Since the introduction of the New I-539 Form with Biometrics, many of the H4 Visa Holders, who have filed H4 extensions / Change of Status along with their spouse’s H1B Petition in premium processing, have been waiting for their petition decision…Majority of them applied for H4 EAD, and were waiting for decision to continue working on H4 EAD. It has been a painful wait for many…Some have ended up going the litigation route and filed H4 EAD Processing Delays Lawsuit and were successful getting their H4 + EAD decisions in that route…But, many have been have been waiting for the decision with hope and trying routes like calling to expedite or going to senators for support…all with very little success….
Many of our blog readers, who are part of this waiting journey, shared their H4 Processing Times with Biometrics Experiences in comments over the past 4 months or so and have been very active helping each other. It can be very difficult to go through 60 experiences on the blog page or comments and verify dates by service center to get a sense of average processing times…so, we have consolidated them in Google Sheets using the data shared by users in comments on our blog, so that all of you get an idea of the overall average processing times and plan accordingly.
We will continue to update the new experiences timelines in the Google Sheets, so that the graphs will be autoupdated… so, do add your timelines so that the stats gets more accurate.
Thanks a lot to every single person who have shared their experience and timelines in comments on the blog…it is great community effort to help everyone !
Please use Mobile in Landscape Mode for the graphs to show-up. At times, some issues with Google App, open in Chrome or Safari for the graphs to show up.
Below Data and Graphs for H4, EAD updated as of Sep 15th, 2019
| S. No | Service Center | H4 Filing Date | H1B Approval Date | Biometrics Completed Date | H4 /EAD Approval Date |
| 1 | Vermont | Mar-26 | Apr-3 | Apr-11 | Jun-12 |
| 2 | Vermont | Apr-3 | Apr-8 | Apr-25 | May-16 |
| 3 | Vermont | Apr-12 | Apr-30 | May-22 | Jun-24 |
| 4 | Vermont | Apr-13 | Apr-19 | May-10 | Jun-19 |
| 5 | Vermont | Apr-29 | May-7 | May-21 | Jun-20 |
| 6 | California | Mar-26 | Apr-4 | Apr-26 | Jun-24 |
| 7 | Vermont | May-7 | May-15 | May-29 | Jun-30 |
| 8 | Vermont | Mar-26 | Apr-5 | Apr-26 | Jul-2 |
| 9 | Vermont | May-3 | May-13 | May-22 | Jul-9 |
| 10 | California | Apr-29 | May-9 | May-22 | Jul-10 |
| 11 | Vermont | Apr-11 | Apr-18 | Apr-29 | Jul-15 |
| 12 | Vermont | Apr-18 | Apr-29 | May-6 | Jul-11 |
| 13 | California | Apr-25 | May-7 | May-23 | Jul-15 |
| 14 | Nebraska | Apr-26 | May-28 | May-10 | Jul-17 |
| 15 | California | May-10 | May-17 | Jun-7 | Jul-25 |
| 16 | California | Apr-8 | Apr-15 | Apr-30 | Jul-16 |
| 17 | Nebraska | Jun-3 | Jul-23 | Jun-27 | Jul-25 |
| 18 | Nebraska | Mar-28 | Apr-5 | Apr-24 | Jul-30 |
| 19 | California | May-28 | Jul-15 | Jun-19 | Jul-24 |
| 20 | Nebraska | Mar-28 | Apr-5 | Apr-16 | Aug-1 |
| 21 | California | Apr-8 | Jul-12 | Jun-4 | Jul-30 |
| 22 | California | May-16 | May-22 | Jun-7 | Jul-30 |
| 23 | California | May-17 | May-23 | Jun-5 | Jul-31 |
| 24 | California | May-2 | May-9 | May-21 | Aug-1 |
| 25 | Nebraska | Mar-28 | Apr-5 | Apr-25 | Aug-8 |
| 26 | California | May-8 | May-18 | May-30 | Jul-24 |
| 27 | Nebraska | Apr-2 | Apr-9 | Apr-25 | Aug-8 |
| 28 | Nebraska | Mar-27 | Apr-11 | Apr-17 | Aug-8 |
| 29 | Nebraska | Apr-11 | Apr-17 | Apr-30 | Aug-9 |
| 30 | Vermont | Apr-19 | May-1 | May-13 | Aug-6 |
| 31 | Nebraska | Apr-11 | Apr-16 | Apr-29 | Aug-12 |
| 32 | Nebraska | Apr-15 | Apr-22 | May-6 | Aug-12 |
| 33 | Nebraska | May-7 | May-9 | May-17 | Aug-13 |
| 34 | Nebraska | Mar-25 | Apr-10 | Apr-16 | Aug-14 |
