Families going through the immigration process are forced to hurry up and wait. Hurry up and fill out your I-130. Wait for the Immigration Department to contact you. Hurry up and file your affidavit of support. Wait for Immigration to approve it. Wait for them to schedule a final interview. Then you go and they tell you to get a DNA test to prove you're related. You're expecting to play the hurry up and wait game again, but you don't have to. You can choose an AABB lab that will treat you the way you deserve to be treated.
Turnaround time for immigration DNA testing varies widely depending on the country. There are four major factors that will affect how quickly your DNA test is completed.
1. Payment and Petitioner Collection - The petitioner needs to make payment, and provide the necessary information to the lab in order for the test to begin. After that, the company will schedule a DNA collection for the petitioner. A quality laboratory will schedule an appointment within 2 days.
2. Shipping - The DNA testing lab will need to ship collection supplies overseas, so the beneficiary/ies can be collected. Choose a lab that ships using international priority, which is the fastest and safest way to ship. Make sure the lab ships the supplies the same day payment is made, so the process is not delayed. Some labs will wait for 5 or so cases to come in, so they can batch the supplies and save on shipping costs. Ask the lab if they do this. Shipping also includes the package being sent back to the DNA lab for testing, along with the results being sent to U.S. Immigration. All shipments should be made priority.
3. Foreign Collection - The U.S. Embassy will contact the beneficiary to schedule an appointment. This can take anywhere between 1 week and 6 months. Make sure you choose a lab that will follow up with the Embassy, and try to get the beneficiary an appointment as quickly as possible. A good lab will keep in constant contact with the petitioner, the beneficiary, and the Embassy to make sure the collection gets completed fast.
4. Tracking and Follow-Up - This is an extension of what I talked about above. You should be assigned a personal case manager who tracks your case from start to finish, ships priority, schedules appointments quickly, and reports results fast.
Don't settle for the "hurry up and wait" mentality that is the status quo in the immigration process. Ask questions to make sure the lab you choose is working for you, so your family will get their visa fast.
