Story Highlights: Immigration DNA Testing

An article in a U.K. paper describes the frustration a father felt when immigration officials did not believe he was the father of a boy for whom he was petitioning a visa, expressing his willingness to undergo a DNA test to prove the relationship. In the United States, a New York Times article relates the story of a father who petitioned for his four sons to come to the United States, but only one was granted a visa—DNA testing revealed that only one was his biological child.

DNA testing for immigration has been increasingly used in the past few years in many countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States. In many cases, the documents provided by petitioners are not sufficient to establish a biological relationship—for example:

• the required documents have been lost (or don’t exist—not all countries formally record births or marriages)
• originals were unavailable
• inconsistent facts were found in the documents submitted

In these cases, a DNA test provides an additional piece of evidence to prove a family relationship for an immigration case.

DDC performs DNA testing for immigration purposes worldwide. Our U.S. immigration DNA testing specialists have over a decade of experience working with USCIS and U.S. embassies throughout the world. Our European headquarters in London has worked with Entry Clearance Officers, British Embassies, and the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on cases requiring DNA proof of family relationships.

Our immigration DNA testing specialists directly serve private individuals, and we also work with immigration lawyers and other support organizations. For more information about DNA testing for immigration in the United States, call 1-800-613-5768. In Europe, call 0845-408-2084.