| 35 | Nebraska | Apr-8 | Apr-10 | May-1 | Aug-14 |
| 36 | California | May-10 | May-24 | May-31 | Aug-14 |
| 37 | Nebraska | Apr-11 | Apr-19 | May-2 | Aug-14 |
| 38 | Nebraska | Apr-17 | Apr-25 | Apr-27 | Aug-16 |
| 39 | Nebraska | Apr-9 | Apr-22 | May-1 | Aug-16 |
| 40 | California | May-14 | May-22 | Jun-6 | Aug-16 |
| 41 | Nebraska | Apr-15 | Apr-22 | May-10 | Aug-19 |
| 42 | California | May-1 | May-8 | May-23 | Jul-12 |
| 43 | Nebraska | Apr-5 | Apr-15 | Apr-26 | Aug-19 |
| 44 | Nebraska | Apr-22 | Apr-29 | May-13 | Aug-19 |
| 45 | Nebraska | Apr-16 | Apr-18 | Jul-24 | Aug-20 |
| 46 | Nebraska | Apr-15 | Apr-25 | May-10 | Aug-14 |
| 47 | Nebraska | Apr-17 | Apr-30 | May-6 | Aug-19 |
| 48 | California | May-30 | Jun-10 | Jun-21 | Aug-17 |
| 49 | Nebraska | Apr-17 | Apr-25 | May-6 | Aug-21 |
| 50 | Nebraska | Apr-17 | Apr-25 | May-10 | Aug-21 |
| 51 | Vermont | Apr-16 | Apr-26 | May-7 | Aug-22 |
| 52 | California | Apr-17 | Apr-26 | May-7 | Aug-22 |
| 53 | Nebraska | Apr-18 | Apr-26 | May-9 | Aug-24 |
| 54 | California | May-20 | Jul-23 | Jun-3 | Aug-17 |
| 55 | Nebraska | Mar-20 | May-14 | Apr-18 | Aug-26 |
| 56 | California | May-21 | May-30 | Jun-10 | Aug-22 |
| 57 | Nebraska | Apr-19 | Apr-26 | May-9 | Aug-27 |
| 58 | Nebraska | Mar-25 | Apr-3 | Apr-16 | Aug-27 |
| 59 | California | May-14 | May-25 | Jun-4 | Aug-12 |
| 60 | Nebraska | Apr-16 | Apr-20 | May-6 | Aug-15 |
| 61 | California | Mar-28 | Jun-6 | Jun-10 | Aug-23 |
| 62 | Nebraska | Mar-22 | Apr-1 | Apr-18 | Aug-14 |
| 63 | Nebraska | Apr-11 | Apr-21 | May-6 | Aug-20 |
| 64 | Nebraska | Apr-18 | Apr-29 | May-6 | Aug-30 |
| 65 | Nebraska | Apr-23 | May-1 | May-3 | Aug-30 |
| 66 | Nebraska | Apr-22 | May-2 | May-13 | Aug-30 |
| 67 | California | Apr-17 | Jul-18 | May-7 | Aug-30 |
| 68 | Nebraska | Apr-26 | May-10 | May-21 | Aug-28 |
| 69 | Nebraska | Apr-23 | Apr-25 | May-17 | Sep-3 |
| 70 | Nebraska | Apr-24 | May-8 | May-19 | Aug-29 |
| 71 | Nebraska | Apr-22 | May-8 | May-19 | Sep-3 |
| 72 | Nebraska | April-29 | May-10 | May-15 | Sep-4 |
| 73 | Nebraska | May-1 | Aug-5 | May-22 | Sep-4 |
| 74 | Nebraska | May-10 | May-17 | May-23 | Sep-5 |
| 75 | California | May-20 | May-30 | Jun-3 | Aug-30 |
| 76 | California | May-30 | Jun-10 | Jun-17 | Sep-5 |
| 77 | Nebraska | May-1 | May-10 | May-22 | Sep-5 |
| 78 | Nebraska | Apr-18 | May-1 | May-15 | Sep-6 |
| 79 | Nebraska | May-28 | Jun-1 | Jun-10 | Sep-5 |
| 80 | Nebraska | Apr-30 | May-7 | May-23 | Sep-6 |
| 81 | California | Jun-11 | Jun-22 | Jul-1 | Sep-6 |
| 82 | Nebraska | Apr-8 | Apr-20 | May-2 | Sep-4 |
| 83 | Nebraska | Apr-2 | Apr-8 | Apr-24 | Aug-20 |
| 84 | Nebraska | Apr-25 | May-8 | May-14 | Sep-3 |
| 85 | Nebraska | Aug-5 | Sep-9 | Aug-28 | Sep-9 |
| 86 | Nebraska | Apr-9 | Apr-12 | May-9 | Sep-7 |
| 87 | Nebraska | May-29 | June-6 | July-9 | Sep-10 |
| 88 | California | May-3 | May-12 | May-25 | Aug-2 |
| 89 | Nebraska | Apr-30 | Aug-5 | May-23 | Sep-10 |
| 90 | Nebraska | May-3 | Jun-11 | Jun-28 | Sep-11 |
| 91 | Nebraska | Apr-26 | May-10 | May-21 | Sep-12 |
| 92 | Nebraska | Apr-15 | April-25 | May-1 | Sep-12 |
| 93 | Nebraska | Apr-25 | May-6 | May-22 | Sep-11 |
| 94 | Nebraska | April-23 | May-1 | May-15 | Sep-4 |
| 95 | California | May-30 | Jun-6 | Jun-17 | Sep-6 |
| 96 | Nebraska | Apr-4 | May-28 | May-4 | Sep-12 |
| 97 | California | Apr-11 | Jul-12 | Jun-7 | Sep-5 |
| 98 | California | Jun-5 | Jun-13 | Jun-17 | Sep-12 |
| 99 | Nebraska | May-6 | May-20 | May-13 | Sep-12 |
| 100 | Nebraska | May-6 | May-10 | May-25 | Sep-13 |
| 101 | Nebraska | May-13 | May-23 | Jun-9 | Sep-12 |
| 102 | Texas | Jul-1 | Jul-9 | Jul-24 | Sep-12 |
| 103 | Nebraska | May-2 | May-9 | May-24 | Sep-13 |
| 104 | Nebraska | Mar-26 | Apr-4 | Apr-24 | Sep-12 |
