F4 Visa Processing time for U.S. Relative

Some Questions and their answers:

Immigrant Petition for Brother / Sister of U.S. Citizen: If you are the U.S. Citizen seeking to only petition (part 1) for your Brother or Sister before (part 2) Adjusting Status or Consular Processing, 

Qualification:

1. Brother or sister must be a U.S. Citizen
2. Alien brother or sister may be married or unmarried
3. Brother or sister must not have committed certain criminal or immigration law violations (although a waiver may be available)
4. Half brothers or sisters are eligible if they have a common parent
5. Brother or sister must have been admitted or paroled into the United States and must be in lawful immigration status with certain exceptions (if applying for adjustment of status)
6. A visa number must be available at the time of filing for adjustment (or consular processing)

Brother or Sister (F4)

A U.S. citizen may petition for a foreign national sibling of any age. This family preference is known as the F4 family preference. Although there is no minimum age requirement for a foreign national sibling, the U.S. citizen (USC) petitioner must be at least 21 years old. If the USC wishes to petition for more than one sibling, separate petitions must be submitted. A Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) may not petition for his/her sibling because there is no such category. In order to successfully bring sibling(s) to the U.S., the USC petitioner and his/her sibling beneficiary must have at least one parent in common in order to qualify.

What is F4 Visa?

The Family Fourth Preference, or F4 Visa, is available to foreign immigrants who are the brother or sister of an American citizen; this availability extends to the immigrant's spouse and children. Unlike other categories of Family Preference Immigrant Visas, Lawful Permanent Residents are not permitted to sponsor a family member for an F4 visa. To begin the application process, the U.S. relative must file a Petition for Alien Relative Form I-130 with the Department of Homeland Security (see Resources). The sponsor must have a residence in the U.S. and be at least 21 years old in addition to the requirement of a sibling relationship.

Limits for F4 Visas

Each year the U.S. limits the number of visas granted. Each category of visa is assigned a specific allotment, including F4 visas, which means that only a limited number of F4 visas are granted to applicants. These visas are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis with the date on which the Petition for Alien Relative Form was filed serving as the marker. High application volumes can result in processing delays, which can mean a wait of several years before an applicant's petition is deemed filed. Additionally, the lengthy application process and processing times can mean a wait of anywhere from six to 23 years before an applicant receives a decision. Once granted, an F4 visa is valid up until the expiration date printed on the visa.

F4 visa Movement India 2015

For more information, please visit officially: http://www.immigrationlinks.com/green-card/family-based-green-cards/family-member-of-us-citizen/brother-or-sister