Deciding to pursue a paternity test is rarely a simple decision. Whether the goal is personal reassurance or legal documentation, understanding the process beforehand makes it far less stressful for everyone involved.
Peace-of-mind versus legal testing
The single most important distinction is this: a peace-of-mind test cannot be used in court. Peace-of-mind testing uses self-collected or unverified samples, so while the laboratory science is identical, the documentation chain is not.
Legal (chain-of-custody) testing adds identity verification, photograph capture and independent witness attestation. This is what courts and embassies require.
What documents will you need?
For legal testing, every adult participant must present a valid government-issued photo ID. Minors require a birth certificate alongside the attending guardian's identification.
Preparing your family
Our genetic counselors are available before testing to help families discuss expectations and after testing to explain the result. We strongly encourage making use of both.