| 105 | California | Apr-24 | May-9 | May-7 | Sep-14 |
Hi Kumar – Is it possible to get H4 EAD approved before H4? Both are under process currently and I have completed biometrics. The processing times on the website for the California center says it is processing Feb 2019, applications?! That seems quite off. Could you please shed some light on it?
Hi Usha
I am in the same situation. Can you let me know when did you get your biometrics done i mean how many days after filing.
Thank you
Hi
I filled i129 premium concurrent with i539 + ead i765 for my spouse
Mine was approved in September
Biometrics were taken on September
Do you know you long it takes to be approved?
More or less
Thank you
Grazalema1234,
It varies by location. You need to check USCIS Processing time for H4 EAD
Hi can someone guide me how to file for litigation? Thanks
rashmi,
talk to an immigration attorney.
If I apply H4 extension and H4EAD extension together. Do I need to pay biometric fee twice.
AK,
No, only once. Biometrics is only for H4 and not for EAD.
Thanks does anyone have any update about recent h4 EAD like how much time it takes to get biometric appointment after receipt date and after that how long it takes to get approval? My receipt date is August 13th and my EAD is expiring on November 11. Do I have any chance to get an approval by that time? I am so worried seeing that people are waiting from March and April so do I have any chance? I am currently working and I don’t want to loose my job. If someone can guide me I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance ??
rashmi,
It is totally varying case by case. Not very consistent. Some got biometrics for something that was filed recently, some old filings are not yet ready for biometrics…so, hard to say…Try to follow up with USCIS, not much we can do other than that.
Thank you so much for replying on my query i really appreciate it.
hi rashmi , iam also sailing in the same boat. My ead is valid until dec 6th. My application receipt date is july end 2020.
My current ead is valid until d.ec 6rh
I have not received the biometrics appointment yet. Worried if iam going to get all processed before December
Hi I know how you feel, but I recently found out one of my friend got her biometric appointment just yesterday on Thursday sep 10th and her receipt date is also end of the july she got her biometric appointment letter last week, but she is only applies for h4 extension and not EAD. I heard that people who is applying for both h4 and EAD together are not getting biometric appointment sooner than people applying for h4 only. I am just hoping that by next week I will get my biometric appointment. I will keep you posted. Thanks ???
Thanks Admins for putting this page up. Although the main article is outdated right now, but the comments give a fair idea on current processing times and what to expect. Here are my updates
Applied for my H1B, my wife’s H4 and H4 EAD on Oct 08 2019 at the Nebraska center. H1B was premium processing. Received notice for all 3 applications on Oct 09 2019.
My H1B was processed and approved on Oct 18 2019.
My wife’s H4 Biometrics appointment was scheduled on Nov 01 2019.
After this, there was no movement on my wife’s application until mid Jan 2020. I contacted RN Law Firm, Texas and filed litigation on Jan 27 2020.
Both Jan 28 2020, both H4 and H4 EAD was approved. EAD card was received on Feb 03 2020.
Recap
Application Date (H1, H4 & H4 EAD) – Oct 08 2020
H1 approval – Oct 18 2020
H4 Biometrics – Nov 01 2020
Litigation Filed on – Jan 27 2020
Approval on – Jan 28 2020
EAD card received on – Feb 03 2020
Anup,
Agree, the main article is no longer fully relevant. Need to find ways to organize it properly.
