USCIS has suspended H4 and L2 biometric requirements starting May 17, 2021, for 2 years but has still not been able to catch up on their processing time.
The steps mentioned here DO NOT work at this time. They used to work before COVID but have not yielded any result recently in 2021.
We will update this page once we get real-life successful case information.
If you filed a standalone H4EAD, USCIS will approve your application as the i-765 form does not need biometrics.
H4 EAD approval after Biometrics in premium 15 days can be achieved if you follow this trick:
- File H1B, H4, and H4 EAD concurrently in regular.
- Wait for 10 working days after attending biometric appointment.
- Upgrade H1B to premium after about 10 days of biometric completion. Include your biometric completion receipt with the premium upgrade application.
- Get H1B, H4, and H4 EAD approved within 15 days.
Earlier, some people had reported that California and Nebraska approved their H4 and H4 EAD within 15 days when their application was filed with an H1B premium.
The trend here suggests that your H4 biometric appointment should be completed before your H1B application is picked up by the USCIS officer for approval:
USCIS has also started denying the EAD expedite requests without even giving you a chance to prove your emergency!
Filing H4 EAD litigation can help you get fast approval but is not guaranteed.
you should expect the EAD approval in about 30 to 60 days after joining the court case.
It is normal to get H4 EAD approval first and then H4 extension approval.
There is no need to worry. In fact, it is a good sign that your H4 EAD has been approved first. The H4 extension approval should be on the way too in about 1-30 days.
You cannot start working if H4 EAD is approved but the H4 Change of status is pending. This is because you need a new i94 which shows your status has changed to H4.
You can use the H4 EAD card to work only if your status is H4 in the US.
You cannot continue your job if the H4 EAD card has expired and a new one is pending approval.
Many people get confused with the generic automatic 180-day extension message printed on form i-765.
Beware that C(26) category is not eligible for automatic extension or interim EAD. The same rule is applicable for L2 EAD too.
We have collected this data based on our multiple H1B WhatsApp groups and forums that our guests have reported.
