Some families have lived in multiple countries. That can result in children having multiple nationalities that are not all the same as each other.
You automatically gained U.S. citizenship if you were born in the United States. If your parents were only there temporarily, and your parents are not U.S. citizens, any brothers and sisters you have who were born in other countries probably will not have U.S. citizenship.
If you grew up and returned to live in the U.S., you might wonder if you can bring your siblings to join you.
You can certainly try
To apply, you must file an I-130 form. You will need to meet the following requirements:
- You must hold U.S. citizenship: A green card is not enough to bring a sibling
- You must show you can support them: You will need to show proof you have sufficient finances
- You must be over 21 years old: If you are younger, you can start preparing so you can submit the application on the day you turn 21
The government sets an annual quota for family members to enter via the 1-130 route. There is a long wait list for siblings of U.S. citizens wanting to enter by this route, as spouses, children and parents have priority.
Any errors in your application or a failure to provide the supporting evidence the authorities ask for could see your application rejected, and you will need to wait even longer. Consider legal help to submit your application and give you the best chance of bringing your sibling to join you as soon as possible.