When you first immigrated to the U.S., you may have left behind a somewhat complicated life in your home country. Now that you’re a U.S. citizen and attempting to bring family members into the country, it can be difficult if you don’t have a “traditional” family tree.
You may have to provide evidence that you have a close biological relationship with a child, parent or sibling. This is more commonly (although not exclusively) an issue for men.
For example, if you have a child with a woman you never married and you weren’t named as the father on the birth certificate, you’ll need to provide other evidence of your biological relationship with that child to bring them here on a family visa. If you didn’t raise the child, there may be no documentary evidence of your relationship – maybe not even photos of you together.
People trying to bring over parents or siblings may encounter the same issue if they never lived together as a family. Fortunately, even if you have no documented proof of your relationship, science can help – specifically DNA testing.
What kind of DNA results are necessary?
DNA tests these days are easy to take. It just involves having your cheek swabbed. The time it takes to analyze the results and the expense are the biggest drawbacks.
DNA tests can provide proof with 99.5% certainty of a close familial relationship (child, parent or sibling). That’s the industry standard and what embassies and consulates may require for family visa purposes.
Before you and your family member undergo this testing, it’s best to determine what kind of evidence you have of your relationship and whether it’s sufficient to obtain a family visa without a DNA test. Having legal guidance can help the process go more smoothly and help you avoid unnecessary steps and delays.