Check this out: a whopping 26 million Americans have taken a DNA test at one point or another. With so many people learning more information about their ancestry and heritage, you might be wondering, “how long does it take for DNA results to come back?”.
If that’s the case, then you’re really not alone.
If you’re curious about, “how long does a DNA test take to come back?” we’re here to share everything you need to know. Read here to learn more!
How Long Does a Court-Ordered DNA Test Take?
Here’s the breakdown. If you are dealing with a court-ordered or legally admissible DNA paternity test, it can be stressful for both parties involved. This is especially true if your court dates are long and drawn out, leaving you feeling frustrated and confused about whose responsibility it is to take care of your child.
Luckily for you, we are here to help you out.
Typically, the court will order a DNA sample to be taken from all potential paternal candidates due to:
- Child support
- Custody
- Paternal verification
- Child visitation rights
- Rights to inheritance
- Foreign VISA applications
Besides this, other circumstances that might call for a DNA include the process of safeguarding children with care-proceedings. Often, DNA testing can test multiple paternal candidates to find out who is the actual biological father. Then, the court can move on with its proceedings depending on the outcome of the test.
For DNA results to be legally admissible, the samples must be collected by a disinterested (neutral) third party. At Health-Link, we will do all of the leg-work and find the closest collection site for you. At the collection site, the samples are collected from cheek swabs, the paperwork (Legal Chain of Custody) is completed and a photograph is taken for legal proof of who the samples came from. The samples are then submitted to our lab for processing.
How Long Does a DNA Test Take to Come Back?
Once we receive the samples of all parties in the lab, the testing process begins. Most test results are ready in as little as 48 hours. And, to make it even easier, we provide our clients with an online link so that once results are ready, you will be able to immediate view, download and print your own copy of legallly admissible results.
Are At-Home DNA Tests Better?
When it comes to at-home DNA tests, the results of these tend to be inadmissible in a court of law. That means that even if you pay to take your own DNA test at home, you might still be required to take another court-ordered DNA test.
At home test are great, for the right situation. For example, if the child in question is of legal age and does not need results for legal purposes, it can be a little cheaper to do at home testing. See our FEES page.
Want to learn more about paternity and DNA tests? We highly encourage you to contact our team of experts today!