| A Mountain View, Calif., man will finally be able to | | | | "I've spent a lot of money in the past five, six years, |
| celebrate this Father's Day after a 15-year-long battle | | | | thousands of dollars I just didn't have," Skipwith says. "I |
| to find and secure U.S. citizenship for his long-lost | | | | wasn't able to pay for the test all at once. Last week, |
| daughter from the Philippines. | | | | the U.S. Embassy said if we didn't have the results by |
| Michael Skipwith knew he had fathered a daughter | | | | the 12th of June, we would have to reapply. Then |
| while stationed at Subic Naval Base in the Philippines in | | | | Jason [from DDC] calls, and he just wanted to forgive |
| 1992; his child was due to be born in November that | | | | the whole balance. He was the greatest luck we've |
| year, but in October, Skipwith was transferred | | | | had, because all they [U.S. Immigration Services] were |
| elsewhere and never heard from the mother of his | | | | waiting on was the DNA. Now they are ready to issue |
| child again. He spent ten years searching for his | | | | her the Passport, and she can apply for citizenship." |
| daughter Michelle, and another five years petitioning the | | | | DDC does not release DNA test results until the |
| U.S. Immigration Service for her citizenship. | | | | testing fee balance has been paid off, which meant |
| The last step in the immigration application process | | | | that Skipwith and his daughter's immigration case could |
| was a DNA test that would prove that Skipwith and | | | | not move forward until the balance was paid. Based |
| Michelle, now 16, are in fact father and daughter-a fact | | | | on Skipwith's case history and financial circumstance, |
| American Citizen Services requested to be biologically | | | | as well as the looming June 12 deadline for his |
| proven through a DNA test before they would | | | | daughter's immigration paperwork, DDC decided he |
| approve the application for immigration. | | | | was the perfect candidate for their annual "Father's |
| On June 6, Michael Skipwith found out that DNA | | | | Day for All Fathers" balance relief program DDC |
| Diagnostics Center (DDC), the DNA laboratory in | | | | spearheads every June. |
| charge of this required immigration DNA test, had paid | | | | Skipwith will be reunited with his daughter for the first |
| off the remaining balance on his account as part of | | | | time this summer. He leaves for a trip to the Philippines |
| their annual "Father's Day for All Fathers" campaign. | | | | on June 27. Michelle will not move to the U.S. with him |
| Skipwith's previous balance was reduced to zero, and | | | | right away, Skipwith says, but will wait until her |
| DDC further surprised him by immediately forwarding | | | | academic year in the Philippines is over. |
| the DNA test results to the U.S. Embassy in Manila. | | | | |