If someone wants to determine if they are the father of a child, the only thing to do these days is to opt for a UK paternity test. This shows without a shadow of a doubt if he is the father or not, and the DNA science from an accredited laboratory is trusted by courts and immigration authorities in the UK and around the world. Using DNA to establish or disprove a biological relationship is not only completely reliable, but it is also very simple for a parent and child to do.

There are a number of reasons why a father or mother may wish to establish the paternity of a child and, as a top provider of UK paternity test services, we have learned from experience that the following are the Top 3 reasons.

1. A UK Paternity Test for Personal Reasons

For men who doubt if a child is theirs, particularly if there are trust issues between him and the mother, doing a test can be essential. A UK paternity test wherein DNA is collected at home is usually referred to as a “peace-of-mind” paternity test.

The results cannot be used for legal purposes, but having an answer can mean the difference between being a father who has a long-term, loving relationship with a child and having no connexion at all. Relationships are complex and—for some men—a UK paternity test is the only way to prove that relationship, and for others it may the way to prove he is not and leave the situation. Being unsure if you are a father can be very stressful and a huge emotional burden. A simple paternity test is readily available wherever you are and can quickly clear up a potential lifetime of uncertainty and worry.

2. A UK Paternity Test to Obtain Child Support or Stop Paying Child Support

If a father is not named on a birth certificate and denies paternity, the CSA (Child Support Agency) may require him to undertake a paternity test to establish the facts. If the father is named on the birth certificate but subsequently finds out he may not be the father, he may wish to commission a test to prove to the CSA that he is not the father. This type of UK paternity test must be a legal, chain-of-custody test wherein all aspects of the test, from DNA collection to delivery of samples to the lab are supervised by an approved witness.

3. A UK Paternity Test or Maternity Test for Immigration

When a child born overseas to a British national and the other parent is a foreign national, the child is usually entitled to British citizenship.  The British parent can make a passport application through an embassy or British High Commission. As part of the application, the embassy or BHC may ask for DNA evidence to show the paternity or maternity of the child.

Samples are usually collected at the overseas embassy or BHC and then sent to a Ministry of Justice accredited laboratory.  For visa applications for the children of British nationals who have different nationality, again there may be a need for DNA evidence. In these cases the individual can commission the test and the approved DNA testing laboratory will make all the arrangements for this to happen.

Whatever your reason for testing, make sure to choose a highly-accredited laboratory that can deliver trusted results for your UK paternity test at a reasonable price.

If you need additional information about a DNA paternity test, contact our experienced customer-service team on 020 3301 7346.