🧬 Taking a MyHeritage DNA Test from France: is it Still Possible?

📌 Context: a Question Asked in our Group

“Hello, does anyone know how to take a MyHeritage DNA test? I’ve seen that they’re no longer authorized in France, but only abroad. I don’t know anyone abroad who could receive the test and send it back to me. Do you have a solution?”

This is a question that many people ask, especially in the context of family research, unclear filiations, or unresolved personal histories.

⚖️ the Law in France: a Very Clear Prohibition

In France, the bioethics law prohibits DNA tests for genealogical or recreational purposes. Only tests prescribed in a medical or judicial context are authorized.

📕 Civil Code – Article 16-10:
“The examination of a person’s genetic characteristics can only be undertaken for medical purposes or as part of judicial investigations.”

💥 Result: Ordering a DNA test from France is punishable by a fine of 3,750 €.

📦 how Do People Do it in Practice?

❌ What Cannot be Done:

• Order directly from an address in France.

• Receive a kit or results in France via sites like MyHeritage, 23andMe or Ancestry.

✅ What some People Circumvent (Illegally):

• Have the kit delivered to an acquaintance abroad, who then forwards it.

• Use a PO box abroad (like in Germany, Belgium, Spain).

• Physically travel abroad to purchase and send the test.

🚨 These methods are often tolerated, but remain technically illegal in France.

🤝 Legal and Concrete Solutions

1. Consult a notary or specialized lawyer:
   In certain cases (inheritance, contested filiation), DNA tests can be requested within a legal and controlled framework.

2. Use legal platforms outside France with a foreign address
   If you have a trustworthy friend or acquaintance abroad, this is currently the only functional option (but still on the edge of French law).

3. Use JeTeRecherche.com as a community relay
   The JeTeRecherche platform does not encourage any circumvention of the law, but facilitates connections:

   • With people who have already been tested.

   • With members living abroad who are willing to help.

   • Or to share a story hoping to be recognized.

🧠 and after the Test?

Once the test is done (outside of France), the MyHeritage platform allows you to:

• View DNA matches

• Reconstruct a family tree

• Possibly find an unknown parent, a half-sibling, a lost cousin…

But be careful: DNA results don’t tell everything. They are leads, not legal proof.

🗣️ our Point of View at JeTeRecherche

We believe that the right to know one’s origins is a fundamental right, and that French legislation will need to evolve.
In the meantime, our role is to inform, support, and guide you in your research, safely and in compliance with the law.