It’s not easy to live in the United States away from your much-loved siblings. Nevertheless, the strictness of U.S. immigration law means that it could be difficult for them to come for a visit depending on their home countries. It also could be difficult for them to move to the United States to live and work.
That said, if you’re a U.S. citizen, a legal strategy exists that could benefit you and your family. Immigration rules allow U.S. citizens to submit a petition to bring their brothers and sisters aged 21 years of age and older into the U.S. as green card holders. Unfortunately, U.S. permanent residents and green card holders cannot submit a petition like this on behalf of their siblings.
Here’s the documentation U.S. citizens need to gather in order to complete such a petition:
- A fully completed Form I-130
- A copy of your and your sibling’s birth certificates that reveal you both share a common parent
- Proof of your U.S. citizenship status via a copy of your passport, U.S. birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship
There are many avenues and strategies that your sibling might be able to pursue to gain his or her green card or permanent residency status. As such, you may want to investigate other options in addition to the filing of a Form I-130, as faster and more effective citizenship options could exist.
At our website, we offer more information pertaining to family immigration strategies that could be enormously beneficial if you wish to bring your loved ones into the United States.
