Rexxx

Basically just share my own experience here. Trying to help all the fellow comrades here.
 
As an active duty military member, I am not deploying anytime soon, and I filled i130 using normal route.
However, after a month of waiting,  I read USCIS, DOS, and US Embassy does review expedite request in a case by case basis, then I thought why not give it a try.
 
All I did was to ask my supervisor to write a official letter ( not my commanding officer) addressed to USCIS, explaining my situation and possible deployment (as an AD military, we all are possible to deploy anytime). I sent out the letter once its been reviewed through my peers and did some revision, USCIS received second day, and the case got approved the next day and got sent to NVC
 
While waiting my case to get to NVC, I have been contacting US Embassy over email,  they even pre-approved my expedite request long before my case reached NVC. What happen was as soon as NVC received my case and assigned my case number, I got a second email saying it;s on its way to US Embassy, skipping whole NVC stage. All these happened within 10 minutes.
 
One day after US Embassy received the case, they sent me the welcome letter, required documents to bring to the interview, and the actual interview day immediately.
 
All I am trying to say is, go TRY. It can be done even if we are not deploying. Don't say NO to yourself before they said no, the worst thing can happen is they say no and the petition will still go on normal processing time, won't cause any delay anyway.
 
 

First of the all, I got mind approved within 2 months.
At first I thought I was expedited because I was military, but it turns out it's only because my receipt number start with IOE, the new filing system. ( perhaps being in the military did helped a bit)
anyway,  that's not the point, today I received an email reply from NVC, and told me it was approved faster simply because I was under the new system.
So, for petitioner who got a receipt number start with IOE, this is definitely a good new to you all.
 
below are the exact email reply from NVC
"Greetings from the Department of State's National Visa Center (NVC). We are contacting you regarding your recently approved immigrant visa petition. Based on your USCIS receipt number, your case benefited from a pilot electronic process for the I-130 petition. USCIS reviewed and approved your petition faster than average cases of this type as we develop the fully electronic transfer of data from USCIS to the Department of State.  We thank you for your patience while we continue to refine our process with these electronic petitions. We wanted to alert you that it will likely take longer than the 30-day timeframe mentioned on USCIS's approval notice to you. Despite this delay, please rest assured that we expect the overall time between filing your petition and completing processing with NVC will be far faster than average for this petition type. When we complete the data entry for your case you will be notified by email or letter.  This will include instructions on how to log into the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) to begin case processing with NVC.
 
 

First of the all, I got mind approved within 2 months.
At first I thought I was expedited because I was military, but it turns out it's only because my receipt number start with IOE, the new filing system. ( perhaps being in the military did helped a bit)
anyway,  that's not the point, today I received an email reply from NVC, and told me it was approved faster simply because I was under the new system.
So, for petitioner who got a receipt number start with IOE, this is definitely a good new to you all.
 
below are the exact email reply from NVC
"Greetings from the Department of State's National Visa Center (NVC). We are contacting you regarding your recently approved immigrant visa petition. Based on your USCIS receipt number, your case benefited from a pilot electronic process for the I-130 petition. USCIS reviewed and approved your petition faster than average cases of this type as we develop the fully electronic transfer of data from USCIS to the Department of State.  We thank you for your patience while we continue to refine our process with these electronic petitions. We wanted to alert you that it will likely take longer than the 30-day timeframe mentioned on USCIS's approval notice to you. Despite this delay, please rest assured that we expect the overall time between filing your petition and completing processing with NVC will be far faster than average for this petition type. When we complete the data entry for your case you will be notified by email or letter.  This will include instructions on how to log into the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) to begin case processing with NVC.
 
 

First of the all, I got mind approved within 2 months.
At first I thought I was expedited because I was military, but it turns out it's only because my receipt number start with IOE, the new filing system. ( perhaps being in the military did helped a bit)
anyway,  that's not the point, today I received an email reply from NVC, and told me it was approved faster simply because I was under the new system.
So, for petitioner who got a receipt number start with IOE, this is definitely a good new to you all.
 
below are the exact email reply from NVC
"Greetings from the Department of State's National Visa Center (NVC). We are contacting you regarding your recently approved immigrant visa petition. Based on your USCIS receipt number, your case benefited from a pilot electronic process for the I-130 petition. USCIS reviewed and approved your petition faster than average cases of this type as we develop the fully electronic transfer of data from USCIS to the Department of State.  We thank you for your patience while we continue to refine our process with these electronic petitions. We wanted to alert you that it will likely take longer than the 30-day timeframe mentioned on USCIS's approval notice to you. Despite this delay, please rest assured that we expect the overall time between filing your petition and completing processing with NVC will be far faster than average for this petition type. When we complete the data entry for your case you will be notified by email or letter.  This will include instructions on how to log into the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) to begin case processing with NVC.
 
 

There is a list of criteria on the USCIS to expedite, you can read them to see if you situation match any one of them.

