DNA Testing
DNA Testing is now conducted at U.S. Embassy Kabul.
The letter from the Consular officer says, "We have carefully considered the documentation presented at your immigrant visa interview, however you were unable to clearly substantiate a bona fide relationship for the issuance of a visa."
The letter goes on to suggest that DNA testing would clear up this problem. Such testing analyzes the genetic material present in human cells and has been found to be over 99 percent accurate in verifying family relationships such as: parent/child, brother/sister, etc. The testing is entirely voluntary and is non-invasive and painless. The results are typically available within a month or so (varies by lab).
You decide to take the test. What do you do now?
The petitioner may choose to use any DNA laboratory in the U.S. 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 at http://www.aabb.org/SA/FACILITIES/Pages/RTestAccrFac.aspx. 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:
- Can process buccal swabs;
- Is willing to process the testing for the relationship under question (not all tests are for paternity);
- Is willing to handle international shipments; and
- Will forward the buccal swab test kit to the Embassy in a pre-paid envelope.
If you decide to submit to DNA testing, the petitioner in the U.S. should make arrangements for the test with an AABB-accredited lab. Embassy Kabul will notify you when we receive the testing kit, which generally will include your contact information. Once we receive the kit, we will notify you to come to the Consular Section in Kabul to submit the sample.
After the DNA swab samples have been taken, we will send them to the U.S. lab requested by the petitioner. As soon as the lab sends their results to the Embassy in Kabul, we will contact the applicant to continue his/her immigrant visa or other benefit processing.
Payment of the costs incurred for DNA testing is the responsibility of the petitioning relative in the United States. There is also a fee to be paid to the panel physician’s assistant who conducts the testing.
If you have any questions regarding DNA testing, please contact the Embassy at +93-700-10-8377 between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. (Sunday-Thursday except holidays) or by e-mail at KabulIV@state.gov.