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Highlights:

• Only US citizens aged 21 or older can sponsor a brother or sister; green card holders cannot.
• The process starts with Form I-130, and the filing date becomes the priority date.
• Sibling visas fall under the Family Fourth Preference (F4) category, which has annual limits.
• Wait times are long, often ranging from 10 to over 20 years, particularly for countries such as India and the Philippines.
• At the final stage, the sponsor must show financial ability through Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support) to support the sibling.

Bringing a brother or sister to the United States as a permanent resident is possible, but takes a long time due to how US immigration rules are structured. Only US citizens who are at least 21 years old can sponsor their siblings. Green card holders cannot do so. Siblings are placed in the F4 family preference category, which has a yearly limit on the number of visas that can be issued, making the waiting period very long, especially for high-demand countries like India and the Philippines.

Who can sponsor a sibling?

To sponsor a sibling, the person must be a US citizen aged 21 or older. Proof of citizenship can include a US passport, birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or other official documents. The sponsor and sibling must share at least one parent, and the relationship can include biological, half, step, or adopted siblings, as long as the legal relationship was formed before the required age.