F4: brother or sister of a U.S. citizen
Enter the priority date of the sibling petition to see how far it sits from the F4 cutoff this month and how reliable a forecast for that distance has been.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and past error
Likely current
June 2027 – November 2029
Middle estimate April 2028 · 8 months behind the cutoff
| Final Action Date | October 22, 2011 |
|---|---|
| Date for Filing | November 1, 2011 |
| I-485 this month (USCIS uses Dates for Filing) | Not yet |
| Past error at 6 months behind (our model) | ±5 mo., range held 55 % |
| I-485 family, national average (August 2026) | 12.4 months |
| Government fees (paper filing, with work permit and travel permit) | $3,005 |
How this was calculated
- The October 2026 Final Action Date for F4, All other countries, is October 22, 2011; your priority date is June 15, 2012, 8 months later.
- For each of the 120 months of the last 10 years, we measured how long this cutoff took to move forward by that same distance. Half the cases took 1 year 6 months; 20% took 8 months or less; 80% took 3 years 1 month or less.
- Back-test from October 2012 to October 2025: for people 6 months behind, the middle estimate was off by a median of 5 months (a naive “last 12 months” rule: 6), and the range held the real date 55 % of the time. That passes our publication rule.
- Fees: I-130 $675 + I-485 $1,440 + I-765 $260 + I-131 $630 (USCIS Form G-1055, edition 10/07/26, and State Department visa fees).
Estimate from public data, not legal advice. Your case may differ (cross-chargeability, CSPA, waivers). For advice, see a licensed immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative. Not affiliated with USCIS or the Department of State. Method and past error
F4 is the family preference for the brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens who are at least 21, and it is the longest family queue for most of the world. In the latest Visa Bulletin the Final Action Date for applicants born in most countries is October 22, 2011, and the Date for Filing November 1, 2011: the line is roughly 15 years long. Three countries have their own column. India is at December 15, 2006, the Philippines at May 15, 2008, and Mexico at April 22, 2001, the oldest family cutoff in the table. The worldwide date crept from September 22, 2006 in October 2020 to January 8, 2008 in October 2025, then gained 781 days in the bulletin of September 2026. Unlike F1 to F3, the beneficiary’s marriage changes nothing here. For a priority date one year behind, our back-tested forecast missed by a median of 10 months, and two years behind by 13.
The sibling petition
A naturalized citizen who turns 21, or who is already older, can file Form I-130 for a brother or sister born of at least one common parent. The sibling’s husband or wife and their children under 21 ride on that one petition. Nothing a sibling does with marriage pulls the case into another line, which makes F4 the most stable category in form and the slowest in practice: for most of the world the queue covers about 15 years of priority dates.
Four columns, four waits
| Born in | Final Action Date | Years behind the bulletin |
|---|---|---|
| Most countries | October 22, 2011 | 14.9 |
| India | December 15, 2006 | 19.8 |
| Philippines | May 15, 2008 | 18.4 |
| Mexico | April 22, 2001 | 25.4 |
F4 is the one family category where India regularly has its own date, in 93 % of bulletins since October 2015; the F4 India page follows it. The F4 Mexico and F4 Philippines pages tell the other two stories.
Five years of inches, one bulletin of yards
The worldwide cutoff was November 22, 2006 in October 2019 and September 22, 2006 a year later: twelve months of bulletins ended behind where they started. It reached August 1, 2007 in October 2024 and January 8, 2008 in October 2025. The bulletin of September 2026 then moved it 781 days, and today it reads October 22, 2011, unchanged in the latest bulletin. F4 worldwide has gone backwards 3 times since 2001, the biggest drop being about 28 months in September 2017. A fast stretch like the current one is often followed by a pause.
Children who age out on the way
A niece who was 10 when the petition was filed can be over 21 by the time the date is reached. The CSPA calculation subtracts the time the I-130 was pending from her age when the Final Action Date became current, and she must seek the green card within a year. In this category it often decides whether a child immigrates with the parents.
The forecast at long distances
USCIS lists 57.0 to 66.5 months at the National Benefits Center for a sibling I-130. For a priority date two years behind, our back-test range held the real outcome 43 % of the time; at four years behind, the median error was 23 months, which did not pass our publication test. Most siblings finish at a consulate; see the consular processing costs.
F4 in the October 2026 bulletin
| Country | Final Action | Dates for Filing | Change this month |
|---|---|---|---|
| All other countries | October 22, 2011 | November 1, 2011 | no change |
| China (mainland born) | October 22, 2011 | November 1, 2011 | no change |
| India | December 15, 2006 | February 1, 2007 | ▲ 44 days |
| Mexico | April 22, 2001 | April 30, 2001 | ▲ 14 days |
| Philippines | May 15, 2008 | March 22, 2009 | ▲ 267 days |
Every October since 2002
| Bulletin | Final Action Date | Years behind the bulletin |
|---|---|---|
| October 2002 | October 1, 1990 | 12.0 |
| October 2003 | December 15, 1991 | 11.8 |
| October 2004 | August 15, 1992 | 12.1 |
| October 2005 | February 1, 1994 | 11.7 |
| October 2006 | September 15, 1995 | 11.0 |
| October 2007 | April 15, 1997 | 10.5 |
| October 2008 | October 22, 1997 | 10.9 |
| October 2009 | Unavailable (U) | – |
| October 2010 | December 1, 2001 | 8.8 |
| October 2011 | May 15, 2000 | 11.4 |
| October 2012 | Unavailable (U) | – |
| October 2013 | August 8, 2001 | 12.1 |
| October 2014 | January 22, 2002 | 12.7 |
| October 2015 | February 8, 2003 | 12.6 |
| October 2016 | November 1, 2003 | 12.9 |
| October 2017 | May 8, 2004 | 13.4 |
| October 2018 | February 15, 2005 | 13.6 |
| October 2019 | November 22, 2006 | 12.9 |
| October 2020 | September 22, 2006 | 14.0 |
| October 2021 | March 22, 2007 | 14.5 |
| October 2022 | March 22, 2007 | 15.5 |
| October 2023 | April 22, 2007 | 16.4 |
| October 2024 | August 1, 2007 | 17.2 |
| October 2025 | January 8, 2008 | 17.7 |
| October 2026 | October 22, 2011 | 14.9 |
How our forecast did for this case
| Distance behind the cutoff | Median error, our model | Median error, “last 12 months” rule | Range held the real date | Start months tested | Published? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 months | 5 months | 6 months | 55 % | 156 | Yes |
| 12 months | 10 months | 14 months | 52 % | 156 | Yes |
| 24 months | 13 months | 31 months | 43 % | 156 | Yes |
| 48 months | 23 months | 51 months | 36 % | 156 | No reliable forecast |