If you are seeking child support in Illinois, you may wonder whether or not the father of your child needs to take a DNA test to prove paternity. The answer to this question depends on many factors, including the circumstances surrounding your child’s birth and your marital status.
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services states that, if you were not married to the father when the child was born, the hospital staff may have had you sign a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity in order to place his name on the birth record. In order to do this, the hospital staff would need to have witnessed you both completing and signing the forms.
If the alleged father did not complete the VAP form to establish paternity, you can still complete it any time before the child turns 20 years old. After you leave the hospital, you will need to both sign the documents and mail them to the Division of Child Support Services.
If you have no other proof that the child’s alleged father is the biological father, you may need to request that the court order a paternity test. This may also be necessary if the father is not cooperating with you in providing his information. In some cases, the father may also be required to pay for the genetic testing. This information should not be taken as legal advice but is intended for your education about the possible need for genetic testing in some child support cases.