After you've filled out Form I-130 and submitted it to the USCIS, all you can do is wait to hear back from them. If you've submitted everything correctly and accurately, the application will be approved. This usually takes somewhere between 2 to 5 years.
Which relatives may I petition for? A U.S. citizen who is at least 21 years or older may also petition for the following relatives: Parents; • Brothers or sisters. When you submit your petition, you are required to provide evidence to prove your relationship to the person for whom you are filing.
How long does the I-130 petition process take? For immediate relatives (spouse, unmarried child under 21 or parent) of a U.S. citizen living abroad, the wait times for Form I-130 are currently between 9-13 months. For those living in the U.S., the processing time is currently 12-22.
After filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, the approval process can take anywhere from 5 to 12 months for immediate relatives and could take several years for family preference categories.
You can generally request expedited processing by calling the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) or by asking Emma after you have obtained a receipt notice. (You can access Emma by clicking on the Ask Emma icon on the top right of this page).
Applications for work permits saw an increase of processing times from 3.2 months in FY 2020 to 4.3 months in FY 2022.
Green cards for siblings of U.S. citizens
The process usually takes 14-16 years for siblings of U.S. citizens. However, it depends on your home country.
$535. You may pay the fee with a money order, personal check, or cashier's check.
As a U.S. citizen, over age 21 and residing in the U.S. you may file an I-130 petition to bring your brothers and sisters to the United States for permanent residence. Once your petition for your sibling is approved, they can bring a spouse and any unmarried children under age 21.
If you are a citizen of the United States who would like to bring over your brother or sister to settle in the country as lawful permanent residents, you can sponsor your sibling for an F4 Visa. This family-based visa allows U.S. citizens to sponsor their brother or sister for an immigrant visa.
The short answer is no, you cannot file a “petition” for a family member for a visitor visa. A visitor visa (B-1 / B-2) is filed by the person seeking to come to the United States.
Answer: After USCIS approved the sibling (brother or sister) immigrant visa petition of Form I-130, the U.S. citizen's brother or sister will receive a "priority date," based on the day USCIS first received the Form I-130 petition. Then, the long waiting for immigrant visa will begin.
How You Can Qualify. Adult U.S. citizens can sponsor green cards for brothers and sisters. If your brothers and sisters are married, their spouses and children can immigrate to the U.S. together with them.
If you are a U.S. citizen, and at least 21 years old, you can petition for your siblings (brothers or sisters) to live in the United States as green card holders (lawful permanent residents). Siblings include children from at least one common parent. You do not necessarily need to be related to your sibling by blood.
The Interview
The appointment notice will come in the mail within 6 months or sooner after filing. USCIS will give the applicants a few weeks notice to get everything together before the big day.
Technically, the USCIS has to provide you with a decision on your naturalization application within 120 days of your naturalization interview. In a green card application, the USCIS is supposed to provide you with an official notification of their decision within 30 days of your interview.
Once USCIS approves your I-130 application, your application will be sent to the U.S. Department of State's National Visa Center (NVC) for processing. If your family member's case is not subject to immediate processing, your I-130 application will remain with NVC until processing begins.
The filing fee for Form I-130 is $535. The filing fee for this petition cannot be waived. NOTE: The filing fee is not refundable, regardless of any action USCIS takes on this petition. DO NOT MAIL CASH.
However, if your I-130 petition is approved and you have filed for adjustment of status or you concurrently filed I-130 and I-485 and they are in pending status then traveling outside the U.S. will result in abandoning your application.