How long did your DNA test take?

[Jake77 14]

The entire process - from the day the petitioner gets swabbed to the day the Embassy / St. Luke calls the beneficiary to get his sample taken at the Embassy.

 

...

 

Also, the instruction on the DNA procedure says to bring a recent photograph of me but there's no detail on the size / number of photographs I need to bring.

 

Is this another 2x2 photograph?

[Jake77 14]

Update:

1. Took about a month.

 

Had to call St. Lukes myself. They told me to come the day after because Embassy had already received my testing kit.

 

(Note: St. Lukes fee is P1.5K. I was told on the phone to only pay P1.2K but had to pay more.)

 

2. Two 2x2 with a white background - just like what they asked for the initial medical exam.

 

[Clara1745 1]

On 10/4/2023 at 1:17 PM, Jake77 said:

Update:

1. Took about a month.

 

Had to call St. Lukes myself. They told me to come the day after because Embassy had already received my testing kit.

 

(Note: St. Lukes fee is P1.5K. I was told on the phone to only pay P1.2K but had to pay more.)

 

2. Two 2x2 with a white background - just like what they asked for the initial medical exam.

 

Hi! When you called St. Lukes to schedule an appointment, what exactly did you say? Because we called them to schedule the swabbing but they said that we still have to wait for the embassy to give them 'the list'?? 

 

Ps. DNA test kits arrived on the 28th of September. It's already three weeks from now and yet to receive any call from St. Lukes as per the instruction.

Edited October 14, 2023 by Clara1745

[Jake77 14]

5 hours ago, Clara1745 said:

Hi! When you called St. Lukes to schedule an appointment, what exactly did you say? Because we called them to schedule the swabbing but they said that we still have to wait for the embassy to give them 'the list'?? 

 

Ps. DNA test kits arrived on the 28th of September. It's already three weeks from now and yet to receive any call from St. Lukes as per the instruction.

The list has the names of people who need to do DNA testing.

 

The Embassy periodically sends that list to St. Lukes to schedule swabbing. You have to wait for the Embassy to send a list with your name on it to St. Lukes first. You could keep calling them every week to check.

 

As for what I told them, I asked St. Lukes multiple times (would call every week) if they have my kit. On the first couple of calls I had, they told me no. It took 2-3 weeks or so (give or take) before they told me that they have received my kit.

 

You could also try calling the Embassy because sometimes the Embassy would not immediately send your kit to St. Lukes even if they already have it - don't know why tho.

 

But maybe bugging the Embassy (telling them that your kit has arrived in the Philippines) would speed up the process. Try calling both every week.

 

Note: your name might already be on the next list the Embassy is preparing to send to St. Lukes and St. Lukes only has to receive it.

[Clara1745 1]

4 hours ago, Jake77 said:

The list has the names of people who need to do DNA testing.

 

The Embassy periodically sends that list to St. Lukes to schedule swabbing. You have to wait for the Embassy to send a list with your name on it to St. Lukes first. You could keep calling them every week to check.

 

As for what I told them, I asked St. Lukes multiple times (would call every week) if they have my kit. On the first couple of calls I had, they told me no. It took 2-3 weeks or so (give or take) before they told me that they have received my kit.

 

You could also try calling the Embassy because sometimes the Embassy would not immediately send your kit to St. Lukes even if they already have it - don't know why tho.

 

But maybe bugging the Embassy (telling them that your kit has arrived in the Philippines) would speed up the process. Try calling both every week.

 

Note: your name might already be on the next list the Embassy is preparing to send to St. Lukes and St. Lukes only has to receive it.

I already sent a couple of emails to both St. Lukes and the embassy, but I think I'll just call them again on Monday. 

 

How long did it take for the embassy to receive the results? And do you have to wait for another 221g letter to send your passport or do I just send them that after the dna swab collection?

[Jake77 14]

23 minutes ago, Clara1745 said:

I already sent a couple of emails to both St. Lukes and the embassy, but I think I'll just call them again on Monday. 

 

How long did it take for the embassy to receive the results? And do you have to wait for another 221g letter to send your passport or do I just send them that after the dna swab collection?

3-7 days after they sent the swab back to US.

 

Yes, you'll have to wait for another 221g requesting your passport.

[Clara1745 1]

5 minutes ago, Jake77 said:

3-7 days after they sent the swab back to US.

 

Yes, you'll have to wait for another 221g requesting your passport.

And how long did that take until they sent you another 221g for the passport? 

[Jake77 14]

Just now, Clara1745 said:

And how long did that take until they sent you another 221g for the passport? 

They tried calling me on multiple occasions but I missed all calls because I would always leave my phone at home. So, in the end, they had to physically mail, through LBC, the 221g requesting my passport.

 

If I remember correctly, they'd probably contact you by phone within a week of receiving your result. Also, they tend to process DNA cases on Wednesdays it seems like - don't know why.

 

Note: my status remained REFUSED on CEAC even after the request for my passport was sent to me. It was only changed to ISSUED after 3 or so days of the Embassy receiving my passport.

[Clara1745 1]

4 minutes ago, Jake77 said:

They tried calling me on multiple occasions but I missed all calls because I would always leave my phone at home. So, in the end, they had to physically mail, through LBC, the 221g requesting my passport.

 

If I remember correctly, they'd probably contact you by phone within a week of receiving your result. Also, they tend to process DNA cases on Wednesdays it seems like - don't know why.

 

Note: my status remained REFUSED on CEAC even after the request for my passport was sent to me. It was only changed to ISSUED after 3 or so days of the Embassy receiving my passport.

I see. So you already have your visa? Congratulations! 

 

Thank you for answering my questions, I was getting anxious from all the waiting. I'll try to update my process here for anyone's reference.