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General => Ancestral Family Tree DNA Testing => Topic started by: KitCarson on Saturday 23 June 18 14:08 BST (UK)
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Hi, I have had a quick look at the DNA thread, but can't see a similar question. Apologies if this has already been covered.
I have purchased 4 kits for use with family in the UK. We have a 98 year old family member in Western Australia and they are keen to do a DNA test. Great!! or so I thought. It appears that I can't purchase one and have it shipped to them in WA. The nice person at Ancestry explained that I would have to wire the money and they would need to purchase the kit from Australia. Why??? They are not Ancestry members and at 98, I'm not going to ask them to sign up either. Goodness only knows what would happen and what they might get tied into.
What a palaver, yet Ancestry have an Australian site and I have a Worldwide subscription.
Anyone had this situation and been able to get round it? I wouldn't be surprised if the only way was to mail them the kit (lord only knows how much that would be) and for them to mail it back to me (again at their cost) and for me then to send it onto Dublin. >:(
Kit
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Couldn't you sign into the Australian site, buy the kit and give the gent's address for it to be sent to?
Added: a quick google found this:
DNA tests can be purchased for oneself or as a gift. DNA tests cannot be sent to someone who lives in a different country. When a test is purchased as a gift, the buyer can opt to have the test sent either to him- or herself or directly to the test taker.
That sounds like you can't send a kit purchased in the UK to another country, but you can just have the test sent directly to your WA relative ....
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Hi Ruskie, I did exactly that and it kept directing me to the UK site :-X
Edit: Maybe I should just persist?
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Do you need to log out of your UK Ancestry account before trying to go to the Australian site? :-\
I've just had a quick look (but I am in Australia). Is it the $129 kit you want to buy for him? Where do the completed test kits have to be sent? (I know that FTDNA kits go to the USA)
Have you contacted Ancestry UK for help?
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If you click on this link does it still send you to the UK site:
https://www.ancestry.com.au/dna/
Added: It looks like you need to set up an account for him but give your email address so you can access his results?
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the link took me to the Australian DNA page and when I looked at the options for payment, it has to be purchased with a card registered in either Australia or New Zealand. That is also what the guy at Ancestry call centre said :'(
Kit
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They're not making it easy for you are they?
It doesn't make sense. I can use my Australian credit or debit card to make purchases on UK or American retail websites - I don't understand why you can't do the same with Ancestry.
Does your elderly relative have someone who can buy the kit for him using their own card and you could then transfer the funds to them? :-\
Have you considered trying another DNA testing company who may be more flexible?
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No, they are not making it easy! The guy at the call centre said as much and that he would put feedback onto the system.
We have only been in contact with this family member for a little while and was so pleased that they agreed to take the test. I know that they have a daughter, but I'm not sure where she is resident. I have sent an email off to ask that very question. It isn't about spending more money than necessary, and am prepared to spend over and above if needs be, but I want to make it as simple as possible for them.
We have friends on the Gold Coast and a cousin of mine (it's my husband's side we're asking for DNA) in Brisbane that I could ask if needs be.
thanks for your interest and helpful suggestions. In this day and age, Ancestry just has to catch up with it's clients needs!
Kit
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I understand that you want to make it easy for your elderly relative. It is terrific that he agreed to take the test - at 98 he is the best person to take it isn't he. :)
I hope you manage to sort it out. :) Let us know how you get on.
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I think I'm resigned to the situation where I post one of my 4 newly purchased kits (registered to my Ancestry account, not really sure if that matters???), and send my relative money to send it back to me so I can use the pre-paid 'envelope' although it's a box).
We haven't yet used a kit, so have no idea on registering a kit once it has been used.
What I wasn't sure about was, should my cousin in Australia, who is an Ancestry subscriber, purchase a kit for this relative of my husband in WA, whether somehow that would try and show links to my cousin (rather than my husband), or am I overthinking things???
All new territory. Kit
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Keep the weight down by removing lots of unnecessary packaging, unless you can find a good samaritan on here to act as go-between.
Martin
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Thanks for the tip Martin. We had our Gold Coast friends visit in March. I wish I'd progressed this at that time! I'm just aware of our relatives fragile state aged 98 and his willingness to participate.
Kit
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Couldn't your cousin in Australia purchase it as a gift for the 98 year old - at least that would keep it all in the same country? They could then have it sent straight to him. It couldn't show links to your cousin then as it wouldn't be in their name would it?
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You also have to have separate email accounts for each test
I had problems when wanting to do one for 98 year old aunt whof was happy to do test but not the management of results
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Hi Groom, thanks for your contribution. I will certainly consider that option but really don't yet know anything about how the results of the tests are set against an individual and how I can 'control' 'keep tabs on' 'access' 'ownership/management' (of the results only, obviously, the DNA isn't mine).
