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The F4 visa is part of a class of U.S immigrant visas called the Family Preference Visas. The Family Preference visas allow U.S Lawful Permanent Residents to reunify with their family members who are living in foreign country. This includes brothers and sisters and if appropriate, their spouses and minor unmarried dependent kids.
The F4 visa is a Fourth Preference Family visa for Family Based Immigration for Siblings of US citizens.
Source: U.S. Department of StateThe eligibility requirements for the F4 visa include some conditions for both the siblings of the U.S citizen.
As for the U.S citizen who wants to bring their siblings in the U.S to live and work permanently, you must fulfill these conditions:
To apply for a F4 visa, you must follow these following steps:
Filing the Petition
The U.S citizen must petition to USCIS by filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative.
The first step is to be done by the U.S. citizen. The U.S. citizen will petition to USCIS by submitting Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. The petition will include all details of the people who are sponsored which may include spouse and dependent children.
Applying for the F-2A visa
When your priority date becomes current, you will be informed by the NVC that you can start the process for the F4 visa. The F4 visa must be submitted individually for each visa applicant.
File Form DS-260
Form DS-260, Immigrant Visa Electronic Application is the form which all applicants for immigrant visas must submit. Applicant, spouse, and children must each submit a DS-260 Form.
Complete medical examinations
The U.S. immigrant visa requires you to go through a medical examination. Medical examination must be done at the designated points or panel physician’s clinic.
Compile documents file
Attend interview
During the interview, the visa officer will ask you questions. You must be ready to answer all questions correctly without any hesitations. If the embassy officer finds any sort of contradictory statements, he or she might not be satisfied to approve your application.
Receive NVC packet and travel to the U.S.
If the Embassy approves your F4 Visa application form then it will be stamped on your passport. With that, the Embassy will also give you a package which you must bring with you when you first enter the U.S.
Source: U.S. Department of StateThe file must contain the following documents required for getting a F4 visa:
The application fee for a family preference visa is $325. This fee is paid per application.
Source: U.S. Department of StateSince the F4 visa has a cap on the number of visas issued every year, the processing time can be very longer than other categories. An F4 visa probable time can range from 1 year to extremes of 10 years that means will take long for you to be able to reunite with your sibling in the U.S.
Source: U.S. Department of State