Helping Siblings Reunite in the United States of America

Do you hold United States citizenship, but your brother or sister lives in a foreign country? You may be able to petition for your sibling to come to America and become a lawful permanent resident in the country. The F-4 immigrant visa was specifically designed to help siblings of United States citizens immigrate to the U.S. so that the family can be united. Pursuing this path would grant several benefits to the foreign sibling.

Though definitely featuring several notable benefits, the F-4 visa is not the easiest immigrant visa to obtain. There are several steps that an applicant must go through, and then there is a lengthy waiting period. During this time, there is always the opportunity of something going wrong, a document being filed incomplete, or other unforeseen situations that could end up delaying your petition.

It is highly recommended that you and your family member work with an experienced immigration attorney throughout the process to help limit the possibility of things going wrong and, hopefully, speed along the process. The immigration law firm of Elizabeth Rosario Law, PLC. has extensive experience serving clients from many diverse backgrounds in their pursuit of their own American Dream. As your lawyers, we would be proud to offer you compassionate and dedicated legal services as you navigate the immigration system for your sibling visa. To learn more about the services we offer, please contact our law offices to schedule an in-depth case evaluation.

Do F-4 Visa Recipients Become Lawful Permanent Residents?

If successful in your pursuit of an F4 sibling visa, the recipient sibling will be granted a legal permanent resident card (also known as a green card).

By becoming a green card holder, the foreign-born sibling could enjoy the freedoms of being an American, like the right to have a driver’s license, the authorization to work, the ability to seek an education, and the right to legally reside within the nation’s borders.

What Are Family Preference Visas?

There are two main categories of family-based immigration visas: visas for immediate family members and what are called ‘Family Preference’ visas. For the purposes of a family immigration visa, only specific family members are considered ‘immediate’ relatives. These include spouses, parents, and minor children.

Any other alien relative may be qualified for a Family Preference visa instead. The drawback here is that there is an unlimited number of immediate relative visas, but Family Preference visas are capped at a certain number every year, which makes them associated with longer wait times.

The F-4 sibling visa falls under the Family Preference category of family-based immigration visas.

Family Preference visas include:

• F1 (First Preference): A U.S. citizen’s unmarried sons and daughters who are at least 21 years old.
• F2A (Second Preference): This category is for spouses and minor children of green card holders.
• F2B (Second Preference): This category is for unmarried children (over the age of 21) of green card holders.
• F3 (Third Preference): Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.
• F4 (Fourth Preference): This category is for a sibling or stepsibling of a U.S. citizen.

To learn more, please speak with an experienced immigration attorney at our law firm.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements for an F-4 Visa for Siblings?

A number of criteria must be met in order for a sponsor or a foreign sibling to successfully apply for an F-4 visa.

For the U.S. citizen sponsor, they must meet the following criteria:

• Must be at least 18 years old at the start of the application process.
• The sponsor must live in the U.S. with a valid mailing address.
• The U.S. citizen sponsor must be able to prove a sibling relationship exists. This may be accomplished by supplying birth certificates or adoption documents.
• They must be able to prove that they have U.S. citizenship. This may be satisfied by either presenting a birth certificate or official naturalization documents.

Failure to meet these basic requirements may make it impossible to sponsor a foreign sibling for an F-4 visa. To ensure you meet the eligibility requirements, please contact our law firm to speak with an immigration lawyer.

For the foreign sibling, they must meet the following criteria:

• Must have a brother or sister in the U.S. who holds valid United States citizenship.
• Must live outside of the U.S. at the time of the F-4 visa application.
• Must prove a sibling relationship exists between the applicant and the U.S. sponsor. This may be proven with a birth certificate, a marriage certificate (in cases of stepsiblings), or adoption papers.

Our law firm has years of experience assisting brothers and sisters in their pursuits of F-4 visas. To learn more about the legal representation that we offer, please set up your initial consultation today.

Can a Stepsibling or Adopted Sibling Apply for the F4 Visa?

Yes, an adopted sibling or a stepsibling may apply for the F-4 visa. They may simply be asked to provide different documentation to prove the sibling relationship.

An adopted brother or sister will likely be required to present all the documents proving the official adoption.

A stepsister or stepbrother will likely be required to provide a marriage certificate that proves the family relationship as stepsiblings.

Schedule a Consultation with an Experienced Lawyer for F-4 Visas for Siblings Today

Elizabeth Rosario Law, PLC. has the experience and knowledge necessary to help you through the difficult and time-consuming F-4 application process. Without the help of an experienced immigration lawyer, there exists the chance of not having all the documentation necessary to satisfy all the official immigration offices. And if an error occurs or something unforeseen happens, you want someone in your corner who is familiar with the labyrinthine U.S. immigration system.

Our law firm will proudly represent you through the entire application and petition process. The American Dream for your foreign sibling is within reach; you simply require a little help to get you across the finish line. With time and determination, we feel confident that we will be able to guide you to the outcome you desire.

To discuss your unique case in more detail, please contact us at 616-530-0101.