How do I return my DNA sample to you?

Wherever you are in the world, your kit will include a prepaid postage return mailer which is designed to be deposited in a public postbox.

If you are located outside of the UK, the USA, or the EU, please do not forget to sign and date the customs label in order for your samples to make it back to us. If this is not done, additional delays may be incurred at customs.

All prepaid return postage is via standard, untracked mail, so please see the table below for the return timeframes from your region. It's worth keeping in mind that during November and December, or at other busy times, additional delays may be incurred.

All samples returned outside the USA will have to pass through customs on leaving your country and on entering the UK so, it's possible for there to be delays which can add an additional 10 working days to the return time. We are sorry, but we're not able to influence this.

You may not have heard of the IBRS service but it is an initiative from the Universal Postal Union (UPU). All of its members have approved the use of IBRS. If your country is in the member list, your postal service should accept our return mailer without extra charge, as long the item still fits within the allowances of IBRS.

IBRS does not include tracking, so if you ask for your sample to be returned with tracking the postal service will ask you for payment to send the sample back or, alternatively, may reject the envelope since the pre-paid postage covers only regular postal fees. 

There are weight and size limits for the service, so please don't add any packing or extra material to the return mailer. If you do this then the IBRS label will not apply, and this could lead to delays in transit, or even the sample failing to arrive with us at all.

If the IBRS specifications are violated in terms of acceptable weight and package dimensions. Postal offices will reject it. IBRS is not intended for parcels.

You might want to keep an eye on your sample as it makes it's way back to us or want to get the testing started as soon as possible so choose to send it with a tracked shipping or courier service at your cost. Please keep in mind that all parcels will have to pass through customs which can affect the shipping times. 

The address on the IBRS label cannot be used if returning your sample with a courier or tracked postal service.

If you would like to send your samples back with a courier or tracked shipping service you will need to use one of the addresses below - sending to the address on your return mailer will mean your sample may get lost or returned to you. 

Please also keep in mind that while we can ship our DNA collection kit to nearly anywhere in the world, there may be customs restrictions in your country that will make it difficult to send your samples back to us. Please contact your local authority for more information on sending DNA cheek swab samples out of your country.

Please also check that it is lawful for you to take a DNA test in your country before purchasing.  For your legal safety, we advise that you do not place an order for Services, provide a sample, nor use Related Services in any jurisdiction where it is illegal for you to do so.