ImmigrantFamily-sponsoredFourth preferenceAnnual limitForm I-130

F4 Brother or Sister of a U.S. Citizen

Family fourth preference: a green card for brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens aged 21 or older, with their spouses and minor children.

Last reviewed Oct 1, 2026Sources: Department of State · USCISReport an error

At a glance

Who qualifies: Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens
Petitioner: U.S. citizen sibling aged 21 or older (Form I-130)
Annual limit: 65,000 plus unused F1–F3 numbers
Final action date (most countries): October 22, 2011
Dates for filing (most countries): November 1, 2011
Derivatives: Spouse and unmarried children under 21

The longest family line. As of the October 2026 Visa Bulletin, F4 final action dates are October 22, 2011 (most countries), December 15, 2006 (India), April 22, 2001 (Mexico) and May 15, 2008 (Philippines). Pauses and proclamations (as of October 1, 2026). Proclamation 10998 still suspends immigrant visas for nationals of 39 countries, with limited exceptions (State Department notice). The separate January 21, 2026 pause for 75 nationalities ended August 21, 2026 under a court order (State notice).

Overview

F4 lets a U.S. citizen who is at least 21 petition for a brother or sister. The sibling’s spouse and unmarried children under 21 come as derivatives.

The October 2026 Visa Bulletin sets the F4 allocation at 65,000 a year, plus any numbers not required by the first three preferences. Demand far exceeds supply, so waits are measured in years and differ sharply by country.

Only U.S. citizens can petition for a brother or sister; permanent residents cannot (State Department).

Who qualifies

The petitioner must

Be a U.S. citizen
Be at least 21 years old when filing (USCIS)
Sign Form I-864 for the sibling and derivatives (a joint sponsor may help)

The beneficiary must

Be the brother or sister of the petitioner
Be admissible to the United States, including on public-charge grounds

Duration & extensions

Status granted	Lawful permanent residence for the beneficiary and derivatives
Green card validity	Typically 10 years (USCIS M-274)
Path to citizenship	Generally after 5 years as a permanent resident
Final action date — all countries except India, Mexico, Philippines	October 22, 2011
Final action date — India	December 15, 2006
Dates for filing — all countries except India, Mexico, Philippines	November 1, 2011
Dates for filing — India	February 1, 2007
Final action date — Mexico	April 22, 2001
Final action date — Philippines	May 15, 2008
Dates for filing — Mexico / Philippines	April 30, 2001 / March 22, 2009

Fees

Fees as published on official schedules on October 1, 2026.

Fee	Amount	Who pays	Notes
Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative	$675 paper / $625 online	Petitioner	Current USCIS fee schedule amount; one petition per beneficiary.
Immigrant visa application processing fee (DS-260)	$325 per person	Each applicant	Family-preference rate on the State Department fee schedule; non-refundable.
Affidavit of Support review	$120	Petitioner / sponsor	Charged by State only when the I-864 is reviewed domestically (at the National Visa Center).
USCIS Immigrant Fee	$235 per person	Each immigrant	Paid online to USCIS after the visa is issued; the green card is not produced until it is paid.
Form I-485 (only if adjusting status inside the U.S.)	$1,440 paper / $1,390 online	Applicant	$950 paper / $900 online for a child under 14 filing with a parent. Replaces the DS-260, $120 review and Immigrant Fee path.

Medical examination and vaccination costs are set by the panel physician or civil surgeon and are not on the government fee schedules. The $250 Visa Integrity Fee in Public Law 119-21 applies to nonimmigrant visas, not to immigrant visas.

Processing time

Final action date (most countries): October 22, 2011; As of the October 2026 Visa Bulletin; China shares this date.
India / Mexico / Philippines: Dec 15, 2006 / Apr 22, 2001 / May 15, 2008; Oversubscribed chargeability areas.
Dates for filing (most countries): November 1, 2011; Chart USCIS requires for family filings in October 2026.

Waits are governed by the Visa Bulletin. I-130 and I-485 times vary; check USCIS processing times.

Application steps

1
Petitioner files Form I-130
The U.S. citizen sibling (21 or older) files Form I-130 with USCIS. The filing date becomes the beneficiary’s priority date — the place in line.
2
Wait for the priority date to become current
Each month the Visa Bulletin publishes a final action date and a date for filing for each category and chargeability area. Numbers can be issued only when the priority date is earlier than the final action date.
3
National Visa Center processing
After approval, USCIS sends the case to the National Visa Center. The applicant pays fees, submits Form DS-260, the petitioner submits Form I-864, and civil documents are uploaded. Failure to apply within one year of notice of visa availability can lead to termination of the petition under INA 203(g).
4
Medical exam and consular interview
Since November 1, 2025, NVC schedules interviews in the applicant’s country of residence (or nationality, on request). A medical exam by an embassy-approved panel physician is required.
5
Travel and become a permanent resident
On admission at a U.S. port of entry with the immigrant visa, the beneficiary becomes a lawful permanent resident. The $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee must be paid before the green card is produced.
6
If already in the U.S.: adjustment of status
A beneficiary who is in the U.S. and eligible to adjust may file Form I-485 instead of consular processing. In October 2026 USCIS requires family-sponsored applicants to use the Dates for Filing chart.