Not exactly, NORMAL route is you call the NVC for expedite request, NVC will contact Embassy to see if they will accept your request, you don’t contact Embassy. 
 
However, I’ve never talk to NVC myself, their hotline is always busy and will not allow you to wait in line as well, the automatic voice message will just to say call again later.
 
I then think about the other way, since Embassy is the one giving the final approval, I contacted Embassy myself, they are nice enough to approve my expedite request, Embassy then contacted NVC for me(they definitely have an insider hotline) , the next morning, I got my case# and my case is being transfer to Embassy for final check and scheduled interview.
 
for document wise, I didn’t send any document to Embassy except the NOA2( i130 APPROVAL NOTICE) I got from USCIS.

Yes you will have to request another expedite on NVC even if you were already expedite on USCIS part. And approval of expedite request is totally up to the Embassy.
I just went through the process,  call NVC, they will take your request, then ask Embassy if they going to take it or not.
i got lucky on this one, I contacted Embassy directly, they approved my request, then ask NVC to send them all files directly. 

Yes you will have to request another expedite on NVC even if you were already expedite on USCIS part. And approval of expedite request is totally up to the Embassy.
I just went through the process,  call NVC, they will take your request, then ask Embassy if they going to take it or not.
i got lucky on this one, I contacted Embassy directly, they approved my request, then ask NVC to send them all files directly. 

don't know about rest,  the medical exam fees vary by cities...and in additional to the exam fee, your spouse may need extra vaccination required by US, and the fee will increase based on how many shots she needs.
 
Tokyo has exam fee around 325, and my wife missing 2 vaccinations, in total she paid almost 500 bucks for everything.

First of the all, I got mind approved within 2 months.
At first I thought I was expedited because I was military, but it turns out it's only because my receipt number start with IOE, the new filing system. ( perhaps being in the military did helped a bit)
anyway,  that's not the point, today I received an email reply from NVC, and told me it was approved faster simply because I was under the new system.
So, for petitioner who got a receipt number start with IOE, this is definitely a good new to you all.
 
below are the exact email reply from NVC
"Greetings from the Department of State's National Visa Center (NVC). We are contacting you regarding your recently approved immigrant visa petition. Based on your USCIS receipt number, your case benefited from a pilot electronic process for the I-130 petition. USCIS reviewed and approved your petition faster than average cases of this type as we develop the fully electronic transfer of data from USCIS to the Department of State.  We thank you for your patience while we continue to refine our process with these electronic petitions. We wanted to alert you that it will likely take longer than the 30-day timeframe mentioned on USCIS's approval notice to you. Despite this delay, please rest assured that we expect the overall time between filing your petition and completing processing with NVC will be far faster than average for this petition type. When we complete the data entry for your case you will be notified by email or letter.  This will include instructions on how to log into the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) to begin case processing with NVC.
 
 

what! never heard about that, i did read some of them said their application with IOE approved after 2,3 month only.
finger crossed!! 2 months in Texas center now

thank you very much, this helped a lot!!!!
I just sent you PM, if you don't mind~

My case is in-transit to Tokyo Embassy!
Will come back for questions!

yes. 
I130, my petition was in Texas, and with IOE receipt number. 
There is no way to track the status with IOE by yourself at all, you HAVE to call to talk to USCIS rep to get the most up to date status. Even automatic USCIS phone bot will not have information about your case.
AFA I was told, our cases fall into new efile system and a lot people have petition approved with 2-3 months without expedite. It only took me 42 days to get it to approve.
 
good luck to you.
 

well, guys.
I finally gather all the documents and I drafted a letter myself and signed by my supervisor, stating I may deploy anytime soon (which is the fact) and some other stuff, 
I send in the documents on 10th May, TSC received on 14th.
Guess what? I called USCIS today just wanted to ask question regarding to change my spouse's last name, they told me it is kind too late I have to ask to change when the file get to national visa center.
 
I was shocked, like what? why.
 
and she told me, because the peition is approved!!! on 16th May.
 
Can't wait to tell my wife about the update!!!

hi guys.
 
just update here!
 
Since I am in the military, I called to request an expedite back in April, it took a while for me to get all the documents.
 
After I finally gather all the additionally documents and I drafted a letter myself and signed by my supervisor, stating I may deploy anytime soon (which is the fact) and some other stuff, 
I send in the documents on 10th May, TSC received on 14th.
Guess what? I called USCIS today just wanted to ask question regarding to change my spouse's last name, they told me it is kind too late I have to ask to change when the file get to national visa center.
 
I was shocked, like wait what? why.
 
and she told me, because the peition is approved!!! on 16th May.
 
I am not sure if this because i have that IOE receipt number, or the letter from my supervisor actually worked,  but it is approved!  
However, myUSCIS still have nothing.
 
Can't wait to tell my wife about the update!!!