H-4 EAD

Can I travel while my H-4 EAD is pending?

Question details

First of all thank you for all your blogs and videos on immigration. They are very informative and knowledgeable. I follow your views and suggestions on all my immigration work. I also recommend your suggestions to lot of my friends and colleagues. I appreciate your help towards the community.<br>
I have a situation:<br>
I am in my 3rd year of my H-1B status, my I-140 is approved and need to file for my spouse H-4EAD on May 26, but she needs to travel to India for family reasons in August this year.<br>
Questions:<br>
1) Will that be a Ok for her to travel to India while her H-4 EAD petition is pending?<br>
2) How long will the petition will take to come to a decision (~estimate)?<br>
3) What happens if her H-4 EAD petition gets approved and she is in India? Does she have to go to the US Embassy again?<br>
4) (Being positive but need to think the other sides of a same coin) what happens if her H-4 EAD petition gets denied? Will she be able to retain her H-4 status? Will she able to enter US without any issues?<br>
5) What would you suggest? Will that be ok for her to visit (or) to wait till the decision is made on her H-4 EAD petition?

See clip from Attorney Rajiv S. Khanna's conference call video that addresses this question. 

https://youtu.be/8N82R3qAiJo?t=123

FAQ Transcript:

Recording of Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday) 2015, May 28

Immigration.com

Nonimmigrant Visas

Substantial transcription for video

FAQ H-4 EAD Issues:
Travel while EAD is pending; filing I-539 with I-765; I-140 withdrawal

USCIS Started Accepting EAD Applications for Certain H-4 Dependent Spouses

REMINDER: Do NOT submit an application for employment authorization (Form I-765) before May 26, 2015. USCIS will not accept a Form I-765 requesting employment authorization based on your H-4 status until the H-4 rule takes effect on May 26, 2015. If you submit a Form I-765 requesting employment authorization on this basis before May 26, 2015, USCIS will reject and return your application with the filing fee. You would then need to re-submit the application on or after May 26, 2015.

H-4 EAD Expediting Possible?

Question details

My wife is eligible for H-4 EAD, I know there is no formal way for expediting the process but I've seen a clause in F-1 (OPT) EAD process called "financial loss" and if you've got a job and submit the offer letter while you're waiting for an EAD to get approved, they process your case faster and you get the EAD much sooner than expected. Does this rule apply for H4-EAD as well?

See clip from Attorney Rajiv S. Khanna's conference call video that addresses this question.

H-4 EAD - Documents needed; name issues; processing times, etc.

Question details

Q1. Among the documents needed for filing H-4, what are the ones we really need to make sure, we have them. I mean few like Date of Birth Certificate from Indian Municipal/Registration office..... is that needed even for H-4 EAD. What if the name on the Birth Certificate from Registration office is different from name on Passport? What should be done here? Any other documents etc. we need to be careful about and should be working to get ready now. (Education certificates and marriage certificate etc. we already have)
Q2. Would it again be first come -first served in terms of filing H-4 EAD? I mean people who file on May 26-27 --would their applications be processed earlier than the ones who file little later.
Q3. Approximately how much time it’s expected for EAD to arrive, everything going well
Q4. One last question, if I happen to change my employer at this time, and if my GC process is re-initiated would my wife be still eligible for filing H-4 EAD or NOT ( in a situation if old employer revokes I-140 )

 
Video URL
FAQ Transcript

A1. So far it appears to me and again we don’t have the details yet. The very least you will need is proof of marriage and birth certificate. I don’t think that is the normal requirement but I believe proof of relationship should be acquired and kept. Then the question what if the names on the birth certificate and passport are different.... we still don’t know lot about these issues. I would say an affidavit explaining the discrepancy and probably making efforts to remove the discrepancy whether you want to have the passport issued under the correct name or whether you want to have a Indian court give a declaratory judgment of some kind that the name X and Y are the same person. Something like that would be a good idea. But it is not going to stop you H-4 EAD application at least in my mind. I think even education certificates are irrelevant because the H-4 EAD is not given based upon what degrees you have, it is given based upon your relationship with the H-1  holder who is at a certain level of maturity in the green card process. I am not worried about the laminated original document. That doesn’t bother me. 

A2. First of all USCIS just roughly follows the first in, first out rule. They are not always bound by that rule because there are so many variations within the processing times if it is given to a particular officer, which depends on what is their case load is and what if they have to take a couple of days off. It’s not always predictable that you will always be first in and first out.  

A3. Under the regulations USCIS should adjudicate EADs within 90 days. But in case you don’t know they are finding it very difficult to keep to that time. I will be surprised if they are able to keep to the 90 days process, but if it is merely administrative process and there is not a whole lot of investigation involved then I don’t see why not but I really don’t know. 

A4. The government has said as long as you have one I-140 that remains unrevoked they will give us the H-4 EAD. But if the I-140 is revoked then H-4 EAD will not be given.

H-4 EAD - Converting from H-1 to H-4 EAD - good idea or not?

Question details

My I-140 was approved on Sept 2011. I came to US on 2008 beginning on L-1 visa and then my employer converted to H-1 visa. On February'15 I got an extension on my H-1 visa based on I-140 approval but I didn't get it for 3 years from Feb'15 rather I got it till Nov'16 (about 1 year 10 months). I am thinking to join another company now. What should I consider before I transfer my H-1 to employer B from employer A on my situation? My wife is on H-1 and it’s valid till 2018. I am also thinking my wife to apply H-4 EAD rather continuing on H-1. Is that going to be a better option?

See clip from Attorney Rajiv S. Khanna's conference call video that addresses this question. 

https://youtu.be/y6RtaKhuoIY

FAQ Transcript:

H-4 EAD filing while H-1 extension is pending

Question details

I am on H-1B visa more than 6 years. I also have I-140 approved. However my H-1B is under renewal process. I do have 'receipt of notice' but not approval notice yet. Looking at the waiting time I don't think I will get H-1B approval along with renewed I-94 before May 26th 2015. I need to file EAD for my wife on 26th May.

See clip from Attorney Rajiv S. Khanna's conference call video that addresses this question. 

https://youtu.be/y6RtaKhuoIY

Recording of Community Conference (Every Other Thursday) 2015, April 30

Profession/Occupation

Substantial transcription for video

FAQ: H-4 EAD filing while H-1 extension is pending; H-4 EAD. Converting from H-1 to H-4 EAD - good idea or not? H-4 EAD. Documents needed; name issues; processing times, etc.; H-4 EAD Expediting Possible?
Other Topics: Green card issues because of diseases; H-1 amendment with change of location; when is a degree considered to be completed;