The United States is very much alone in granting immigration visas to siblings of citizens, as this table shows:
| Nation | Immigration Provisions for Siblings of Citizens | Provisions for the Sibling's Family |
| United States | Yes, 65,000 immigrant slots are set aside for siblings and their spouses and children in the Family Fourth Preference | Yes |
| Australia | Only if the sibling meets these criteria: "aged dependent relative, carer, special needs relative and remaining relative and residual preferential family" | No provision |
| Canada | "Brothers, sisters … who are orphans under 18 years of age" | No provision |
| New Zealand | No provision | No provision |
| United Kingdom | "(i) The son, daughter, sister, brother, uncle or aunt over the age of 18 if living alone outside the United Kingdom in the most exceptional compassionate circumstances; and
(ii) Is joining or accompanying a person who is present and settled in the United Kingdom or who is on the same occasion being admitted for settlement; and (iii) Is financially wholly or mainly dependent on the relative present and settled in the United Kingdom; and (iv) Can, and will, be accommodated adequately, together with any dependents, without recourse to public funds, in accommodation which the sponsor owns or occupies exclusively; and (iva) Can, and will, be maintained adequately, together with any dependents, without recourse to public funds; and (v) Has no other close relatives in his own country to whom he could turn for financial support; and (vi) If seeking leave to enter, holds a valid United Kingdom entry clearance for entry in this capacity; and (vii) Does not fall for refusal under the general grounds for refusal." (emphasis added) |
Such family members are specifically barred by the "living alone" requirement |
Source: Immigration agency websites in these five nations.