Thanks for sharing !
Do you think the litigation helped ? I am not sure, if they would have looked at it immediately ? as it was approved next day…what did RN Law firm say ?
Hi Anup, I am facing a similar situation . My wife’s H4 + EAD application receipt date is 28th Dec 2019 . Biometrics have been done but there is no update till now. Can you please guide me the litigation process?
Thanks
Shailesh
Hi Anup,
I have a doubt. When you applied for your wife’s H4 and H4 EAD, was yourI140 already approved? Before I140 can we apply for H4 EAD?
Our current scenario- My husband’s H1B has been approved (regular processing) and H4 is still pending approval and showing 9 to 11months. Not applied for H4 EAD yet.
Applied for H4 + H4 ead and H1-b Premium processing on 9/22/19
H1-b approved 9/25/19
H4 biometrics done 10/10/19
H4 case approved 1/8/20
Does not say anything about H4 ead, will it be included with H4 approval?
Usually, they should come around similar time. Just wait or you can call up USCIS.
Hi,
I have already got biometrics for my current h4 petition. However, I have to apply for h4 extension again soon as my current h4 is only for 6 months. Do I need to take biometrics again? I heard that biometrics is valid for 15 months. Please let me know. Thanks.
Yes, they will request for another biometrics.
Hi all,
I have my h4 biometrics scheduled for 12/10 in dover,DE..
Need info if i can walk in for biometric before 12/10. Would this delay processing time for h4 and h4 ead..please pour in your suggestion and experience..TIA
Hi Expert,
My wife is having most recent expired H4 visa on her old passport with maiden name. She is in INDIA now. And she got new passport with new name after marriage.
Is she eligible for DROPBOX option ?
ANSWER to all below question is YES
1. I have a previous U.S. visa in the same class as the visa for which I wish to apply
2. My most recent visa was issued in India
3. I received my visa after January 1, 2008
4. My prior visa is not annotated “Clearance Received” or “Department Authorization”.
5. My most recent visa (in the same class for which I am applying) was issued on or after my 14th birthday
6. My most recent visa (in the same class for which I am applying) was not lost/stolen or cancelled.
7. I have no refusals for a visa in any class after my most recent visa issuance
8. If I am applying for an H or L (individual) or R visa, my prior visa in the same class is still valid or expired within the last 12 months.
Answered in forum.
Hello,
I got my H4 EAD on Aug 24th,but still no updates on my H4 approval.Online status for H4 says”We cannot provide any information at this point”.
Due to which ,I cannot renew my license.Has anyone renewed license with H4 -EAD?Any inputs on this thought would be appreciated.
Center:Nebraska
My receipt date is -April 2nd (H1,H4,EAD all filed in premium)
H4 Ead Approved-Aug 24th
Hi I have a query.
If H1b and H4 EAD are filed together concurrently filed under premium processing do both decisions comes together in 15 days ? And the 15 days also includes biometrics ?
Please help?
I filed H1+H4+H4EAD extension in CA processing center on April 18th. After RFE the H1 got approved on June 3rd. Biometrices happened on May 6th. Its been 5 months and status shows “Case was updated to show all fingerprints were taken and case is in process”. Unable to raise SR and it was denied.
Anyone in the same boat? If I go to India and apply for DS160 and go for H4 Stamping will the current H4 extn cancelled? In that case existing H4 EAD application is enough or I have to submit a new one and wait for another 3 months?
Read Travel out with H4 visa pending with USCIS
Thank you so much for the response
Any May first week EAD approvals from Nebraska?
@AKB someone mentioned that June first week some approvals from Nebraska center in trackit. I saw that comment in this page or next page.
Thank you so much for updating this information. Its very helpful .
For Vermont center, the stats shows average of 79 days but when i check it in online tracker in another forum, it shows approval mostly after 150 days (sorry for referencing another forum). Also, after line#13, I can see hardly any approval details shared for Vermont Center.
I totally understand that the data is based on details provided by others but want to get your perspective for Vermont center.
My application is submitted in Vermont center recently .
I wish, I had an answer….The user contributed data for Vermont is very low, we have only 12 cases…I cannot speak for other forums, I tried to put all the info we got in our Blog and WhatsApp groups here. My perspective is, data could be skewed as the sample is low… If they have similar stats like here, then you can go by majority of cases.
I applied for my ead renewal in March 25 and I was not asked for a biometric . My h4 visa got approved in April but still now no news on ead approval. The status shows case received on April 3. Is there anything I can do to expedite the case?
Many are waiting and their expedite requests have been turned down…You can try, but you need luck…
Hi, you should be able to raise service request. I think the date provided in the “check processing times” would be higher than yours.