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Who is eligible?

Application to this project is closed. You can join the waiting list to receive information about any future application periods. Application is relevant for adoptees seeking to find their biological family members and to parents and other family members looking for a child placed for adoption years ago. Preference will be given to people who cannot afford genetic testing. Leveraging the power of genetic genealogy opens new doors in the search for relatives, and we believe everyone should be able to access this valuable technology. Join the waiting list

Submit application

Open now until March 27, 2023

Selection

By April 27, 2023

All DNA kits sent out

By April 28, 2023

Receive results

June 2023 and onward

About DNA testing

Searching for long-lost relatives can be a challenge without a paper trail or any other informational clues. Luckily, inside the cells of our bodies is a map of our genetic history, called DNA. We each inherit 50% of our DNA from our mother and 50% from our father, which means that our biological parents’ genetic legacy is written into the cells of our body. By examining the DNA in genetic material from a cheek swab, we are able to compare one person’s DNA to that of everyone else who has taken the test. When two people’s DNA results show that they share DNA in common, we are able to calculate the likely relationship between them, such as cousins, siblings, or parent/child. When names, dates, and locations may be unavailable, DNA is often the best link between family members trying to find one another.

Already taken a
DNA test?

If you have already tested with another DNA service, you can upload your DNA data to MyHeritage for free to participate in this project. You will receive more matches and benefit others searching for their biological family.

Your privacy

Your privacy is closely protected on MyHeritage. We have made significant investments to ensure your account and personal details are secured and protected by multiple layers of encryption. Only you manage your DNA privacy settings and have access to your raw DNA data and your DNA results. All testing is done in our world-leading CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited laboratory in Houston, Texas.
We have committed as part of our privacy policy to never sell or license our users’ DNA data to any third party.

How you take the test

We will mail accepted participants a MyHeritage DNA test kit. The test consists of a simple cheek swab (no blood or spit required) and takes only 2 minutes to complete. You then mail your sample to the MyHeritage DNA lab for analysis. Your results will be available in 4–6 weeks on a secure online account on MyHeritage, accessible to you only.

How we compute your results

At the MyHeritage DNA lab, we extract your DNA from the sample and translate the biological information into digital raw data. We then compare your DNA to the DNA of more than one million people in the MyHeritage DNA database to find matches. Your DNA matches are your relatives, and we are able to calculate the likely relationship between you. Our algorithms also calculate your Ethnicity Estimate, determining which segments of your DNA originate from different regions in the world to show you a breakdown of your ethnic origins.

About MyHeritage

About us

MyHeritage is a global leader in family history and genetic genealogy. MyHeritage was founded in 2003 and offers a simple-to-use family tree platform, an expanding collection of billions of historical records, powerful matching technology, and a fast-growing, integrated DNA testing service. MyHeritage DNA is a powerful DNA test that reveals previously unknown relatives and ethnic origins. The MyHeritage DNA test is the #1 DNA test in Europe, and MyHeritage’s DNA database is one of the largest in the world. Trusted by millions of users worldwide, MyHeritage seeks to enable everyone to discover who they are and where they come from.

Other MyHeritage pro bono projects

MyHeritage has placed an emphasis over the years on doing good in the world. We love to have our employees initiate and participate in empowering projects that utilize our resources, tools and expertise to benefit humankind. Below are some of our pro bono projects.

Reuniting Jewish Yemenite Families

We are helping more than a thousand Jewish Yemenites find answers about their missing family members.

The Jerusalem Post covers MyHeritage’s efforts in offering free DNA testing with the aim of reuniting Yemenite families.
A feature reporting on the successful reunion of two Yemenite long-lost sisters who found each other thanks to DNA testing via MyHeritage.
The BBC ran a feature about the campaign to reunite Yemenite families and MyHeritage’s work and successes so far.

Restitution of Looted Assets

MyHeritage discovered heirs of unclaimed assets confiscated during WWII and returned looted art to its rightful owners.

Journalist Doreen Carvajal enlisted the help of MyHeritage CEO Gilad Japhet to return artwork stolen by the Nazis to their rightful owners.
A feature on Wired about MyHeritage's pro bono project returning assets lost during WWII to their rightful heirs.

Tribal Quest

MyHeritage is documenting the family stories and traditions of remote tribal communities around the world that face the risk of cultural extinction. We’re helping tribes who have no access to technology preserve their family history for future generations.

An introduction to the Tribal Quest initiative, describing our first expedition to document the family histories of the Himba people in Namibia.
Article covering the incredible images from MyHeritage’s month-long expedition to Siberia in an effort to preserve their legacy.

FAQ

I have already done a DNA test. How can I participate?
I applied to DNA Quest in the past, can I reapply?
Who is eligible to participate?
Can people searching for non-adopted loved ones such as cousins, lost ancestors, etc., participate and receive free DNA kits?
Can sperm donor children seeking their siblings participate?
I was born from a non-paternity event but there was no adoption. Can I participate?
We are a family of several people seeking a child we had placed for adoption. Which of us should do the DNA test?
How will the committee select who will get the kits if there are more applicants than kits available?
What happens if I apply, but don't receive the free DNA kit?
What exactly will participants receive for free?
Can adoptees who purchased a MyHeritage DNA kit in the past receive a refund for it?
Who owns the DNA?
What about privacy?
Will my story be shared with media?
Can I join anonymously?
What will I find out from the DNA test?
How does this DNA database work?
I am adopted. Aren't there very small odds that I will find exactly the family member(s) I am looking for in this DNA database?
Is this DNA test accurate? Is it admissible in court?
After I get the results, if there is no "bingo", what should I do? Can I get help?

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