Sisters Petition

[sweetjaypee 0]

Hello!

I am a Filipino living in Philippines. My sister is living in Ohio and in 3 years she will be applying for a US citizenship and hopefully she will get lucky. We already talked about getting a petition for me to follow her in the US right after she will be granted a US citizenship. My question is, what are my chances of getting the visa and what type of visa should I apply? How long does it take to process the petition?

I hope you can share your knowledge and experiences for those who have done this process. Thank you.

[Penguin_ie 5,997]

Your chances of getting the visa are very very good- unless you have some criminal or drug background, or overstayed in the USA before, you are almost certain to get the visa. But the waiting for a Philippina sister of a US Citizens is currently 23 years...

[aaron2020 11,651]

Hello!

I am a Filipino living in Philippines. My sister is living in Ohio and in 3 years she will be applying for a US citizenship and hopefully she will get lucky. We already talked about getting a petition for me to follow her in the US right after she will be granted a US citizenship. My question is, what are my chances of getting the visa and what type of visa should I apply? How long does it take to process the petition?

I hope you can share your knowledge and experiences for those who have done this process. Thank you.

Once your sister is a US citizen, she can file an I-130 for you. You do not file anything.

After about 23 years, you will qualify to apply for an immigration visa.

[sweetjaypee 0]

wow 23 years is like forever. i am 32 years old now and my sister will be qualified for a US citizenship 3 years from now, so overall 26 years of time waiting. but this doesn't mean that i have to wait for 23 years before i can fly to the US? i am just new to this so I am a little bit confused. how long is the processing of this I-130? I don't have any criminal records and never overstayed in some other countries I visited so I have no problem about that.

Edited January 20, 2013 by sweetjaypee

[Penguin_ie 5,997]

23 years until you can immigrate to the USA, yes. Of course, it may be a few years more or less, as waiting times change.

You could try to get an F1 student visa for a few years, or apply for a tourist visa to visit your sister, but you cannot immigrate/live/work/ visit in the USA based on your sisters petition for about 23 years.

[aaron2020 11,651]

wow 23 years is like forever. i am 32 years old now and my sister will be qualified for a US citizenship 3 years from now, so overall 26 years of time waiting. but this doesn't mean that i have to wait for 23 years before i can fly to the US? i am just new to this so I am a little bit confused. how long is the processing of this I-130? I don't have any criminal records and never overstayed in some other countries I visited so I have no problem about that.

If you want to immigrate through your sister, it's 23 years.

If you have another visa, of course you can fly to the US.

If you are counting on the petition from your sister, you do not get anything until you get the immigration visa after 23 years.

[apple21 953]

When your sister files a petition for you, you will be under the F4 category (Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens).

The total waiting time for F4 category in the Philippines is 23 YEARS (from filing up to visa issuance).

The current F4 Philippine petitions being processed for February 2013 are the ones filed on JUNE 1, 1989. http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_5856.html