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What is the Process for a UK Immigration DNA Test?
Having a DNA relationship test to prove a relationship to the immigration authorities has proven to be a very powerful tool. In the past, the authorities accepted sundry evidence of a relationship where documentation was unavailable or ambiguous. As the rules around immigration were tightened, this type of supporting evidence became insufficient; and so the advent of DNA testing was very timely for individuals wishing to join their families in the UK. A UK immigration DNA test provides definitive evidence that is accepted by the Home Office, UK Border Agency, and Her Majesty’s Passport Office.
Your Guide to Immigration DNA Testing in the UK
UK DNA Testing for Visa Applications and Appeals
IMPORTANT: This process is not for passport applications
- A private client or their legal representative contacts an accredited lab like DNA Diagnostics Centre (DDC). It is imperative that the lab be on the list of Ministry of Justice approved laboratories. The client or representative should provide the full names, dates of birth, and contact information of all people who are going to be tested. The lab then contact everyone and determine the collector most suitable to take the samples: This may be in the UK or overseas. As with all tests, DNA collection is performed by a medical professional or a member of lab staff. All family members attend their collection appointments with ID and a passport photo
- The official collector takes the samples, tamper-seals them and ships them to the lab
- Once the samples are received, the laboratory performs the necessary testing
- When the testing is complete, reports are sent to the client or their legal representative who then submits them and the application to the immigration authorities
UK DNA Testing for Passport Applications
- The process here is the complete reverse to that for a visa application. For passport cases, you must make your application to Her Majesty’s Passport Office before doing any testing. If you try to pre-empt the process by doing the test privately first, they will not accept the report and you will have to do it again at your own expense
- When the application is accepted, the Passport Office writes to you, inviting you to undergo a test and specifying where your samples should be collected. In the UK, this is usually DDC’s Office in London where we hold regular clinics. For family members overseas, DNA collections are performed by our sample collectors at the local visa application centre. An official supplied by the UK authorities will witnesses all sample collections
- Once the samples arrive at our laboratory, we perform the necessary testing, which generally only takes a few days
- When testing is complete, we will send the DNA test results and any required supporting documentation Passport Office and the client
SEE ANSWERS TO TOP 5 UK IMMIGRATION QUESTIONS >
Who Can Participate in a UK Immigration DNA Test?
Testing can be done for maternity, paternity, siblings, aunt or uncle testing, and grandparent relationships.
The actual testing procedure at the lab is the same for all UK immigration DNA tests, but sample-collection process can be very different, so it is essential that you identify the correct process for your case. The experts at DDC are ready to help you make the right decisions.
