IMMIGRATION TESTING Q & A  Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Question: What is an immigration test, and what is the process for arranging a test?

Answer: A DNA immigration test is a paternity, maternity or kinship test performed to determine if two or more individuals are biologically related. A DNA immigration test is performed solely at the request of either the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through one of its USCIS offices or the Department of State (DOS), through one of the US Embassies abroad. Orchid Cellmark is a government-approved vendor.

In the past, petitioners sometimes worked through third-party vendors to help select a lab, to arrange appointments or to transport specimens. However, to comply with governmental chain of custody regulations, it is vital that petitioners follow these steps: The petitioner must select an AABB-accredited laboratory, contact the lab personally, confirm an appointment and make the necessary arrangements for conducting the genetic test--including payment for all tested parties. The collection site must then send the specimen to the main AABB lab testing site directly, through the lab's internal, controlled system. The authority for collecting DNA specimens in the United States resides exclusively with AABB-accredited labs and their directly affiliated collection sites.

In order to conduct a test, painless cheek swab samples are collected from all the parties, including those in the US and abroad. Orchid Cellmark works closely with the US Embassies in more than 100 countries to ensure that the samples are collected as quickly as possible. Appointments within the US can be made within 24 hours on a nationwide basis. Orchid Cellmark also facilitates the secure and timely shipment of all samples to our accredited DNA testing laboratory in the US.

With a turnaround time of 3-5 days on routine cases from the date of receipt of the last sample, you will not have to wait a long time to receive test results. Your answer will be either 0.00% or 99.99% or greater in routine tests. The results will be sent to the Petitioner by mail and to the US government agency by courier.

Orchid Cellmark recognizes that the immigration of a family member is extremely important, and understands the significance of an accurate, confidential and timely service. For more information or to arrange testing, please contact us at 1-800-DNA-TEST.

WHERE DO I GO FOR MY DNA TEST?  Friday, November 11, 2011

For the convenience of our clients, Orchid Cellmark utilizes a network of over 5000 collection sites worldwide. If you need a DNA test, simply call 1-800-DNA-TEST. Your representative at Orchid Cellmark will begin your application, and you will be contacted by the scheduling department to establish your collection appointment.

We schedule most specimen collection appointments within 24 hours of receiving your application, but we can schedule appointments even faster in many cases. Parties can choose to have their samples collected at the same time and location, or at separate times and locations. It is our goal to make this process as convenient as possible for you.

The results of a routine DNA paternity test take 2 business days or less from the time the last sample is received in our DNA testing laboratory. You can view and print your test results through a secure login on the Orchid Cellmark website. If you have ordered a legal test, you will also receive a physical copy of your results through the mail.

Because Orchid Cellmark is a fully-accredited laboratory, the results of a Court Ready DNA paternity test can be used in any legal matter and will be accepted in a court of law, assuming the Chain of Custody form was completed in accordance with Orchid Cellmark's strict Chain of Custody guidelines. For answers about which type of DNA test you need, click here, or contact Orchid Cellmark at 1-800-DNA-Test.

HOW DOES A DNA PATERNITY TEST ACTUALLY WORK?  Thursday, October 20, 2011

Question:

How does a DNA paternity test actually work?

Answer:

Paternity testing is based on a simple principle of biology: children inherit genetic factors from both biological parents, with each parent providing half of a child's genetic factors. Testing a mother and child provides information first about the factors passed from the mother to the child. Factors that are not inherited from the mother must come from the biological father.  An alleged father's typings are then evaluated to determine if he possesses all of the genetic factors that the child must inherit from the biological father.  If the alleged father does not possess all of these factors (excluding the rare possibility of a mutation), he is genetically excluded from paternity.  If he does possess all of them, he is included, and a probability is calculated that he is the father--this probability is based on how rare the factors are that the alleged father and child share.

When choosing a DNA testing organization, it is important to choose an experienced lab that is certified by the American Association of Blood Banks, and that has a reputation for quality and excellence. Orchid Cellmark uses specialized DNA testing exclusively intended for paternity tests, and has been a leader in the genetic testing field for almost 30 years. Our results come with the guarantee of quality and are delivered with speed, convenience, and most importantly, accuracy--inclusions usually result in 99.99% or 0% probability. For more detailed information about the technology and process that Orchid Cellmark uses in testing, please click here.