Thanks brigidmac, I'm becoming more of the mind that I will send a test that I have purchased and is recorded to me via Ancestry. I'm more than happy to take the extra cost on board, but want to make things easier for the family members in WA.
Kit
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I have two matches managed by their daughters, when I first sent a message to the matches the daughters answered, just asked one of them and she said her dad doesn't even have an email address that you can put as many tests as you like on one email.
They don't try to match one particular test/person to another, they just compare with all they have and give you the results.
It shouldn't cost too much to send to Australia, it's very light.
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Kit,
With the FTDNA tests, each test is assigned a number and relates to an individual.
(I have no idea about Ancestry)
I think Groom's idea is probably best. Ask one of your Australian relatives to send him a kit.
The issue is, he might find the instructions confusing so it would be best if someone could help him take the test, and it also means a trek to the post office to send it off, which he may not be able to do. Maybe try to chase up his daughter to see if she can help?
Added: i have three (different people's) FTDNA kits registered to my email address.
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Thanks Ruskie and Sinann, feeling a lot more positive now. Just waiting to hear back from the family about their daughter. Might help to clarify things. Kit
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I couldn't find a way of doing this officially so sent the kit to my cousin in Australia to test and then return the smaller box back to me so I can send it off from here.
Not sure if the customs will allow it through depending upon how the contents are described.
Haven't heard back from her for 4 months but she usually only contacts at Christmas. So hopefully she will leave doing the test until then otherwise the sample may be unstable - unless she stores it in the fridge.
Fingers crossed...only one on her branch.
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Update. Well daughter lives in Italy, so not much help. I stripped back the pack and just sent what was necessary in a padded bag. The description for customs was 'toy' when the lady at the post office asked for a description, I just said it was a very light plastic item! She put toy on the form. Anyway, documents that I sent separately at the same time arrived in a week.
Eventually, my DNA hope in Aus decided to send away for their own kits. Love and behold, 4 weeks after posting they have arrived. She commented that it took the same amount of time for them to travel from the UK to Aus in the 50s 🙄
So, my kit is making a return journey!
Mr Brown, I feel your pain and hope your kit gets there and back.
Kit
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I have two matches managed by their daughters, when I first sent a message to the matches the daughters answered, just asked one of them and she said her dad doesn't even have an email address that you can put as many tests as you like on one email.
They don't try to match one particular test/person to another, they just compare with all they have and give you the results.
I don't think you can have more than one name per email address currently at Ancestry, you could in the past.
When I activated my husband's account I was asked for a different email address. I used my Gmail as opposed to hotmail address.
I manage his DNA, he is not the slightest bit interested. But as I manage it, all contact messages come to my hotmail address, all messages I send are from my normal address. I do get 'junk' emails from Ancestry to my Gmail address re new additions to my family tree, special subscription offers etc, otherwise things are managed from me by my normal address.
Regards Margaret
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Kit, I'm glad you have managed to find a solution of sorts.
If Ancestry don't allow more than one one per email address that is something they should probably look at changing. Ancestry should be aware that there is often only one family member who takes care of these things and who has other relatives tested in order to compare results, and if they put hurdles in people's way they will test with another company.
And, as already mentioned, not everyone has an email address. :-\
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Kit, I'm glad you have managed to find a solution of sorts.
If Ancestry don't allow more than one one per email address that is something they should probably look at changing. Ancestry should be aware that there is often only one family member who takes care of these things and who has other relatives tested in order to compare results, and if they put hurdles in people's way they will test with another company.
And, as already mentioned, not everyone has an email address. :-\
Ruskie, They have no intention, as far as I can see, of changing it back. There was uproar when the change came in, apparently, but people quickly got round it, by creating new email addresses for themselves. I did it using one I already had.
Here is what DNAGeek said at the time it was introduced, full instructions to manage someone elses account.
http://thednageek.com/upcoming-changes-to-kit-registration-at-ancestrydna-keep-calm-and-carry-on/
Here is what Ancestry says -
"Each adult who takes the test must activate it on their own Ancestry account. With the exception of tests for minor children, only one DNA test may be activated on one account. To invite another adult to activate their test, see our article about helping another adult activate a test.
To create an Ancestry account, you'll need an email address. If you don’t have an email address, or if your email address is already associated with an Ancestry account, you’ll need to create a new email address"
So my husband has his own account and email address, I invite him to view my tree. 'He' gives me full access to his DNA results, and nominates me as manager.
It works exactly as if I were managing it from my own account, but he has to have a separate account as well, presumably in case at some stage he wants control of it, which he would otherwise not be able to have.
Regards Margaret