Important H-1B Update: FY 2024 H-1B Cap Petitions May Be Filed Starting April 1, 2023. The period for filing the H-1B cap-subject petition will be at least 90 days, through June 30, 2023. Learn more.

Important H-1B Update: FY 2024 H-1B Cap Petitions May Be Filed Starting April 1, 2023. The period for filing the H-1B cap-subject petition will be at least 90 days, through June 30, 2023. Learn more.

USCIS Policy on DNA Evidence in Support of Sibling Relationships Updated

USCIS Policy on DNA Evidence in Support of Sibling Relationships Updated

The updated USCIS policy memorandum on the acceptance of DNA evidence supporting sibling relationships permits officers to suggest and consider direct sibling-to-sibling DNA test results, and provides standards for evaluating DNA results for full siblings and half siblings. This guidance is to enhance the agency’s ability to accurately evaluate eligibility for immigration benefits by allowing petitioners and officers to make effective use of recent technological advances in direct sibling DNA test results.
When USCIS determines that primary evidence is unavailable or unreliable, it may suggest and accept DNA test results as evidence of a full-sibling or half-sibling relationship in any petition or application for an immigration benefit in which a sibling relationship is required to establish eligibility or may otherwise be relevant to an eligibility determination. USCIS will only consider results of DNA testing conducted by an AABB-accredited lab.
USCIS policy on parentage testing remains unchanged.
This Policy Memo replaces a 2014 Policy Memo (PM-602-0106, DNA Evidence of Sibling Relationships), and previous guidance in Chapter 21.9(c) of the Adjudicator’s Field Manual (AFM).

Schedule a consultation

DUBLIN OFFICE

6379 Clark Avenue, Suite 260
Dublin, CA 94568

SANTA CLARA OFFICE

5201 Great America Parkway,
Suite 320, Santa Clara, CA 95054