I found this post:
the way it works is that you sign up, and get UPTO 7 days early access depending on when you typed in your pre order code.
if you downloaded the client and it asks you for a subscription it means your done patching, nobody will be able to set up a subscription till you recieved your copy / cd key for the actual game, which you need to put in LATEST 20'th december (if you want to continue playing)
Bioware hasnt promised anyone any amount of days, they are very vocal about "people will be invited in the order that they redeemed their code" so there is 2 million people before you on the early access invite, but i wouldnt worry too much, seeing as how the stress test beta weekend was handled like the early access is going to
and the latest invite to the beta weekend was the 2nd day of invites. so if thats any guideline hopefully everyone will be in and playing on the 2nd maybe 3rd day (this is speculation as nobody can be sure but bioware, im just telling you what ive noticed)
Hope it clears a few things up.
All you can do now is -
1) Wait till the 13th, check your e-mail for invite around 6-7 am pst,
2) if you dont get one try again 14th, then the 15th. etc. untill you get the mail telling you that your in the next wave of early accessers
3) Play the early access till the 20th
4) add your gamecopy-cd key to keep playing
5) Christmas and star wars
