Basic Requirements:
The fourth preference for family-based immigration is designated for the brothers and sisters of current U.S. citizens. To be eligible for this preference category, applicants must be at least 21 years old. Since this preference category is only assigned around 65,000 visas on an annual basis, there is typically a long wait for applicants. Under typical circumstances, the brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens should expect to wait around 10-11 years after their initial petition before obtaining their visas. However, individuals emigrating from countries like India, China, the Philippines, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico should expect even longer wait times.
Family Members:
As the derivatives, the spouses and children (so long as they are younger than 21 and unmarried) of successful applicants are eligible for permanent residency status (green cards) and may enter the U.S. with the successful applicant.
Application Process:
There are two basic steps to the application process for the forth preference category: 1) A U.S. citizen must sponsor his or her brother or sister for a permanent residency application with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (US CIS). Once filed, the US CIS will issue the applicant a priority date that will indicate when a visa should be available. 2) Once a visa becomes available, an applicant may file for an adjustment of status if he or she is already living in the U.S. Alternatively, if an applicant is not yet living in the U.S., he or she will need to apply through normal consular processing.
Fees:
At Law Office of William Jang, PLLC, our Austin immigration attorneys charge the following in attorney’s fees for a typical case filed in the U.S. at the US CIS (please see this disclaimer), along with the following fees currently charged by the US CIS:
Step 1: Petition
- $1,000 in attorney’s fees for the immigration petition
- $675 USCIS filing fee for the petition for Family Based Immigration
Step 2: Adjustment of Status (if already in the U.S.):
- $2,500 attorney’s fees for the principal beneficiary
- $1,500 attorney’s fees for each family member
- $1,440 USCIS filing fee for the adjustment of status
- $260 USCIS Employment Authorization Document for each person (optional)
- $630 USCIS Advance Parole for each person(optional)
Consular Processing (if outside of the U.S.):
- $4,000 attorney’s fees for the principal beneficiary
- $1,500 attorney’s fees for each family member
- $120 AOS Processing Fee
- $325 Consular Processing fee per person
- $235 Permanent Resident Card
Experience:
At Law Office of William Jang, PLLC, our Austin immigration attorneys are extensively experienced with representing the brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens as they apply for permanent residency status (green cards). Please see a sample of approved cases. To discuss your particular situation with one of our Austin immigration attorneys, please call (512) 323-2333 today.
What do we need to get started?
Information and Documents needed for FB4 –Brothers and Sisters of US Citizens
