The F4 Visa is one of US Family Based Green Cards. It is intended for brothers and sisters of US citizens. The F4 Visa also enables spouses and children of F4 Visa holders to come to the US with them.
To receive assistance with your visa application, get in touch today by calling our US or UK office on +16787013382 or +3301222991.
The F4 Visa belongs to the Family Preference Category of USÂ Family Based Green Cards. It is designed for siblings of US citizens, but if their application is successful, their dependents can also come to the US. The F4 Visa allows them to settle in the US permanently, work without any restrictions, and study at US academic institutions.
As the F4 Visa is one of the Family Preference Visas, it is subject to the annual cap on how many of them can be issued to immigrant applicants. Each year only 65,000 visas are granted.
The F4 Visa is intended for siblings of US citizens. There are however certain requirements that the US citizen needs to fulfil. These are:
If the US citizen does not meet these requirements, they cannot become a sponsor and their siblings cannot initiate their application for the F4 Visa.
The application process for the F4 Visa cannot start until the US citizen completes Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. The US sponsor also has to pay a fee of $535 at the time of submitting the petition to USCIS. Without that, the foreign sibling will not be able to proceed with their visa application.
In the petition, the US citizen needs to state that they are initiating the visa application process for their sibling, who becomes the main person in the application. If the sibling wants to bring their spouse or children to the US, the US sponsor also needs to include them in the form.
Once the petition is submitted, the Department of Homeland Security processes it within a few months. When the decision is made, the US citizen is informed about it by USCIS.
If the petition is accepted, the NVC will send a package that explains what the next steps are to the foreign applicant. If the petition is rejected, USCIS will give a reason for it and the US citizen will have the chance to include changes in the petition and submit it again.
In addition to required application forms, when you are applying for the F4 Visa, you have to submit a number of other supporting documents to prove your eligibility for it. These include:
Depending on your personal circumstances, you might also have to include some other evidence. If you fail to include some of the required documents, NVC might determine that you do not meet the eligibility criteria for the F4 Visa. To increase your chances of success and make sure you have a complete portfolio of evidence, hire one of our immigration lawyers.
All F4 applicants have to pay the following visa fees:
Fees for medical examination and vaccinations
Additionally, depending on where you come from, you might have to pay fees for the translation of your documents. All the evidence you submit to USCIS has to be translated to English.
If you want to apply for the F4 Visa, you have to be prepared for a long waiting time. How long will you have to wait depends on your nationality and the workload of the US Embassy or Consulate where you are applying. Nevertheless, only a limited number of F4 Visa applications is processed each year. Once that limit is reached, USCIS does not process any applications until next fiscal year. Unfortunately, there might be many visa applicants waiting in line before you.
Some people get lucky and receive the decision regarding their F4 Visa application within just one year. Others wait much longer, however. It is not uncommon for those applying for the F4 Visa to wait several years before their application is processed.
If you need to come to the US urgently, you might consider applying for non-immigrant permits while you are waiting for your F4 Visa. You can, for example, come to the US to visit your sibling on the B2 Tourist Visitor Visa
The visa interview is the last phase of the application process for the F4 Visa. You will have to go to a US Embassy or Consulate in your home country to attend it. The goal of the interview is to determine whether you meet the eligibility requirements for the visa and whether the information you included in the application is true.
There is no single set of questions that visa applicants are asked during the interview. Nevertheless, you can expect to hear questions that aim to verify whether:
The immigration officer might also ask you why you want to immigrate to the US. Make sure to answer all questions truthfully as lying during the interview can lead to your visa being denied. If you are not sure about a certain question, try to give as much detail as you remember.
To make sure you are well prepared for your visa interview, hire one of our immigration lawyers. They will go over sample questions with you and will explain to you in detail what will happen during your visa interview.
The application process for the F4 Visa can be complex and stressful. If you go through it alone, you can easily make mistakes which can lead to delays or visa denial. Luckily, you can avoid that by using our citizenship and immigration services.
We have a team of highly qualified immigration lawyers who have expert knowledge of the US immigration system. Your lawyer can guide you through each step of the F4 Visa application process and they answer any questions you might have.
If your application for the F4 Visa is rejected, our lawyers will help you understand why USCIS made such a decision. They will also explain to you what your options are and what other US visas you might be eligible for.