I am originally from Ethiopia and now living in Maryland, and I am trying to understand how the U.S. immigration system works when it comes to sponsoring family members. I know that U.S. citizens can file petitions for certain relatives, but I am confused about which family members are eligible and how long the waiting process usually takes. For example, can I sponsor my siblings or married children, and does it make a difference if I only have a green card instead of citizenship? What steps should I realistically expect when starting this process?

Question

Kazuo Tanaka · Accepted Answer

Only U.S. citizens can sponsor siblings and married children, while green card holders are limited to sponsoring spouses and unmarried children. The waiting time depends on the family category and country of origin.

Zubair Qureshi · Answer

As a green card holder, you are eligible to petition for your spouse and unmarried children. If you become a U.S. citizen, your options expand to include parents, married children, and siblings. Each category falls into either “immediate relatives” with no wait, or “preference categories” with long backlogs. Processing times can range from a few years to over a decade, especially for countries with high demand.

Sibongile Mthembu · Answer

Family immigration in the U.S. is based on a system of categories that determine who can be sponsored and how long it will take.

Green card holders can petition for spouses and unmarried children, but not parents, married children, or siblings. U.S. citizens, however, have broader rights to petition for those relatives.

Even then, siblings and married children often face very long waiting times due to visa limits. Parents of U.S. citizens, on the other hand, fall into the “immediate relative” category and usually have a shorter process.

The first step is always filing Form I-130, which establishes the qualifying family relationship.

Dawit Gebremariam

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