DNA Testing Instruction

The interviewing consular officer has suggested that DNA testing be used to verify a biological relationship in conjunction with your immigrant visa application. DNA testing analyzes the genetic material present in human cells and has been found to be over 99 percent accurate in verifying certain family relationships. The testing is entirely voluntary and all costs and expenses associated with it must be borne entirely by the petitioner and/or you, the beneficiary. The petitioner may choose to use any DNA laboratory that is accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) and conducts buccal swab testing.  A list of AABB-accredited parental testing labs can be found on AABB website.

Any Internet search engine can be used to look up the contact information for the individual labs.  Please ensure that the DNA laboratory you choose:

1. Can process buccal swabs (the blood draws method of DNA testing is not accepted by our office);
2. Is willing to handle international Federal Express Courier Service (FedEx); and 
3. Will forward the buccal swab test kit to the Embassy in a pre-paid envelope.

If you decide to proceed with a DNA test, the petitioner in the U.S. must contact and make arrangements for the test with an AABB-accredited lab.  The laboratory should mail one test kit for each test participant to the consular section at the following address:

Consular Section/Immigrant Visa Unit
U.S. Embassy Phnom Penh
#1, Street 96, Sangkat Wat Phnom
Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Upon the receipt of the DNA collection kit(s), the consular section will schedule the test participant (s) to come for their DNA samples collection at the consular office in the U.S. Embassy via telephone.

A day prior to the appointment at the Embassy, the test participant (s) need to pay a DNA collection fee of $ 25 per person to IOM, or $27 per person to SOS (Test participants will be notified of their designated clinic when they are scheduled for their samples collection).

On the collection day, each test participant must bring:

• Two current photos with the size of 2x2 inches or 5cmx5cm (without any writing on the back);
• A valid passport (a valid ID card is acceptable for non-visa applicants); or, original birth certificate and translation only for a child who applies for Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA); and
• A minor under the age of 18 is required to be accompanied by an adult guardian (the guardian has to bring his/her passport or ID card as well);

* Eating is not prohibited on day of samples collection. However, make sure that the test participant’s mouth is clean and ready (this also applies to the breast-fed/milk-fed baby) for samples collection at least 50 minutes before actual collection.

Note: If DNA package shipping has not been paid, the applicant must pay a DNA package shipping fee which varies from $60-$73, depending on the package weight.  Please also note that we cannot conduct the testing without all of these items.   

Payment of the costs incurred for DNA testing is the responsibility of the petitioning relative in the United States. Prices for DNA testing vary by lab.

The DNA swab samples will be sent to the AABB accredited lab requested by the petitioner for processing. At the end of the samples collection, the immigrant visa applicant(s) will be given an appointment date to return to consular section to continue their visa cases.
 
All inquiries and questions related to DNA testing should be sent to: PHPDNA@STATE.GOV

Note: A copy of DNA results along with the identity documents of the tested applicants need to be sent directly by the lab to the consular section at the above address. We do not accept DNA results that are hand-carried to the Embassy. You should not undergo DNA testing unless it is suggested by the consular officer at the time of the immigrant visa interview; we do not accept unsolicited DNA test results.