Required documents

From the petitioner

Proof of U.S. citizenship (U.S. passport, birth certificate, or naturalization or citizenship certificate)
Proof of the sibling relationship: the petitioner’s and the beneficiary’s birth certificates showing at least one common parent, plus the parents’ marriage records where the siblings share only a father (see the Form I-130 instructions)
Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, with financial evidence (income must generally meet 125% of the HHS poverty guidelines)

From each applicant

Passport biographic page
Birth certificate; marriage or divorce records where relevant
Police certificates and any court and prison records, as listed in State’s civil documents guidance
Form DS-260 confirmation and medical exam results

Dependents & family

The sibling’s spouse and unmarried children under 21 are derivatives with the same priority date (INA 203(d)). A child who turns 21 during the long wait may stay a derivative only if the CSPA age formula keeps the child’s age under 21 and residence is sought within one year of visa availability.

After you arrive

Family-preference immigrants become lawful permanent residents when admitted on the immigrant visa (or when USCIS approves Form I-485). Most receive a green card with a 10-year expiration date; a spouse whose marriage is less than two years old when residence is granted receives two-year conditional residence (INA 216).

Step 1

Pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee

The $235 fee is paid online, ideally before departure; the card is mailed to the U.S. address on file.

Step 2

Keep residence in the U.S.

Long trips abroad can raise abandonment questions; an absence of more than one year generally requires a reentry permit or a returning resident (SB-1) visa.

Step 3

Naturalization

Most permanent residents may apply for citizenship after five years of continuous residence, with physical presence for at least half that time.

Married son or daughter of a U.S. citizen

Third family preference.

Unmarried son or daughter of a U.S. citizen

First family preference.

IR-5

Parent of a U.S. citizen

Parents of adult citizens — no annual limit.

Diversity Visa

Lottery-based green card for eligible countries.

Common questions

Can a permanent resident sponsor a sibling?

No. Only U.S. citizens can petition for brothers and sisters, and the citizen must be at least 21 (State Department).

How long is the F4 wait?

There is no fixed time. As of the October 2026 Visa Bulletin, visas are being issued to F4 applicants with priority dates before October 22, 2011 for most countries — a 15-year gap — and earlier for India, Mexico and the Philippines.

Can my sibling’s husband or wife and children come too?

Yes. The spouse and unmarried children under 21 are derivatives on the same petition.

Official sources

Recent changes

Sep 18, 2026
Public charge final rule takes effect. DHS’s final rule (91 FR 45324, published July 20, 2026) rescinds the 2022 public charge regulations and applies to admissions and to adjustment applications postmarked or submitted on or after September 18, 2026. Source ↗
Sep 4, 2026
October 2026 Visa Bulletin opens FY 2027. The first bulletin of fiscal year 2027 advanced several family final action dates; USCIS says family-sponsored adjustment applicants must use the Dates for Filing chart in October 2026. Source ↗
Aug 21, 2026
75-country immigrant visa pause no longer in effect. Under the court’s order in CLINIC et al. v. Rubio, et al., State says the January 2026 pause on immigrant visa issuance to nationals of 75 countries ended as of August 21, 2026. Source ↗
Aug 5, 2026
Public charge bond pilot for immigrant visa applicants. State says consular officers may require certain immigrant visa applicants to apply for a public charge bond with USCIS under a pilot used for select cases; if the bond is approved, a visa previously refused under INA 212(a)(4) may be issued. Source ↗
Jun 5, 2026
Court vacates USCIS benefit holds for “high-risk” country nationals. In Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. USCIS, the court vacated PM-602-0192, PM-602-0194 and PA-2025-26, which had held pending USCIS benefit requests from nationals of listed countries. USCIS says it is complying pending further review. Source ↗
Jan 21, 2026
Immigrant visa issuance paused for nationals of 75 countries. State paused all immigrant visa issuance to nationals of 75 listed countries, citing public-benefits concerns. Interviews continued, but visas were not issued. The pause ended August 21, 2026 under a court order. Source ↗
Jan 1, 2026
Proclamation 10998 suspends immigrant visas for 39 nationalities. Proclamation 10998 (signed December 16, 2025; 90 FR 59717) took effect January 1, 2026. It fully suspends visa issuance to nationals of 19 countries and suspends immigrant visas for nationals of 19 more countries and Turkmenistan, with limited exceptions; case-by-case national-interest exceptions remain possible. Source ↗
Nov 1, 2025
Immigrant visa interviews in country of residence. The National Visa Center now schedules immigrant visa applicants in their country of residence or, if requested, their country of nationality, with rare exceptions. Source ↗
Jun 4, 2025
Proclamation 10949 restricts entry from 19 countries. Proclamation 10949 (90 FR 24497) fully or partially suspended entry of nationals of 19 countries. Proclamation 10998 later continued and expanded it. Source ↗

This page is general reference material compiled from the official sources above and is not legal advice. Eligibility depends on individual facts; rules and fees change, so confirm with the agency before you file. VisaTypes.com is not affiliated with USCIS, the Department of State or any government agency. Spotted an error? Tell us.