Don P
Mar 11, 2026
Any recent EAD approvals as part of courtesy H1B PP?
Has anyone’s (initial) EAD recently been approved quickly as part of the H1B premium processing? My H4 got approved a day after the H1B but my EAD is still pending since. It was a paper filing and I am wondering why the EAD didn’t get processed yet if the other parts of the package are already approved. Did they put it back to the regular queue? Or is the delay caused by the recent biometrics change?
Based on being an H-4 spouse of an H-1B nonimmigrant (filed with I-539 H4)
Total Days: 63 days
Case
2026-02-03
2026-04-07
I-539
27 Days
I-765
63 Days
Vermont Service Center: I-539, I-765
Timeline Map
2026-02-03
I-765
I-539
Submission to USCIS
2026-03-02
I-539
D+27
Decision (Approval or Denial)
2026-04-07
I-765
D+63
Decision (Approval or Denial)
This timeline was created with the Lawfully App. Download the Lawfully App now.
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Don PMar 12, 2026
update: via Emma chat I found out they already scheduled a biometrics appointment! I didn’t receive the notice yet though and the online status doesn’t reflect that.
Manifest LawMar 13, 2026
Yes, some people still get H4 EAD approved quickly when filed with H1B premium processing, but it’s not guaranteed. Many cases see the H1B approved first, H4 next, and the EAD left pending, even when everything was filed together.
What likely happened is that your H1B and H4 were processed within the premium window, but the I-765 (EAD) fell back into the normal processing queue once the H1B decision was made. That is fairly common. The recent photo/biometrics policy changes may also slow some EAD cases if USCIS needs a new photo or biometrics reuse check.
So your situation is actually very typical right now. Some EADs still get approved within a few weeks, but many take several months even when filed with a premium H1B bundle.
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Don PApr 8, 2026
@c j No after biometrics appointment I just waited… I received a biometrics appointment before and rescheduled. took about 3 weeks after
