What is a Jamaica Immigration DNA Test?
A Jamaica Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) test is a genetic test performed to establish a biological relationship between a petitioner and a beneficiary when insufficient proof is provided with an immigrant visa application submitted to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
For families looking to perform an genetic test for immigration purposes in Kingston, Jamaica must be aware not to initiate DNA testing unless a consulate section or a USCIS official has recommended that you do so. A DNA test done independently and not according to the State Department’s procedures will not be accepted.
In addition, adding beneficiaries that are not recommended to participate in your DNA testing will not have their samples collected by the embassy.
Please note, relationship testing can only be performed by an AABB (formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks) accredited laboratory for your results to be recognized.
Why is genetic testing requested by USCIS office?
When insufficient proof is provided to prove the claimed biological relationship, between a petitioner and beneficiary during an immigrant visa application or CRBA filing, USCIS or the U.S. (United States) embassy may offer DNA testing as a voluntary option.
Performing a DNA Test before receiving an office action from USCIS or embassy is not recommended. Doing so, may require that you perform your genetic test again.
What types of Family Reunification DNA Tests can be performed?
The commonly suggested tests performed for family reunification cases are:
Paternity Testing: determines a biological relationship between father and child
Maternity Testing: determines a biological relationship between mother and child
Sibling DNA Testing: determine if two or more siblings are biologically related.
What To Expect From DNA Testing Process Internationally?
Below is a brief overview on what to expect from an international test.
- Petitioner or beneficiary must receive a an office action from an immigration agency (USCIS or US Embassy).
- Contact our office at 800-219-4584 to learn more about he process.
- The lab will perform a case initiation and schedule a DNA sample collection appointment for the petitioner in the U.S,
- Next, the laboratory will ship a DNA kit and sample collection request to the U.S. embassy/consulate in Kingston, JM. An embassy official will be responsible for scheduling the beneficiary’s DNA sample collection appointment.
- After the beneficiary’s samples have been collected they will be sent to the laboratory in the United States for DNA analysis.
- Upon the completion of your test, your results will be sent by the lab directly to the requesting immigration agency (USCIS or U.S. embassy) and an additional copy of your results will be sent to you.
What method of Sample collection will take place?
Cheek swabs is the commonly used method of collection when performing a DNA test. It should be noted blood samples collection is another viable with same accuracy as cheek swabs but, blood is more invasive and painful which is why it is seldom used method
Where will the beneficiary’s DNA sample collection happen?
Sample collections for the beneficiary in Jamaica will be scheduled by the embassy/consulate located in Kingston, Jamaica. Below is the address.
United States Embassy in Kingston, JM
Address: 142 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6, Jamaica.
The embassy will be responsible for contacting the beneficiary and providing instructions for their sample collection appointment by email.
What is the cost of DNA testing for Jamaicans?
The cost for DNA test for immigration purposes will vary depending on your circumstance. Contact our office at 800-219-4584 to inquire about pricing.
How long does the DNA testing process take?
The testing process takes 3 business day on average when all specimen samples arrive at the for your DNA results to completed.
Please note, the scheduling of the beneficiary’s appointment by the embassy may take several weeks. Making the entire process turnaround time on average 6-8 weeks sometimes longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the lab send my DNA results to USCIS or U.S. Embassy?
Yes. Upon completion of your DNA analysis the will lab send a copy of your results to requesting immigration office.
Will my DNA results be recognized by USCIS or US embassy?
Yes. Our partner laboratory is AABB (formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks) accredited which is the accrediting body that immigration agencies like USCIS, Passport agencies and U.S. embassies will accept DNA results.
It should be noted, results from an accredited laboratory does not guarantee visa acceptance.
How would my DNA samples be handled after DNA test?
Yes. All DNA testing results are confidential and private. Results will be released to the client and per their request a copy of the results will be sent to the requesting immigration agency’s address stated on the Request for Evidence letter the petitioner received.
In addition, all DNA samples that are collected are destroyed within 90 days and your information is not shared with third-party companies unless the participants involved with your case provide written consent or court order form a judge is received by the laboratory.
Can a home DNA test kit be used for immigration purposes for Jamaicans?
No. Home DNA test kits cannot be used for an immigration purposes. Home Test kits do not require a chain of custody be established or the use of a third-party collector. Therefore attempting to submit a Home Test kit results will not be accepted by USCIS agency.
How accurate are my DNA Testing results?
The accuracy of the genetic testing samples collected and analyzed by our partner AABB (formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks) accredited DNA testing laboratory meets industry standards. The consulate section or USCIS office accepts test results 99.5% and higher that determines the probability of parentage (paternity & maternity) for visa and CRBA cases.
Is my DNA test private?
Yes. All relationship testing results are confidential and private. Results will be released to the client and per their request a copy of the results will be sent to the requesting immigration agency’s address stated on the Request for Evidence letter the petitioner received.
Customer Support
To learn more about genetic testing for immigrant visa and CRBA purposes call 800-219-4584 and allow one of technicians to assist you today.