You can make use of the family-based green card process to apply a green card for your brother or sister. If you are a U.S. citizen, you should have gained your citizenship through naturalization or citizenship process, and you should be above 21 years of old to petition a green card for your sister or brother. Through the family-based green card process once your sister or brother enters the United States they are eligible to work permanently and later apply for citizenship. And you cannot apply for a green card for your sister or brother through family-based green card process if you are a green card holder.
The family-based green card process is a multi step process. First your need to file an Immigration petition using Form I-130 with USCIS. After USCIS approves the Form I-130, an immigrant visa number should be available. Once the immigrant visa is available they will be notified to go and schedule an interview in their local U.S. consulate. If your brother or sister is already in the U.S. on a different visa you can file I-130 later once the immigrant visa number becomes available they can apply for adjustment of status in the United States.
You needn’t file separate Form I-130 for your sister or brother. You can use a single Form I-130 and file for all your eligible sisters and brothers. Along with form I-130 you will need to file Form I-864 Affidavit of Support to establish that you have enough income to support your siblings.
You will have to submit the supporting document along with Form I-130 to establish your relationship, and each supporting document varies based on your situation.
If you and your sibling have same mother you need to file Form I-130, with your birth certificate and your siblings birth certificate with your mother’s name on it along with your proof for citizenship and affidavit of support.
If you and your sibling have same father but different mother, then you will have to file Form I-130 with your birth certificate with your father’s name and your siblings birth certificate with your father’s name, a copy of divorce decree or any documents to prove your fathers previous marriage were ended.
If you are applying for a step sibling who is sharing a common father, then you will need to submit your birth certificate with the name of your father. The marriage certificates between your father to both your natural mother and your step siblings natural mother, and proof of termination of marriage to your natural mother or your siblings natural mother.
If you are applying for a step sibling and you share a common mother, then along with Form I-130 you will have to submit a copy of your birth certificate with that of name of your mother, a copy of your siblings birth certificate with that of name of your mother.
If you or your step sibling illegitimate and related to a common father, then you will have to submit Form I-130 with a proof that you had a bona fide parent child relationship and along with other documents.
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Hi there,
I find your site to be really helpful. I would like to apply for Green card. My younger brother was born in the US but he is Malaysian by citizenship. Can he petition for me to apply for Green card? I have a lived in the States accumulatively almost 8 years (2 years when I was a baby under my father’s dependent visa, 2 years when I was a teenager under my father’s dependent visa again, and 4 more years while I was doing my udergraduate.) I am currently back home in Malaysia and have decided to go back to the States. What are my chances of obtaining Green card? And can I start the process of my brother petitioning for it if he isn’t living in the States through the US embassy here? And can you please tell me how much would such process cost?
Thank you very much and I really appreciate the time you take to answer my question.
Dora.
Hi Dora,
If your brother or father is a US citizen they can both petition on your behalf and it can be done from Malaysia. However the wait times for siblings or adult children are very long (siblings often is 10 years or more). As for costs you will have to look up the US Consulate site in Malaysia as it varies by country and currency and there are also things like medical checks that need to be done when the application process is near the end.
Good Luck,
Cj
Hi CJ,
Thanks for your explanation. But WOW, 10 years is a really long time. Then may I ask, while this whole petitioning process is taking place, am I allowed to live in the States and find a job there? And can I apply for other visas, such as visiting visa or working visa in the meantime?
Thanks a lot.
a pleasant day…Hi! Im Cristina…I have a question. I have a sister living in California for 8 years already. Is it possible for her to sponsor me? If yes, can I bring w/ me my partner? How do I go about this? Pls help me, really want to visit my sister & to travel some places too. Thanks so much. hope somebody can help me on this… god bless & more power……
I want to apply for my sisters kids they are both 15. I want to know is the processing time and will it be processed before they turn 21. Or is there another category?
Hi Dora,
The sibling can’t wait while this is going on unless they are on a different visa allowing them to live and work.
Cj
i am a usa citizeen i like to apply for my sister for usa green card visa. how long it will take, and she has 2 kids do i have to apply for them too. she is maried
Hi Kiran,
The waiting period for sibling sponsorship may be around 10 years. Also if her kids are of adult age they will probably become ineligible.
Cj
hi everyone ,
i m an american green card holder , i was wondering if i could apply for my sister to come to the USA ,any can of visa!!
Hi,
Just would like to know where i can find more info on further guidelines to step siblings application. What age groups are eligable exactly? Thanks R
Respected person
Namaste!!
Dear sir madam my sister is a United States citizen we are planning to file I-130 but we are totally 10 people need to file. but our mother is different. i mean My US citizenship sister and other 8 is same mother and 2 other sister is different mother. for different mother 2 sister possible to file through this sister? hope you can give me the better information.
my father is an american by birth and i am 30yrs old how long would it take for me to get my green card through him
Hw many years will it take for a sponsored brother to get his green card if he enters USA on another visa while his application is under processing.
I am trying to find out about sponsoring my sister and her fiance. She has 3 kids. I am a USA citizen. Also could I sponsor my 39 year old brother.
Hi,
I got my American citizenship approximately 7 years ago. My sister is a H1B visa holder and living with her husband and her daughter for the the past 8 years in US and applied for green card, which is moving very slowly. Being a citizen can I sponsor her family? Your advice is much appreciated.
Thank you,
PK
I’m married living on u.s on tps but I have a sister 27 years old can she sponsor me for permanent resident card