REPRODUCTIVE TOURISM  Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Let's imagine that you and your spouse have been unable to conceive a child, and that your doctor has recommended in vitro fertilization (IVF). You have learned that in the United States, IVF will cost between $10,000-$15,000 for a single cycle. However, you have found that by traveling to another country, you could obtain what appears to be the same service for about $3,000. Would you have the procedure performed in the US, or travel abroad?

Each year thousands of people travel to other countries in order to procure reproductive services - IVF, surrogate pregnancy, and other assisted reproductive technology treatments. The term for this choice is "reproductive tourism." A popular destination for Canadian and US citizens is India, where the growing industry is only lightly regulated, and also relatively inexpensive. It has been reported that reproductive tourism in India is now a half-a-billion-dollar-a-year industry, with surrogacy services offered in 300+ clinics across the country. India is just one of the countries in which reproductive tourism has gained popularity; Spain, Israel, the Czech Republic, Thailand, and even the United States are all reproductive tourism destinations, among many others.

WHO TAKES PART IN REPRODUCTIVE TOURISM?

There are several groups of people who take part in reproductive tourism. Here are three: 1) People who require assistance to have a child, and wish to pay discounted rates, 2) women who require IVF, but have needs that are restricted in their country (maternity age restrictions, embryo sex-preference restrictions, etc.), 3) people who have chosen surrogacy, and wish to accomplish this outside of the laws or stigmas within their homelands.

DETAILS TO CONSIDER

There are many questions surrounding the subject of reproductive tourism. Here are three:

1) Are all the reproductive operations throughout the world equipped to safely perform procedures? With few regulations, the safety and quality of work performed at many of these clinics is uncertain. There are myriad tales of mix-ups with eggs or embryos, failed procedures, or parents discovering through dna testing that the child borne for them is unrelated to either parent.

2) Are surrogate mothers treated and compensated fairly? This query is the heart of the controversy surrounding surrogacy. Are women who choose to become surrogates in third world countries, with few economic opportunities and very little education, making informed decisions? It doesn't seem likely, and in countries where compensated surrogacy is illegal, the answer is unknown.

3) Are international immigration laws standardized to accommodate the situations and technologies of 2011? Some countries, such as England, consider the woman who bears a child to be the mother, and her husband to be the father. Clearly, this makes no allowances for surrogacy - either traditional (using a woman's own eggs that have been fertilized with donated sperm through IVF) or gestational (using donated eggs and sperm, where the gestational host bears no genetic ties to the baby). In such cases, even an immigration dna test may not point to the contracting parents. Some countries, such as the Ukraine, have attempted to adapt to these issues by naming the contracting parents on the birth certificate. Other countries have responded by refusing to recognize such documents, and by insisting on parental dna tests for children born abroad before conferring citizenship, or even the right to enter the parents' native country.

PATERNITY TESTING: NOT JUST FOR THE RICH & FAMOUS  Friday, September 9, 2011

In the 1983, Michael Jackson released a song called "Billie Jean."  The chorus goes like this:   

Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son   

After the song's release, several paternity cases were filed against Jackson, with each woman claiming that she was the "Billie Jean" from the song.  

Unfortunately, it's a fairly common story: a single mom decides to name a famous or wealthy man as her child's father. Perhaps the paternity is a possibility, but perhaps she is hoping for a quick and quiet settlement from a prosperous man.

Do paternity suits happen only to the prominent, or do they also happen to average citizens?

The simple answer is this: paternity suits are brought against people of all socio-economic backgrounds. Paternity suits are important because they are used to establish legal responsibility-including custody, visitation rights, and child support. In the past, paternity was a question of possibility, hearsay, and physical resemblance, where often the side with the most money and the most powerful lawyers were likely to win. Today, however, a DNA paternity test can prove, or disprove, the actual parentage of a child, even before birth.

Are there cases in which men are found to be responsible for children who are, in fact, not theirs?
Absolutely-every day, in fact. The husband of a married woman is assumed to be the father of her children, and it can often be difficult to convince a court otherwise, even with the support of a negative DNA paternity test. When an unmarried woman bears a child, and a man signs the birth certificate, he is acknowledging paternity. It can be difficult in some states to refute that responsibility, even if the man was duped into a false acknowledgement. In the state of Texas, a man can be freed from false parental obligations only if he is up-to-date on his child support payments; proving that the child is not his does not erase his obligations for support payments that were ordered in a previous court decision. 

