (because of my help thru our marriage). My husband has come and gone to Mexico to visit his family, but this time he came back he said he is going to be a father in Mexico. His plans are to bring the child to the US after the child is born.
My question is: In order for him to bring the child is a DNA Test required?
Identigene says
Hi, Bev. Yes, absolutely a DNA test will be required so that immigration services can verify that your husband and the child share a biological relationship. Our parent company, DDC, are experts in DNA testing for immigration, and you or your husband are welcome to call and find out the details: 800-681-7162 (M-F, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm Eastern Time).
Mark says
I have recently found my father through Dna and a further Dna test done with my half brother proved conclusively that we had the same father, unfortunately my dad had passed away, he knew nothing of my existence so could not ligitimise me, I am in the position where I can prove 100% who my dad was, also he was an American citizen by birth as was all our predicesors going back 200 years, can you help.
Identigene says
Hi, Mark. The only way that immigration would accept results is if you did a DNA test with other relatives of your father’s and can prove the connection that way. I suggest you call our experts directly to see what your options are: 800-681-7162.
Jaritma says
Hi my case is this, i am petitioning for my father that is in Mexico but he is not in my birth certificate should I send a dna test with the I-130 package or wait until they ask for one? How can we get it done if he is in Mexico and I’m in USA?
Identigene says
Hi, Jaritma. Any type of DNA testing relating to a legal action such as an immigration petition must be done directly through the laboratory in order to maintain chain of custody. Your being in the states and his being in Mexico is absolutely not a problem. Please call us directly at 800-681-7162.
may ann says
hi i am under petition of spousal visa of my american husband along with my other 2 girls theyre my kids from my past relationships. and after the embassy interview the consulate requested for a dna test, i guessed she is not satisfied with the proof i presented especially that both their birth certificates were late registered and theyre born out of wedlock. just wanna know if after we comply and passed the dna test and proven i am the biological mom was that an assurance of visa approval? thank you and hoping for your quick response coz this is processing is so stressfull..
HomeDNA Identigene says
Hi, May Ann. Proving a maternal biological relationship through DNA is one part in the process, but by itself is no guarantee of visa approval. Keep in mind that there are very strict rules for how the DNA test must be done in order to be accepted by the consulate. I suggest you contact the experts at our parent company DDC at 800-681-7162.
Adam says
Hi, my half brother lives in USA. He is US citizen. I live outside of US. Our father was same, but he don’t lives never in US. Unfortunately with my brother we have not any documents where is write that we are brothers. Question is: can I and my brother make DNA test for demonstrate that we are legitimate sibling? And then can my brother bring me to live in the United States as a green card holder?
HomeDNA Identigene says
Hi, Adam. I can’t answer your last question about the green card, but I can answer your DNA question. Effective this year, sibling DNA testing is an option for immigration purposes. Please have your brother give us a call for details at 800-681-7162 during business hours (M-F, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm Eastern Time).
Adam says
OK, thank you for the answer. And with what accuracy can you tell the result of the DNA test when we are only half siblings? Will your answer be sufficient for the authorities? We only have the same father, but we have another mother. Unfortunately, our father died.
HomeDNA Identigene says
It’s most accurate if both your mothers can test as well. That’s not to say you can’t get conclusive enough results without the mothers, but it’s definitely helpful. Here is a blog on the site for our parent company, DDC, which helps explain how it works: https://dnacenter.com/blog/can-i-do-a-sibling-dna-test-for-immigration/
Linda says
Hi, Im biological mother of my 2year old daughter. Im citizen of another country, so does my daughter born there and I have been taking care of her antire time. The biological father is US citizen, living in TX, and is not listed in the birth certificate and he refuses to do so unless she has his last name. Is there way how he can be on the list without me agreeing with the name? And how? Thank you for the answear
HomeDNA Identigene says
Hi, Linda. That’s a question best answered by a family-law attorney. Good luck!
Michele says
Hi I just found out I have a brother in Germany through DNA my father never signed the birth certificate what do I need to do to get him here.My father was an US soldier.
HomeDNA Identigene says
Hi, Michele. Our parent company, DNA Diagnostics Center, performs thousands of DNA tests for immigration every year and can help answer questions and arrange for testing. Please call during business hours at 800-681-7162 (M-F, 8 AM to 8 PM Eastern Time).
Janoma says
Question how can I get my child father tested which he lives in a different country ! I went to the child support office here n Ky and basically was deny for haveing him tested bc USA and Freeport Bahamas has different laws and it couldn’t be pursue! I need help of finding the right person to call bc he sent me all information but still at step one !
HomeDNA Identigene says
Hi, Janoma. Please give our experts a call here at DNA Diagnostics Center (DDC) directly to discuss possible solutions: 800-681-7162.
Laverne says
Hi
I am a US Citizen petitioning for my 2 stepchildren who are in Jamaica. My question is, will a DNA test be needed and if so can we have it done before requested
HomeDNA Identigene says
Hi, Laverne. Whether you need a DNA test or not depends on the type of documentation you have. For example, if you have birth certificates, you may not need to. That’s up to the embassies. They will NOT accept any previously-performed DNA tests as evidence of relationship, even legal tests. If required, you’ll have to do a whole new test, so you might as well save your money till you know if it’s necessary to get testing done.
Laverne says
Thanks for the reply. After the petition was approved. I learned one of the kids may not be my husband’s. Can I contact the Embassy and request DNA testing?
HomeDNA Identigene says
You can always contact an embassy. Whether they’re willing to request DNA testing is their decision.
Marco says
Hi we want to start the process for my wife , we have a baby together I am on the birth certificate and it’s been signed and she’s pregnant with baby number 2 would we need DNA testing for our kids ?
HomeDNA Identigene says
Hi, Marco. You need to contact the embassy and see what they say. But in our experience, if you have documentation (birth certificate) for baby #1, then a DNA test wouldn’t be necessary.
Taylor says
Hi, so I’m married but I got pregnant for a different man but my husband doesn’t know which I’ll like it to stay like that because it was a honestly mistake. His mother is a US citizen
and she’s filing for us my husband, me and my 10 year old son.
My question is: Even though my husband’s name is already on my daughter birth certificate will the embassy request a DNA even though it’s not my husband doing the filing? Can we refuse a DNA? If we do will the process still go through?
HomeDNA Identigene says
Hi, Taylor. We don’t provide legal services or advice, but I can tell you what I know based on our industry. DNA testing is usually only required if immigrating parties cannot provide documentation such as a birth certificate. You have one, so chances are it’s going to be OK. You may want to check with an immigration attorney, just to be sure.
Kathy says
Hi! My fiance could be the father of a little 3 year girl in the Philippines. What is the processing of finding out if this little girl is his daughter? Any information would be great! Thank you.
HomeDNA Identigene says
Hi, Kathy. Please have your fiance call our parent company, DNA Diagnostics Center (DDC) directly at 800-681-7162 (8 am to 8 pm Eastern time) and we’ll be able to help him.