U.S. citizens sponsoring brothers or sisters for a U.S. Green Card in 2025 are facing higher costs and some of the longest waits in the family system. Cases in the Family Fourth Preference (F4) line often stretch well beyond a decade before a visa becomes available. Only citizens aged 21 or older can file for siblings, and immigration attorneys say the calendar — not the paperwork — is what slows families down.
How the process begins and what the petition does
At the start of a case, the sponsoring citizen files Form I-130 to ask the government to recognize the family relationship. That petition:
- Is the ticket into the queue and sets the priority date (the filing date time stamp).
- Does not grant status, travel permission, or work authorization to the sibling abroad.
- Does not speed other visas; it only secures a place in line.
According to VisaVerge.com, the government currently takes about 12 to 18 months or more to approve the initial petition, before the long Visa Bulletin wait even begins.
Eligibility and documentary requirements
Eligibility is narrow and must be shown clearly on paper. Key points:
- Siblings must share at least one legally recognized parent — biological, half, step, or adopted.
- For step or half relationships, the family tie must have formed before age 18.
- For adoption cases, the tie must have formed before age 16.
- Sponsors must be U.S. citizens, not green card holders, and 21 or older on the day they file.
Families often spend months gathering proof — birth records, marriage and divorce documents, adoption decrees — to avoid delays after filing. If a parent’s marital history is relevant, consular officers may scrutinize those records to confirm timing requirements.
Costs and government fees (2025)
Government fees are predictable but add up. Common charges include:
- Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative): $625 if filed online, $675 on paper
- Form DS-260 (immigrant visa application at consulate): $325
- Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support review by NVC): $120
- USCIS immigrant fee (to produce the physical green card after visa issuance): $220
- Form I-485 (adjustment of status, if processed inside the U.S.): $1,440 (2025)
Additional likely expenses:
- Medical exam costs (vary widely by country and provider; may include required vaccinations)
- Courier charges, translations, travel to consulate
- Attorney fees, if used (can add thousands more)
Warning: Government fees alone typically exceed $1,300 (not counting medicals); attorney and other costs can significantly increase the total.
The F4 backlog: supply, caps, and waits
The F4 category has an annual worldwide supply of roughly 65,000 visas with a 7% per‑country cap. Because of this and high demand, especially from large-population countries, wait times have ballooned.
- VisaVerge.com reports waits for many countries now exceed 17 to 20 years.
- Countries with especially long backlogs include India, Mexico, China, and the Philippines.
- The per‑country 7% cap means large-file countries consume their full share quickly, lengthening waits for nationals of those countries.
This backlog shapes life decisions: a sibling sponsored today may be an adult with children by the time a visa number opens.
Priority dates, the Visa Bulletin, and movement
The Department of State uses priority dates to sort the queue. Only cases with priority dates earlier than the monthly cutoff in the Visa Bulletin can move ahead to visa processing.
- Families track the Visa Bulletin monthly; movement can be a few weeks, minimal, or may retrogress.
- The bulletin is the official source for when F4 cases can move forward: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html
- If a priority date is not current, the sibling cannot complete the process, regardless of how long the I-130 was approved.
Practical impacts during the wait
Filing an I-130 does not allow the sibling to live or work in the U.S. based solely on the sibling filing.
- Beneficiaries abroad generally must remain outside the U.S. unless they independently qualify for another visa.
- If the sibling is already in the U.S. in lawful status, they may remain under that status but must wait for the priority date to become current to file Form I-485 to adjust status.
- Children who are derivatives risk aging out at 21, though complex age‑freezing rules sometimes apply.
Families often consult counsel early to manage expectations and keep documents current over many years.
Steps and forms throughout the process
Important forms and where they fit:
- Sponsor files Form I-130 with USCIS (instructions: https://www.uscis.gov/i-130).
- If I-130 is approved and the priority date is current:
- Siblings abroad complete the immigrant visa process with the National Visa Center and a U.S. consulate (Form DS-260: Form DS-260).
- Sponsor submits Form I-864 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-864) to show financial support ability.
- If sibling is in the U.S. and eligible to finish inside the country:
- They file Form I-485 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-485).
- All new immigrants pay the USCIS immigrant fee to produce the physical card (https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-fees/uscis-immigrant-fee).
The State Department’s Visa Bulletin governs when cases move from petition approval to visa processing (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html).
Practical advice for long waits
Because many steps are time-sensitive only when a visa number is near, families should focus on long-term preparedness:
- Keep contact information updated with relevant agencies.
- Preserve original birth, marriage, and adoption records; maintain valid passports.
- Respond to notices promptly to avoid case closure.
- Budget for fees, medicals, travel, translations, and potential legal help.
- Expect consular review of records tied to timing rules (e.g., step and adoption ages).
Key takeaway: simple logistics (documents, passports, current addresses) can prevent last‑minute delays when a priority date becomes current.
Constraints affecting who can file
Only U.S. citizens can sponsor siblings. Consequences:
- Green card holders cannot file for brothers or sisters until they naturalize.
- Age rule is fixed: a citizen must be 21 to file. A 20‑year‑old must wait until turning 21.
- These citizenship and age gates, combined with numerical caps, drive timelines more than paperwork speed.
Why families still use the sibling route
Despite the long timeline, sponsoring a sibling remains a commonly chosen path because:
- It leads to permanent residence and later the option to apply for U.S. citizenship.
- It does not require the sibling to meet work or education criteria.
- Filing an I-130 early (as soon as the sponsor turns 21) starts the clock even if life plans change.
Final notes on timing and action steps
When a priority date becomes close or current, the National Visa Center typically reaches out with instructions and fee bills. Actions at that point include:
- Pay required fees (DS-260, I-864 review, etc.).
- Complete and submit forms and supporting documents.
- Schedule and attend the medical exam and consular interview (or file I-485 if adjusting status in the U.S.).
If a sibling is in the U.S. in a different lawful status when the date becomes current, they may be eligible to file Form I-485 if all legal rules are met.
The framework — caps, priority dates, and fees — remains the same for everyone in the F4 line, and any change to these structural rules would require Congressional action. Until then, families rely on careful planning, the monthly Visa Bulletin, and timely responses to agency instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
This Article in a Nutshell
U.S. citizens 21+ can sponsor siblings via Form I-130, which establishes a priority date but doesn’t grant status. USCIS approvals take about 12–18 months; the bigger delay is the F4 visa backlog—roughly 65,000 visas yearly with a 7% per-country cap—leading to waits often of 17–20 years for high-demand countries. Sponsors must document relationships, prepare for government fees exceeding $1,300 plus medicals and legal costs, and track the Visa Bulletin to know when a case can proceed.