A quick internet search can lead to a wealth of websites and social causes devoted to rectifying paternity fraud. The most important piece of advice that any of them offer is this: when facing the prospect of being named as the father of a child, insist on a legal paternity testing. DNA testing for paternity is simple, painless, and relatively inexpensive-especially compared to years of support obligations. 

HOW DO YOU TEST A BABY THAT HASN'T BEEN BORN?  Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Question:  I am pregnant. I want to test my baby to determine paternity before the baby's birth, so that the baby's father can provide support for us as soon as possible. How do you test a baby that hasn't been born?

Answer:  We understand the importance of establishing the paternity of your child. Whether you are seeking financial or emotional support, determining the paternity of your unborn child can certainly allow you to make appropriate plans for the future.

Just like a standard paternity test, a prenatal paternity test compares the baby's DNA profile with that of the alleged father. Depending on the stage of your pregnancy, an OB-GYN will use one of two procedures to procure a DNA sample from your unborn child:

Amniocentesis: This test is performed during the second trimester, between weeks 14-20 weeks of pregnancy.

Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS): This test is performed earlier in the pregnancy, between weeks 10-13.

It is important to realize that whether you select amniocentesis or CVS testing, both procedures increase the chance of fetal miscarriage.* Because of the risks to the fetus, both tests are discouraged for the sole reason of seeking paternity; a doctor's consent is needed to conduct either procedure for paternity testing. For further questions, please contact us at 800-DNA-TEST.

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*The ACOG (American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) states that both CVS and amniocentesis have a fetal miscarriage rate of 1%.

HOW CAN I GET A DNA TEST?  Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Question:  How can I get a DNA test? How do I know my sample will not be contaminated or switched?

Answer:  There are two basic methods of collection of DNA for testing purposes. Which type of collection method you choose depends on your situation and how you intend to use the results.

1) AT HOME TESTING. At home testing is appropriate for providing answers for personal knowledge and peace of mind. Order a kit over the phone at 1-800-DNA-TEST, or go to http://www.orchidcellmark.com and purchase a kit. Within a few days you will receive your self-contained kit with easy-to-follow instructions. Simply collect samples using a painless cheek swab in the privacy of your own home. When you're finished, place the specimens in the prepaid collection bags and send them back to Orchid Cellmark.

2) LOCAL SPECIMEN COLLECTION SITES. Specimen facilities follow a strict chain of custody documentation for client identification, specimen collection, and specimen shipment to ensure the legal DNA paternity test results are admissible by courts and government agencies as legal documents that may be used to resolve custody disputes or legal matters. We make the process of specimen collections convenient for everyone involved by handling all of the arrangements at one of over 5,000 collection sites to provide convenient, professional and painless collection of specimens. Simply call us at 800-DNA-TEST and speak with a Human Identity Specialist to arrange an appointment, or locate a collection center at http://www.orchidcellmark.com/collectioncenter.html.

Whichever method of collection you choose, you can be sure that Orchid Cellmark is qualified and equipped for precise testing. The accuracy of your test is our priority!

DOUBT DOWN UNDER  Monday, December 22, 2008

Section 143 of Australia's Child Support Act is being put to the test. The law provides a legal basis for men to take action if they can successfully challenge paternity. Since the legislation was enacted almost two years ago, more than 300 men have had requests approved to stop child support payments. DNA test results have provided the basis for 18 of those men to file for repayment, totaling more than $170,000 to date.

The Courier-Mail

BELATED HOMECOMING  Monday, December 15, 2008

World War I has been over for nearly a century and while many lives were lost, they have not been forgotten. In fact, DNA testing may mean honor and a proper resting place will be bestowed on some 400 Australian and British soldiers. A mass grave was discovered earlier this year in Pheasant Wood, Fromelles in France based on meticulous research by an amateur historian. Exhumation of the bodies and forensic DNA testing is to begin next year.

[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]

TRUTH & CONSEQUENCES  Thursday, December 11, 2008

Paternity fraud is becoming a global epidemic, and courts around the world are trying to figure out the best way to deal with such cases. The outcome is soon to be determined for one London couple. The prosecution alleges the man and his lover switched samples back in 2001 to falsify the results of a DNA paternity test. The case also highlights the importance of performing court-ready or legal DNA tests which maintain a strict chain of custody and require samples to be collected by an impartial third party.

[Daily Dispatch Online]