Testing Procedure

A DNA immigration test is a paternity, maternity or kinship test performed to determine if two or more individuals are biologically related. A standard test is completed using cheek swabs from each tested party.

Orchid Cellmark has a North American Specimen Collection Network of 5000 sites where a sample can be collected from the Petitioners and Beneficiaries, if they are living in the US. The samples from all parties residing overseas will be collected by clinical laboratories and medical staff appointed by the US Embassy in that country.

All samples will be collected under strict Chain of Custody procedures, which meet the standards of the American Association of Blood Banks accreditation requirements as well as the requirements of the US Department of State and US Department of Homeland Security policies.

DNA Analysis will be completed using routine DNA testing procedures in most cases but in more complicated kinship cases, Orchid Cellmark may draw on its expertise with alternative DNA technologies including Y-STRs and mitochondrial DNA analysis which are useful in establishing patrilineal and matrilineal relationships respectively. Go to DNA 101 for more information on DNA technologies.

Results

Within 3-5 business days of the receipt of the last sample for a routine paternity or maternity case, Orchid Cellmark will release a notarized DNA test report which will indicate a probability of paternity, maternity or kinship. The average probability of paternity or maternity is 99.5%. The probability of kinship is dependent on the percentage of DNA that is shared between the tested parties, as well as the frequency of that shared DNA in the general population.

The reports which are released will include:

• Names of Tested Parties
• Date of Specimen Collection for each Tested Party
• A listing of the individual DNA profiles for each Tested Party
• A Combined Paternity, Maternity or Kinship Index
• A Probability of Paternity, Maternity or Kinship
• A statement of Conclusion
• A statement of laboratory accreditation

All reports are sent to the client and to the requesting government agency (i.e. US Embassy or USCIS office). All reports to government agencies will be sent by courier and the delivery of the reports can be traced using the tracing services of the courier.