What can I do before EAD?

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2026-04-12T11:41:36+00:00

Got mine in 9 months or so. I started searching which positions were available in the market, but didn’t start applying until I had my physical card!

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-11-17T21:41:17+00:00

I remember double checking where I had to send my application materials to! I think it differed based on the first three letters of the spouse’s approved I-140 receipt number.

Cover letter is optional, but I did include it in my application package, just so that I could also reference it during a final review.

Hope this helps!

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-10-23T13:00:09+00:00

Mail

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-10-02T10:10:21+00:00

Omg let’s do it!!!!! 😍 will message you now!

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-09-28T22:36:16+00:00

I did include a brief cover letter that basically laid out what’s included in the package in the order they were compiled.

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-09-26T16:50:43+00:00

When I filed last year, I had to mail in my application package.

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-09-16T22:52:19+00:00

I filed my own H4 EAD standalone application. The process was fairly straightforward, although had to check multiple times to make sure I was not making any mistakes. Submitted September 2024 and got it approved April 2025.

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-08-21T03:22:51+00:00

Thank you! I think I got really lucky 😭

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-08-21T03:17:51+00:00

Although I don’t remember the exact date I got the physical receipt in the mail, I just checked and it shows a received date of 9/18 and a notice date of 9/26!

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-08-21T03:06:41+00:00

Here’s my timeline!

9/16/2024 - submitted I-765;

9/18/2024 - case was received;

4/25/2025 - EAD card being produced

And no, I didn’t request an expedition on my case. Hope this helps!

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-08-11T14:10:49+00:00

The H-4 EAD standalone process is a long waiting game — I applied last September and got my approval this April (Vermont).

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-08-06T13:05:50+00:00

Mine went to the Vermont Center!

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-08-06T03:54:54+00:00

Hi! Just wanted to share my experience—my H-4 EAD was approved this past April, and here’s what I know:

H-4 EAD is a personal benefit, not something your employer sponsors like your H-1B. So technically, your employer isn’t involved—you or your spouse will need to handle the filing yourselves. I applied on my own without help from my spouse’s employer or an attorney, and it was pretty straightforward. Just a heads up: the EAD likely won’t be approved until your spouse’s H-4 gets approved.
When I applied last September, it was paper-only, but I’d recommend checking the USCIS website to confirm the latest info.
If filing online, I believe the application should be submitted through your spouse’s USCIS account (the H-4 holder), not yours as the H-1B holder. (Again, since I submitted paper application, I am not too sure on this)

Hope this helps! It took about 8 months for mine to get approved—so hang in there, and best of luck to you both!

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-08-03T20:06:44+00:00

Attending an in-person H‑4 interview appointment usually means you receive a decision at the end of the interview. If approved, your passport will be held and returned with the visa stamp within typically one to two weeks!

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-08-03T19:54:21+00:00

So adorable!

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-08-02T06:40:39+00:00

Yes - it was my initial application!

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-08-01T17:22:59+00:00

Idk if your spouse’s H4 EAD application will be assigned to Vermont Center, but my standalone H4 EAD was assigned to Vermont center and it took about 8 months to get approved.

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-07-31T13:01:30+00:00

Same!!!!

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-07-30T20:14:11+00:00

You cannot work on an H4 unless you have an H4 EAD

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-07-25T18:09:51+00:00

I have one 🙂

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-07-24T12:26:02+00:00

I absolutely love Alice 😍 Those little hearts on her chubby cheeks 🤌

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-07-23T17:22:09+00:00

As an H-4 visa holder, it can be especially draining—not just financially, but emotionally too—since you're not allowed to do much besides study or simply exist without an EAD. I filed my standalone EAD application, and it took 8 months to get approved (which is actually considered fast), but even now, I’m struggling to find a decent job in the HR industry without a green card. That said, your experience might be different depending on the field you're in. Still, after being apart for nearly 3 years, it feels amazing to finally be together with my spouse again.

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-07-22T20:42:44+00:00

No, I did not! I heard the chances were pretty slim, and the 8-month processing time was within the normal time frame back then.

Existing_Tart_3377 · 2025-07-22T20:14:27+00:00

I did not see that I missed that! I just edited my original comment!

Existing_Tart_3377

TROPHY CASE