Submitted to the California center
@nitinbb Any update on your H4 COS and EAD?
Nothing yet, our lawyers explained that with premium processing for H1 EOS they expect the H4 COS and EAD applications would be reviewed within the 15 days with PP along with the H1 application. BUT H4 COS and EAD related correspondence is all paper-based from USCIS, so can take upto 3 weeks until we actually hear any update about it. It makes sense with the new law which was in effect from Jan 25th, but we found no precedent online to confirm this.
Thanks for the info.
We got the receipt for both H4 COS and EAD, it was approved 1 day after the H1 extension approval. So premium processing did help in the timely review of the application. Great to know that everything was approved within a week by USCIS. Sharing the timeline here:
March 17th: H1 extension + H4 COS + H4 EAD applications received from USCIS
March 21st: H1B extension approval received via email
March 25th: Received H4 COS and H4 EAD receipt numbers via USPS mail, checked online and both were approved as of March 22nd.
Now we are awaiting the EAD, which we requested to be sent to the lawyerâs office.
Hi @anil_am22 Our i94s are expiring on Sep 17, 2023. I am applying for h1b extension, h4 extension, and h4 ead extension together, through my employer. The extensions should be filed in next 2-3 weeks, which will give us around 5 months (for atleast h4 to get approved). This could be touch and go and if h4 doesnât get approved in time, there could be a gap for my spouse.
Do you suggest that we apply in normal processing now and switch to premium sometime in July (around 2 months before i94s expire) or apply in premium processing now itself (getting employer approval for that could be a bit tricky; h1b premium can only be applied through employer, even if we want to pay out of pocket, itâs not allowed).
Looking forward to your suggestions.
How would you apply in premium later if its not allowed by employer?
Do you really have an option here?
Hi @anil_am22 yes, employer usually prefers applying in normal processing, wait a few months and then pick up cases for premium on a need basis. In my case, I have been informed that it would be easier to get approval for premium processing around Aug when there is a month left and still approval hasnât happened.
That being said, do you think itâs a viable option or is it better to go with premium to begin with (I may have to align with senior management on this).
Hello everyone. Folks who concurrently applied (H1B+H4+H4EAD), do you mind sharing if the requested start date for your H4 and H4 EAD applications were honored, or was it issued randomly?
This info would be of great help. We are planning to request Oct 1 as the start date for all three applications. For H4, it would be a H1B to H4 COS request, so it may harm if there is a gap between H4 approval and receipt of H4 EAD, or if the H4 date is not honored but H4 EAD date is honored.
Hi @anil_am22 , if H1-B is filed online and H4/EAD filed on paper at the same time, still this rule applies?
In most cases, i have seen that this rule doesnât apply if they are filed separately.
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