F4 VISA FOR SIBLINGS OF US CITIZENS
The F4 visa applies to U.S. Citizens who wish to petition their brother/and or sister to come to the U.S and obtain lawful permanent residence, otherwise known as a “green card”. If approved, the F4 visa is also granted to the immigrant’s spouse and minor children who are under 21 years old. This visa allows the immigrant to lawfully work and study in the U.S.
The F-4 visa category is considered a family “preference immigrant category” under fourth preference which means that there is a waiting period and limit to the number of visas issued each year, and you must wait until your priority date becomes current before you apply. This waiting period depends on the immigrants’ country of birth.
At Tsang & Associates, we pride ourselves in having over 30 years of experience helping our clients throughout this process. From educating them extensively on what to expect, to monitoring the timeliness of the case processing, you can count on us to walk you through every step of the process from beginning to end.
LEGAL FEE
Our fee structure is unique to us as we strive to tailor our services for each client individually. We adapt price standards that are capable of fluctuating for each client depending on their unique needs. Clients may retain us for one or all of the above steps/services.
Our typical fee for a standard F-4 petition is $3,500, not including government fees and third-party expenses. The Consular processing fees are additional and will be calculated at the moment the priority date becomes available. We are happy to customize a proposal for yours during a consultation. Please see below for more information.
CASE PROCESSING OVERVIEW
Step 1: Strategy Session for the F-4 Immigrant Visa
This is the most crucial step for your entire F-4 Immigrant Visa. We will review all of the supporting documents to create a strategy, a customized checklist, and a timeline to serve as the guiding foundation for the entire case preparation.
Step 2: Prepare and Submit the F4 Visa and I-130 Application to USCIS
Our team will gather, complete, package, and ensure all the documents provided support your case to enhance your chances of getting approved.
Step 3: Await Approval of the I-130 Petition
Once the I-130 Petition is approved by USCIS, the case will be subsequently be transferred to the National Visa Center (NVC) for further processing.
Step 4: Await the priority date to apply and Submit the Required Documentation to the National Visa Center (NVC)
The F-4 visa is considered as a family-sponsored preference category visa, which means there will be a waiting period due to the limited number of visas that are expedited per year. Keep in mind that the preference category of your case should be available to apply, according to the NVC Visa Bulletin. Our team will explain to you how to monitor your case and check the availability to apply. Once the priority date becomes available, we will guide you throughout this process and ensure that the NVC has all the documentation needed to continue to process your case in a timely manner.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Checklist of Required Evidence
You must convince the NVC and U.S Embassy or Consulate that you and your family fulfill all the requirements and are eligible to get the F4 visa. The file must contain the following:
- Your valid passports for more than 6 months after your planned entry into the U.S (your passport, your spouse’s, and minor children’s if applicable)
- A signed Form I-864, Affidavit of Support from the U.S petitioner (applicant’s sibling)
- Form DS-260 confirmation page
- Medical examination and vaccination documents
- Two photographs per individual according to the Photo Requirements for an American Visa
- Your valid marriage certificate to prove your marriage
- Birth certificates or adoption documents of your children
- Court and criminal records and/or police certificate
- If you have been previously married, you must bring divorce or certificates of death to prove the marriage was officially terminated
- If you served in the military, you must bring your military records
Filing Fee
The updated filing fee for F4 visa can be found here.
Who can apply for the F4 Visa?
The requirements for the F4 visa include eligibility conditions for both the siblings of the U.S citizen who are living in a foreign country, but also for the U.S citizen who wants to reunite with them.
However, the only requirement for the F4 visa is that you have a sibling in the U.S who is a U.S citizen. You can be married and have children and they would qualify for the F4 visa too, but it is not a requirement.
As for the U.S citizen who wants to bring their siblings in the U.S permanently, you must fulfill these conditions:
- You must be a U.S citizen
- You must be at least 21 years old
- You must have siblings in a foreign country and prove it through birth certificates or adoption documents
- You must be living in the U.S and have a valid U.S address
SAMPLE & TEMPLATES
Attorney Brief: [coming soon] We will provide an attorney brief sample for the I-130 petition.
Cover Letter: [coming soon] We will also provide a cover letter sample for the I-130 petition.
Sample Request for Evidence: [coming soon] Requests for evidence can be used to strengthen the case.
Forms: Here is a list of the forms that are needed by USCIS
Sample Checklist: [coming soon] We look at the client’s unique situation and create customized checklists to strengthen their cases.
USCIS Fee Calculator: This is to help calculate how much the filing fee will be.
USCIS Mailing Address: This address is where it is mailed to USCIS.
USCIS Processing Timetable: This will help you figure out how long it will take to process.
ASC Field Offices: Listed are the addresses of the field offices for the bio-metrics.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How long is the F-4 visa application process?
Since the F4 visa has a cap on the number of visas issued each yet, the processing time can be very long. An F4 visa estimated time can range from 1 year to extremes of 10 years, which means that it will take long for you to be able to join your sibling in the U.S.
What is the application cap for F-4 visas?
The F4 visa has a cap of 65,000 visas issued each year which limits the number of applications that are accepted and processed by the U.S government.
The excess number of petitions are rolled over to subsequent years in chronological order until their priority dates become current. The U.S. Department of State publishes the cut-off dates for priority dates each month in the visa bulletin.
What are the benefits of F4 Visa?
Do I have access to American Healthcare with an F4 Visa?
SCHEDULE A SESSION
Call or email us to set up your 1-hour consultation. Easily pay the $250 consultation fee over the phone or through our email link. If you would like to have a quick chat with our team before setting up the consultation, feel free to use the calendar on the right to book your 10 minute call.