As a United States citizen, you might wonder how you can help your family immigrate to the country. You can sponsor your sibling for a green card through the F4 family-based category green card. If you do not have citizenship but have a green card, you cannot apply for your sibling’s green card until you become a naturalized U.S. Citizen.
Sponsoring your sibling is one way for you to help them work towards citizenship.
How to apply for my sibling?
To sponsor your sibling for a green card, you must complete and file a form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative and any supporting documents. Once you file this petition with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the filing date will become your sibling’s priority date. After approval of your immigrant petition, this priority date determines when your sibling can apply for their green card.
Your sibling will then wait for a visa to become available. Your sibling can then submit their application through Form DS-260 with the relevant supporting evidence to the National Visa Center.
Next, your sibling will schedule an interview date through the U.S. consulate and a medical exam with an approved physician. If your sibling meets all of the green card requirements, they will get an F4 immigrant visa.
What about any half-siblings and step-siblings?
You can sponsor a green card for half-siblings. For example, if you and your half-sister share the same mother, you can use your birth certificates as proof. If you have a step-sibling, you can also sponsor them for a green card as long as you have a sibling relationship before your 18th birthday.
Although a lengthy wait time exists for an F4 category visa, you can still sponsor your sibling on their journey to a green card.
