Wrong start date of H4 EAD

Hi Anil,

My wife is in H4 status, which will expire on July 31 2019. She does not have H4 EAD right now. We filed H4 extension and H4 EAD, which were approved a few days ago.

We expected the H4 EAD to be valid right now. However, the start date was set to be August 1 2019, which is the start date of the new H4 status.

Do you know how to correct the start date? Thank you so much!! This really messed up our plans, because she is negotiating with potential employers to start working as soon as possible.

You must have used the new H1B extension approval to apply for H4 EAD?

If yes, then this date cannot be changed as your H1B extension approval also starts from same date.

Thank you for the quick response!

Yes, we filed the H4 extension and the H4 EAD together with my H1B extension. So it is standard to have the start date of H4 EAD to be the same as that of H4 extension, even though she is already in H4 status now?

Could we file a standalone I-765 now? Would they give us a H4 EAD with the start date being the approval date? Is this going to affect the EAD that has been approved?

Thank you so much for your help!

The H4 EAD is a dependent benefit of H1B and hence, H4 EAD dates are matched with H1B dates.

If you file a new H4 EAD application again, you will have to use your current H1B i797 (the one prior to extension) to get EAD for period between now till August 1 2019.

Thank you! Maybe we should try this. If we are lucky, we may be able to get a H4 EAD soon.