Even after you’ve gotten your U.S. citizenship, bringing family from your home country or another country to join you in the U.S. and get a green card is rarely without complications. If you don’t have a “traditional” family, it can be even more complicated.
Typically, if you have parents, a spouse, child or sibling, there’s plenty of documentation of your relationship. However, what if there isn’t any such documentation? This most commonly happens for men who have a child with a woman they weren’t married to if they’re not listed as the father on the birth certificate.
If you helped raise the child, there may be other documentation showing your relationship, in addition to numerous photos, but what if you didn’t have a close relationship with this child.
Maybe you moved to the U.S. when they were very young to carve out a better life for yourself and your family? Now you want that child to get the benefit of that life.
What is involved in DNA testing to prove a familial relationship?
Fortunately, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recognizes clear DNA results as evidence of that relationship. That means that you and your child will need to take a DNA test.
This simply involves going to a designated location and having the inside of your cheek swabbed. However, there is a fee for the testing. The U.S. recognizes 99.5% certainty of a close familial relationship, which is considered the industry standard.
Before you take this step, it’s a good idea to determine what evidence you have that you are your child’s parent. You may have enough evidence to bring them to the U.S. and get them a green card without DNA confirmation. It’s wise to have legal guidance throughout the process.