F4 Philippines Wait Time 2026 — What You Need to Know

If you are a U.S. citizen petitioning a brother or sister from the Philippines, you have probably heard the wait is long. Here is exactly what to expect in 2026 — and why the wait is so extended.

Current Wait Time

As of July 2026, the F4 category (siblings of U.S. citizens) for the Philippines has a priority date cutoff of September 2007. That means USCIS is currently processing petitions filed before September 2007 — roughly an 18 to 19 year wait from filing to approval.

Why Is F4 So Backlogged?

The Philippines consistently has one of the highest rates of family-based immigration petitions in the world. The annual visa allocation for F4 is the same for every country, but demand from the Philippines far exceeds what is available each year. This creates a compounding backlog that grows faster than it clears.

F4 also has a lower annual allocation than other family categories like spousal visas (Immediate Relatives), which have no annual cap. This makes the F4 wait one of the longest of any immigration category for Philippine nationals.

What Can You Do While Waiting?

• Check the Visa Bulletin every month at travel.state.gov — dates move forward slowly but consistently
• Keep the petitioner's U.S. citizenship status active and current
• Make sure USCIS and NVC have your current address and contact information
• Use the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) if your sibling's children are at risk of aging out
• Respond promptly to any requests from NVC when your priority date becomes current