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1. How do I pay for an order? faq id: 295

   In the process of placing an order, you will go through two screens. The first screen contains the name of the person being tested and where the kit needs to be sent. After you submit the information on the first screen, the next screen will be your payment option. Depending on your payment option, the second screen will ask for credit card details or billing information for the invoice. The credit card option should be selected if you would like to pay online with a credit card. When paying using the invoice option, once you receive the invoice - which may come either with the kit or to the billing address if different from the shipping address - payment can be submitted by US check, US money order, PayPal or credit card. Tests will be processed only after payment is received.

2. How do I order a certificate of the results? faq id: 296

   The first certificate is FREE. Please do not place a certificate order unless you want an additional copy. You may place the certificate order by logging in to your personal page and selecting the "Order Certificate" link in the left side column. Each additional certificate is $10. Only credit card payment is accepted for certificate orders.

3. Can I change my test before it is sent to the lab? faq id: 298

   Yes. Please email helpdesk@ftdna.com with the kit number and test type to add/change. A refund will be issued if the original test was paid for and the new test amount is less than the original. A new invoice or payment link will be given if the new test price is greater than the original.

4. Should I order the Y-DNA Haplogroup Chart? faq id: 458

   The Y-DNA haplogroup chart is a graphic representation of the Y-DNA phylogenetic tree. It shows the Y-DNA haplogroups according to the Y Chromosome Consortium’s (YCC) classification. For more information on the chart see What is the Y-DNA Haplogroup chart? Should you want your own copy of this chart you may order one from the “Order Tests” link.  The chart is a 4 color 24 * 36 Graphical representation of how evolution took place for the males of our species.

5. How do I order a kit? faq id: 459

   Once you have decided which kit to order, you can place your order through the Family Tree DNA website at http://www.familytreedna.com/products.aspx or by speaking to any representative at our office at (713) 868-1438. To order through a surname project, please go to the main website at http://www.ftdna.com and enter in the name of the surname project in the box in the upper right-hand corner of the page that is labeled “Search Surname ” and click “submit”. This will produce a list of projects, if any, that include the surname you searched for. Click the appropriate project an you will either be taken to an order form or, if the group is a private group, a join-request form. If the group is private, you will have to submit the join request to the group administrator, who will then contact you with directions for ordering a kit through the project if you are accepted into their group.

6. Once I’ve placed my order, how long will the kit take to reach me? faq id: 460

   Once the order has been placed, kits are mailed regular first class mail the next business day from our Houston, TX location. United States Postal Service transit time for first class mail is usually 3-5 business days, but may vary depending on your location (domestically it should not take longer than ten business days).  Please keep in mind that international orders can take several weeks to arrive.

7. Can I have my kit delivered sooner? faq id: 461

   Of course! We do have a Federal Express next day or three day delivery mailing option. To order a kit for express delivery, you must place the order over the phone at (713) 868-1438 and request that the kit be sent using next day or three day delivery. Next day deliver is $25 and three day is $15.

8. My kit was lost in the mail, what do I do? faq id: 462

   If your kit does not arrive within 10 business days of placing your order, please call our office at (713) 868-1438 or email us at info@familytreedna.com. Have your kit number ready and we will have a replacement kit sent to you the next day.  (Your kit number was included in the email we sent you after you placed your on-line order).

9. I lost my kit, what do I do? faq id: 463
   If you accidentally misplace or destroy your kit, please call our office at (713) 868-1438 or email info@familytreedna.com. Have your kit number ready and we will have a replacement kit sent to you the next day.
10. How Many to Test? 12, 37, 67 Markers? faq id: 565

    With several levels of Y-DNA test being offered, how does one know which is the right one to choose? If I submit a sample to you for testing and you find that I match exactly with another person, how many generations ago did we have a common ancestor?

    Is the 37-marker test not enough? Why the need for a 67-marker test?

