Can Green Card Holders Sponsor Their Siblings?
- By Fileright
- Last Updated:
Bringing a brother or sister to live permanently in the United States is possible—but only for U.S. citizens, not Green Card holders. Under U.S. immigration law, sponsoring a sibling is one of the longest and most backlogged family immigration processes.
Green Card holders (lawful permanent residents) are not allowed to sponsor siblings.Only U.S. citizens who are at least 21 years old can file a petition for a brother or sister.
According to U.S.-based immigration attorney Abhisha Parikh, the process begins when a U.S. citizen files Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative). “Unlike spouses, parents, or unmarried children under 21—who are classified as immediate relatives—siblings fall under the family preference system, which has strict annual limits,” she explained.
Because of these limits, sibling visas face extremely long queues. Wait times depend heavily on the sibling’s country of origin, as listed in the monthly U.S. State Department Visa Bulletin. For countries with high demand—Mexico, India, China, and the Philippines—the wait can stretch into decades.
Parikh advises applicants to check the Visa Bulletin every month to track movement in their priority date and stay updated on the status of their case.
Who Can Sponsor a Sibling?
To sponsor a brother or sister, the petitioner must:
Be a U.S. citizen
Be 21 years of age or older
Citizenship may be obtained by birth or through naturalization. Acceptable proof includes:
- U.S. passport
- Birth certificate
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad
- Naturalization certificate
- Certificate of citizenship
The sibling must share at least one parent with the U.S. citizen. Eligible relationships include:
- Biological siblings
- Half-siblings
- Step-siblings
- Adopted siblings (relationship must be legally established before age 16)
Financial Requirements
Although financial documents are not required when filing Form I-130, later in the process the sponsor must submit:
Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support)
This proves the sponsor has sufficient income—meeting federal poverty guidelines—to support the sibling and their dependent family members.
No, Green Card Holders Cannot Sponsor Siblings
Only U.S. citizens can petition for siblings. Permanent residents do not have this privilege.
Additionally, cousins, grandparents, nephews, and other extended relatives cannot be sponsored directly under U.S. immigration law.
When a U.S. citizen sponsors a sibling, the sibling’s spouse and unmarried children under 21 are included as derivative beneficiaries of the same petition.
Why the Wait Is So Long: The F4 Category
Sibling visas fall under the Family Fourth Preference (F4) category—the lowest among family-based visas. Only about 65,000 F4 visas are issued each year, despite enormous worldwide demand.
This is why waiting times can exceed 15–20 years.
Priority Date and Visa Approval
Your priority date is the day USCIS receives your Form I-130. This date determines your spot in the visa queue.
The Visa Bulletin shows which priority dates are currently being processed.
As of 2025, sibling cases often take over a decade, and many exceed 20 years. For instance, the September 2025 Visa Bulletin was still processing Mexico sibling applications filed in March 2001—a staggering 24-year wait.
