AABB, formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks, is the accrediting agency for DNA testing laboratories worldwide. The AABB Committee for DNA Testing has developed policies and procedures which are implemented by accredited laboratories. The regulations focus on collection procedures, testing procedures, and chain of custody procedures. All court admissible testing as well as all testing completed for immigration purposes must be done by an AABB accredited lab. There are currently 43 AABB accredited laboratories worldwide. So which one should you choose for your Immigration DNA Test? There are many factors that should go into your decision to choose a DNA lab, but I'll go over three that may be most important: Turnaround time, Customer Service, and Price.
Turnaround time is crucial in an Immigration DNA test, and not all labs operate the same. The immigration process is long, but a DNA test should not be. In order to find an AABB accredited lab with a fast turnaround time you should as the following questions: How long will the process take? What shipping method do you use? Are you in communication with the U.S. Embassy and collection facility overseas? A good DNA lab will know how long the test will take, will use the fastest shipping method, and will have relationships with overseas embassies and collection facilities. This leads into the next factor of customer service.
Customer service may be the most important factor when choosing an AABB lab. Families going through the immigration process come to realize that the U.S. Immigration service is extremely difficult to get a hold of. Your DNA testing company should not be. A good DNA lab will follow up with you on a weekly basis to give you updates on your case. They'll return your inquiries in a timely manner, and do everything possible to get the test done quickly. A quality lab will have the flexibility to meet your time constraints and other special needs.
The final aspect of choosing an AABB lab is price. While the most important factors in DNA cases should be accuracy, turnaround time, and customer service, price is always important - especially in difficult economic times. In immigration DNA testing the petitioner is required to pay the entire testing fee in the United States. This fee should include DNA collection in the U.S., shipping to and from overseas, all testing fees, and the shipment of results. The only fee paid overseas should be a small collection fee paid to the embassy approved physician. Pricing for DNA tests vary widely. Make sure the price you are quoted includes all of the factors above. Some AABB labs have hidden fees. Ask the following questions: Does the price include all shipping charges? Are all collection fees included? Does the fee include the test results? Are there any other fees?
When it comes time to choose an AABB lab for you immigration DNA test make sure you ask the right questions. At the end of the day it always helps to use a lab that is referred by a friend or family member.
Ryan is the Director of Boston Paternity, a DNA testing company that helps bring families together with fast DNA testing services. Boston Paternity has helped bring thousands of families together and has developed strong relationships with embassies and collection facilities overseas. Boston Paternity provides the fastest DNA test for immigration. For more information about Immigration DNA Testing visit our website at http://www.BostonPaternity.com/immigration-dna-testing/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ryan_Quintal
