Apart from the couple of days you save to send forms to the NVC via FedEx or other overnight carrier, does using this method save any time? Like does it get opened and processed quicker? I say no, my husband says probably. Who owes who a pint tonight?

I can't speak for the NVC, but I work in the mail room of an agency that processes lots of incoming applications and time sensitive stuff. When we get something special delivered (FedEx, DHL, UPS or USPS Express/Priority Mail) I open it immediately and deliver it to whomever's gonna process it. Things that come in the regular mail get opened in a batch, generally once a day, then delivered immediately to a processor. I'm pretty sure that once a document makes it to the processor, though, it's processed at the same rate as anything else. Well, maybe rush deliveries get picked off the processing stack first because they're shiny.

But I suspect NVC has a lot more rush deliveries than my office does. It's unlikely it makes much difference in internal processing speed.

I suspect he owes you a pint!! Bottoms up!!