Sponsoring a Sibling

If you are a United States citizen and your sibling is not, you can sponsor them for a green card so that they can come to the United States as a permanent resident. In order to sponsor a sibling , you must be 21 years of age and a United States citizen. Permanent residents (current green card holders) cannot sponsor siblings for permanent residency.

How Long Does It Take to Get an Immigrant  Visa?

The amount of time it takes to get an immigrant visa approved can depend on several different factors. Siblings fall under the “F4” family-sponsored preference category, and they typically wait the longest for approval versus other categories. The date that the first form, the I-130 Petition for Alien Relative, is filed with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) becomes the “priority date.” Applications are handled by preference category in the order of priority date. Once the allotted number of available visas are issued in a year, no more visas will be issued for that year. A sibling petition can take decades to become “current” - the point where a green card is available for the sibling.

Steps of the Process

• Standard steps in the sibling sponsorship process include:

• Submitting form I-130 and awaiting a receipt notice

• Waiting for USCIS to adjudicate the petition (this can take a decade or more)

• Waiting for the case to be transferred to the National Visa Center, where the green card documentation will need to be submitted

• Waiting for the priority date to become current so that an interview can be scheduled at a U.S. consulate (this may happen quickly or may take another decade or more)

• Completing the interview at the U.S. consulate

Understanding the steps of the process and how it works in terms of priority and paperwork can help alleviate some of the stress of waiting for approval for a green card.

Contact Hurtubise Weber Law

For more information or to schedule a consultation, get in touch with the team at Hurtubise Weber Law.