Advice on upgrading to Premium Processing

Hi everyone,

I’ve currently applied for pre - OPT and trying to decide whether I should upgrade my pending I-765 to premium processing or continue waiting.

Here are my details:

• Form: I-765 (OPT EAD)
• Filed: Feb 13, 2026
• Status: Still pending (no approval yet)
• Last update: Mar 13, 2026, biometrics appointment
• Biometrics: Completed March 16
• My internship start date is May 11

USCIS says it guarantees a decision within 15 business days once accepted for premium processing. I’m worried about cutting it too close to my start date + moving logistics. At the same time, paying ~$1.7k is a lot if I would’ve gotten approved soon anyway.

My question:

Given my timeline, does it make sense to upgrade to premium processing now, or should I wait another 1–2 weeks and see if it gets approved normally?

Any advice would help!