Relationship Tests

What do I need to know before doing a relationship test?

Before commencing any relationship test with your alleged blood relatives we definitely recommended have your objectives clear. We do in fact, always suggest contacting our customer support team to get advice as we may be able to suggest better and more conclusive alternatives to the DNA test you had in mind.

The following information is indispensable for us to recommend the best test:

• • • What specifically do you want to find out?
    • Are the people available and more importantly, willing to be tested?

I would like to confirm consanguinity between siblings. What test do I need?

Sibling testing is usually done by people who wish to know whether they share the same biological mother or father (in most cases, the father is in question although we have had cases where sibling wish to know whether they share the same mother).

• • • STR Testing (short tandem repeat testing): this test is carried out when test participants are male and female.  To maximize the accuracy of laboratory analysis, we always recommend including a sample of the know parent in a sibling test.
    • In cases where siblings are male and wish to know whether they have the same father, we suggest Y chromosome testing. This test is extremely accurate between agnate relatives as males born from the same father will have the same exact Y chromosome genetic blueprint. We do not require the mother’s sample for this test.

What do the results of a relationship test show?

Unlike paternity tests, relationship DNA tests provide very different types of results depending on the test in question. Some sibling tests provide a probability of relationship and an interpretation of the results; in other words, it will show whether the siblings tested are more likely to be half siblings, full siblings or unrelated. Y chromosome testing, the result is either a match or a mismatch. The same applies for MtDNA testing – if two people share the same mitochondrial DNA profile, then they must share a common blood line from their maternal side and thus, have a maternal ancestor in common. Should you have any more questions, ask us. We will be more than happy to assist you.

Can i carry out the test for immigration?

The Irish Naturalization and Immigration Services, which deals with Irish visas, citizenship and more, may require relationship DNA testing to prove the relationship between alleged relatives. EasyDNA Ireland offers relationship DNA test results that can used for immigration as proof of relationship between consanguineous relatives.

For more information about this type of DNA test we suggest going to our immigration page. Click here.

For instructions on how to collect your DNA samples, visit our sample collection guide. If you need to submit a sample other than an oral swab (cigarette ends, toothbrushes, teeth and so forth) go to our DNA forensic testing page for more information.