International Outbound Shipping

We ship kits to most international locations. Standard shipping is by DHL eCommerce International. There are some countries where shipping requires special processing. A full list can be found at the end of this article.

Due to the wide range of international postage costs, international shipments do not include return postage. International customers must pay for their own return shipping, including all import duties and taxes, and ship DDP (Delivered Duty Paid). For return instructions and documents, see our International Return Shipping article.

FamilyTreeDNA is not responsible for any charges or fees (such as import fees) incurred in the process of receiving the test kit in your country.

Standard International Shipping

For standard international shipping orders, FamilyTreeDNA uses DHL eCommerce. International orders can take several weeks to arrive depending on the delivery location. The combined shipping and handling charges for standard DHL shipping to most international locations are as follows:

• Single kit (first kit) - $9.95 USD
• Additional kit - $4.95 USD per additional kit. A kit counts as an additional kit only when it is bought with the first kit in the same order and shipped to the same address in the same shipment. Kits going to different addresses are each charged as a first kit.

Example: If you order three kits with standard international shipping to one address, the shipping and handling cost is $19.85 ($9.95 + $4.95 + $4.95). Two kits shipped to two different addresses cost $19.90 ($9.95 + $9.95).

Please note that your kit will not be shipped until the shipping and handling fee has been paid.

Important: This is the cost for most international locations. Depending on your location, the cost might be higher.

Expedited International Shipping

Once you have placed your order, you may request that it be shipped to you by Federal Express. International prices vary.

To upgrade shipping, fill out our contact form or chat with us. Make sure to have your kit number and a physical address ready for a shipping price quote. Your kit number is included in the email that we sent to you after you placed your order online.

Important: As the shipping and handling fee covers the costs of materials and labor, expedited shipping fees are in addition to the standard $9.95 shipping and handling fee.

International Shipping Times

Orders normally ship the next business day from our office in Houston, Texas. This can change during peak seasons. International orders can take several weeks to arrive.

Important: Due to the high volume of orders during sales and holiday seasons, shipping times may be longer than normal.

Replacement Kits

If you believe that your DNA collection kit has been lost in the mail or otherwise destroyed, please contact our customer service department for inquiries about a replacement collection kit. Replacement kits do not incur additional shipping fees in most cases.

When a replacement kit is ordered, there is a chance that the original DNA collection kit sent to you was delayed rather than lost. In such cases, when you receive the replacement kit, do not use it for any other individual. Submitting samples from different individuals under the same kit number can cause significant delays in testing.

IMPORTANT: Do not use a labeled collection kit for more than one individual. This includes any replacement kits received.

All duties and taxes for delivery of shipments from the U.S. for processing are the customer's responsibility.

Tariffs, Customs, and Import Fees

All fees incurred for international packages held by customs at the destination country are the customer's responsibility. You can download Regulatory Letters and commercial invoices by clicking one of the following:

NOTE: Download the documents for your kit type. Use one complete set. The two sets are not interchangeable.

Countries with Import Restrictions

Some countries require special handling for shipments, only allow dry swabs, or do not allow shipments at all. Before placing an international order, you may wish to check this list for the destination country. 

Countries Where We Cannot Ship

The following countries have restrictions that prevent us from shipping DNA kits to them:

• Afghanistan
• Belarus
• Bhutan
• Cuba
• Eritrea
• France 
• Haiti
• Iran
• Niue
• Oman
• Russia
• Seychelles
• Somalia
• South Sudan
• Sudan
• Syria
• Turkmenistan
• Ukraine
• Yemen

We do not ship kits to France. If you are in France and received a kit from someone else, such as a relative or a project administrator, you can still return your sample. See the International Return Shipping article for details.

Countries That Require Special Handling for Shipping

The following are countries that we know require special handling for shipping. Some of these countries have delays during shipping. 

Note: This list is only for special handling for shipping purposes and is not related to import tax or Value-Added Tax (VAT). 

• Argentina
• Brazil
• Chile
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Guatemala
• Iraq
• Ireland
• Mexico
• Pakistan
• Peru
• Poland
• Spain
• Turkey

Countries That Require Dry Swabs Only

The following countries require a "dry swab" collection kit that does not contain vials or lysis buffer. 

• Argentina
• Brazil
• Chile
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Iraq
• Mexico
• Pakistan
• Poland
• Turkey

Countries That Require Special Handling When Returning Kits

We are aware that in some (or all) cases the following countries will, at least part of the time, require special handling when customers return kits:

• Brazil
• Japan
• Mexico
• Saudi Arabia

For detailed information on customs requirements and declarations, please see the International Return Shipping article.