July 3 filer, not receipt yet, how to file for spouse before 8/1

Hi, there,
I just post a question for a friend.
The hu*****and filed 485 on July 3rd, 2007 while his wife in China for vocation. Now his wife came back and got ready to file her 485 as a dependent. But the attorney said she couldn't file before the hu*****and get receipt. If the wife wanted to fiel before 8/17, what to do? Thanks for any suggestion and advice.