    Our motivation to offer a 67-marker test was two fold:

    1. Family Tree DNA wanted to ensure our customers that by testing with us they could obtain the highest resolution Y-DNA test in the world (like FTDNA clients may also obtain the highest resolution test on their mtDNA by taking our Full Genomic Scan, which looks at the entire mitochondria molecule).
    2. Several groups of families have still not been able to completely determine the relatedness of group members with our flagship 37 marker test. Therefore we see two main advantages of testing 67 markers over testing 37:
       • Y-DNA67 can further refine our estimate of how closely related two individuals are,
       • By using additional markers groups of related participants have a better chance of finding mutations which identify sub-branches in the family.

    However, not all participants or projects need to test 67 markers in order to achieve their objectives.

    Some projects will be able to achieve their goals with a 12, 25 or 37 marker test. Only if you are in a project and part of a subgroup of that project where you match, exactly or nearly exactly, to several others will you gain by upgrading to additional marker.

    Our motto could be: test only what you need, upgrade only when necessary.

    Here are the times back to the MRCA when ALL the markers match. Those numbers are based in the latest results of the mutation rate study conducted by the University of Arizona. For example, with 37/37 (all 37 markers match), there is a 50% probability that the MRCA was no longer than 2 generations, and a 90% probability that the MRCA was within the last 5 generations. Compare these with 25 and 12 -- with 25 markers, there is a 50% probability that the MRCA was within the last 3 generations, while with 12 markers, there is a 50% probability that the MRCA was within the last 7 generations.

    Table 1.

    Probability for Most Recent Common Ancestor (MRCA)

    Number of matching markers	50% probability that the MRCA was no longer than this number of generations	90% probability that the MRCA was no longer than this number of generations	95% probability that the MRCA was no longer than this number of generations
    10 of 10	16.5	56	72
    11 of 12	17	39	47
    12 of 12	7	23	29
    23 of 25	11	23	27
    24 of 25	7	16	20
    25 of 25	3	10	13
    35 of 37	6	12	14
    36 of 37	4	8	10
    37 of 37	2 to 3	5	7
    65 of 67	6	12	14
    66 of 67	4	8	9
    67 of 67	2	4	6

    

    FamilyTreeDNA's 37 and 67 marker tests point to a much lower number of generations to the most recent common ancestor than other commercially available tests. We use exacting statistics appropriate for the non-independent transfer of genetic material on the Y Chromosome.

    Table 2.

    Examples of previously tested individuals.

    Situation	DYS #												Result
    	393	390	19	391	385a	385b	426	388	439	389i	392	389ii
    California-Same Surname	12	22	14	10	14	15	11	15	11	14	11	31	12/12 match with Argentina
    Argentina Same Surname	12	22	14	10	14	15	11	15	11	14	11	31	12/12 match with California
    5 Generations in US-Same Surname	12	23	14	10	13	17	11	16	11	13	11	30	12/12 Match with E. Europe
    Recent Arrival from E. Europe-Same Surname	12	23	14	10	13	17	11	16	11	13	11	30
    Houston Same Surname	14	22	15	10	13	13	11	12	11	12	12	29	Not a match with Brazil
    Brazil Same Surname	13	25	16	10	12	14	12	12	11	13	11	29	Not a match with Houston
    Nordic Genetic Fingerprint	13	23	14	10	14	14	11	14	11	12	11	28	Sample of Nordic Haplotype
    Western Atlantic (Modal) Haplotype	13	24	14	11	11	14	12	12	12	13	13	29	Sample of W. Atlantic Haplotype
    Samaritan	12	23	14	10	14	17	12	15	13	13	11	29	Sample of Samaritan Haplotype

11. How can I submit/transfer test results obtained from Ancestry.com or another testing company to Family Tree DNA? faq id: 568

     We are sorry, but we can not accept data into our database from other labs for two main reasons:. One, we cannot guarantee that they tested the same markers and two, we cannot guarantee that they were scored in the same nomenclature that we use or that the results are even correct. We must assure that the DNA results in our database are uniform and presented in the same manner. We cannot do this by accepting outside results. For this reason if you would like to be added to the Family Tree DNA database we would have to verify results in our own lab. You can order a DNA test kit at a special price by clicking on the following link:

    http://www.familytreedna.com/PDF/PROMO_GAP.pdf