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Last Updated On: May 21, 2024 | Published On: September 24, 2022
You grew up with them, they played with you, they teased you, they protected you, and in your eyes your siblings are immediate relatives. However, in the eyes of USCIS, a sibling green card falls under the family-based category and not the immediate relative category. Also known as the F4 visa, this family-based green card category varies from immediate relative green cards in terms of processing time, forms, necessary documents, and even who is allowed to sponsor them. To sponsor a sibling for an F4 visa, you must be a U.S. citizen and at least 21 years old. Permanent residents can’t sponsor siblings to live permanently in the country. On this page, you will learn how to best navigate and understand the F4 visa process. VisaNation makes the entire process of sponsoring a sibling or a relative seamless and easy. Get started today!
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To qualify for the F4 sibling visa, the applicant must meet the following requirements:
While all these categories can receive a sibling green card, there are different types of required documentation for each type of sibling. We’ll go over more of the details for each type of category later.
The detailed sponsor requirements vary on the type of sibling you are sponsoring. To sponsor a full-blooded sibling, you must:
However, the documents that you must submit will differ if your beneficiary is not a full-blooded sibling.
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To sponsor an adopted sibling, you must also submit a copy of the adoption decree that demonstrates that you and your adopted sibling were under 16 years old before the adoption took place.
It is important to note that if your full-blooded sibling was later adopted by another family you can not sponsor that sibling for an F4 visa.
To sponsor a step-sibling, you must provide a copy of your natural parent and step-parent’s marriage certificate and copies of any documents demonstrating that their prior marriages were terminated.
To sponsor a paternal half-sibling, you must provide a copy of each marriage certificate from your father to each mother, along with copies of documents demonstrating the prior marriages were terminated.
Sibling green card fees vary depending on the complexity and supporting documentation needs of every case. Fees are generally around $2,000—not including the medical examination fee—but can definitely grow. Below is the breakdown of fees:
Are you just thinking about securing a green card for your family members? Let VisaNation assist you throughout the entire process. Create your application today!
The F4 application process is usually completed by the sponsor and by the beneficiary sibling. Although the entire process may differ depending on your background, the general process is listed below:
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The sibling green card is known as the F4 visa for a reason. There are four family-based green card categories. The sibling category is the last one, which makes the processing time the longest. The processing time for F4 visa will never take less than 14-15 years.
In addition, the sibling green card processing time varies depending on the service center your I-130 was submitted. The I-130 can take anywhere from 6 months to 10 years to be processed and approved. You can check the latest processing times for your I-130 by service center.
You can check on your specific case status by inputting your receipt number in the USCIS’ case status checker.
Only 65,000 F4 visas are distributed every year, which also leads to long delays in approval. For the most accurate information on visa approvals visit the visa bulletin. Do you have questions related to family-based immigration? We can help you with the entire process, from start to finish. Start today!
If your sibling filed I-485, it can take around six months or longer to process. This form is also dependent on the caseload for the designated service center. You can check the latest processing times for the I-485 by service center.
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There are numerous forms that must be submitted during the F4 process. Below is a detailed summary of all of the forms that you will encounter during the sponsorship process.
Form I-130 is always required for any family-based green card petition. Only the U.S. citizen who is sponsoring the sibling can fill and submit the form. The sibling is considered the beneficiary. When USCIS accepts and receipts the I-130, it will assign a priority date to the petition.
You don’t need to fill out a separate I-130 for your sibling’s spouse or their unmarried children under 21 years old.
To best fill out the I-130, be prepared to answer questions about the following topics:
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If your sibling is already in the U.S. under a nonimmigrant visa, then they will be able to adjust their status to an immigrant green card by submitting form I-485 once their F-4 priority date is current. Currently, there is a 1-10 year wait for the F-4 priority date to become current from the time the I-130 is filed with USCIS. It is important to note that if your sibling is in the country but not under a visa then they will still need to proceed with their application as if they were outside of the country including traveling to the home country to do the interview at the embassy or consulate when the priority date becomes current.
Your sibling is the only one who can fill out I-485. They should be prepared to answer questions regarding the following topics:
A USCIS-approved physician must perform a medical exam on your sibling for the F4 visa. Those results will come in a sealed envelope with your I-693.
If your sibling is in the U.S., they can find an approved physician at USCIS’ Find a Doctor tool. If your sibling is outside the country, they need to search for the U.S. embassy or consulate in their area, and review the instructions for the medical exam and the authorized practitioners.
The exam includes a physical and mental evaluation, drug and alcohol screening, medical history review, immunization records, and tests for different diseases and illnesses. The physician might refer your sibling to another physician for additional testing depending on their findings in the initial exam. I-693 is not complete and signed until all testing required by the approved-physician is complete.
There are some health-related issues that will make your sibling inadmissible that are important to note. If your sibling has any communicable diseases, physical or mental disorders that result in harmful behavior, substance abuse, substance-abuse related mental disorders that can result in harmful behavior, or failure to show proof of required vaccinations, then they will not be allowed to have an F4 visa. If your sibling has other diseases or disorders, they won’t necessarily be ruled inadmissible but it can be used as evidence for overall inadmissibility with other grounds.
In order to demonstrate that you can support your sibling financially until they have found employment, you must submit form I-864. In this form, you must demonstrate evidence of an annual income that is at least 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guideline.
You need to be prepared to answer questions about the following topics:
Once your I-130 is approved and the priority date becomes current, your sibling must submit DS-260, the online visa application. The application must be submitted with a copy of the I-864. Are you just thinking about securing a green card for your family, spouse, or a friend? Let VisaNation assist you throughout the entire process. Create your application today!
USCIS requires the following documents when petitioning for an F4 visa:
DNA evidence can be submitted if for some reason birth certificates are not available or USCIS determines them unreliable. Note that USCIS can suggest DNA testing but does not have the authority to require testing.
After the National Visa Center has all your documentation, it will schedule an interview with your sibling at the U.S. embassy or consulate in their country of residence. If your sibling has a spouse or children that will also be a part of the F4 visa, they must also complete DS-260, do a medical exam, and attend the interview.
The purpose of the interview is to determine if your sibling is eligible for the F4 visa and whether all the documentation provided is accurate. The interviewer will also ask your sibling questions regarding his or her background.
Your sibling must also bring documents to the interview including photographs and original or copies of all provided civil documents submitted to the National Visa Center. Your sibling must not forget to bring any of these documents.
If your sibling falls under any of the following grounds of inadmissibility—among other reasons—they will be denied a sibling green card:
Some of these grounds can be waived. However, the following grounds cannot:
Once your sibling is approved for an F4 visa, the first thing to do is celebrate. Then your sibling will receive the visa stamped to his or her passport along with a sealed packet with a letter stapled to it. Your sibling should verify the information on the visa and the letter are correct. The packet must be submitted unopened to an immigration officer at a port-of-entry.
VisaNation Law Group will help you prepare your petitions for a sibling green card and gather the necessary documentation while avoiding RFEs that can prolong the process. Their experienced family-based immigration attorneys will also guide you through the entire process.
Tags: Affidavit of Support, Petition for Alien Relative, sibling green card