US military wives...

[yobmica@guilar 0]

my husband is in military, our case is under review for ds230 application. and Ive read military can expedite their cases in NVC.. so my question is. on what stage of processing can my husband expedite our case? thanks.

[Scott and Mhay 57]

you can do it at any and every stage. Have you already sent the 230? if so, it probably wont help to send an expedite request. Most of the time they want to see deployment orders. That is what I sent...deployment orders, proof of service letter, and a cover letter asking to be expedited.

[Catt 6]

you can do it at any and every stage. Have you already sent the 230? if so, it probably wont help to send an expedite request. Most of the time they want to see deployment orders. That is what I sent...deployment orders, proof of service letter, and a cover letter asking to be expedited.

Yes, it would definitely still help/be possible to send an expedite request!

The same goes for the Embassy/Consulate stage.

Deployment orders are NOT necessary - since military expedites are also granted when the soldier does not have deployment orders. In that case, a letter of the soldier's CO helps. And on top of that, help of a Senator/Congressman can make things go even a bit faster.

All of this has already been covered at length in other threads. Search for the thread "Expedite Tips" in the CR-1/IR-1 Forum, and you should find all the info you would need.

Good luck.

[Scott and Mhay 57]

the reason i said it would not help much at the NVC if you already sent the DS-230 and AOS is because even though I had an expedite request...my stuff sat there from 4th of March until 16th of March. If they are already reviewing the documents...they will probably be done by the time they get around to reviewing the expedite request.

[yobmica@guilar 0]

the reason i said it would not help much at the NVC if you already sent the DS-230 and AOS is because even though I had an expedite request...my stuff sat there from 4th of March until 16th of March. If they are already reviewing the documents...they will probably be done by the time they get around to reviewing the expedite request.

thanks guys... my husband was advised to expedite our case and he called the NVC about it and he was told that they only expidite cases if a soldier is on deployment..so i guess we have to wait then..

[Catt 6]

thanks guys... my husband was advised to expedite our case and he called the NVC about it and he was told that they only expidite cases if a soldier is on deployment..so i guess we have to wait then..

That is incorrect, because I know for a fact NVC has already expedited military cases without actual deployment orders.

On the phone they can tell you no matter what though...

I remember we had called USCIS (earlier stage) and they had also said: no expedite without deployment orders. However, we did file it - with help of our Senator - and the expedite request (and subsequently our I-129F and I-130 petitions) got approved within one day. We did not request expedite at NVC level, since we were going for K3, but other people have already done so successfully.

Luckily these days NVC seems to be moving quite fast, so you might not lose too much time if you just wait it out with NVC (check out the threads about NVC stage to see how long the average wait time is these days).

If you do want to file the expedite request, then I would advise your husband contacts his Senator/Congressman. Some are extremely helpful and should be able to help you (some are not, but if that happens, just contact someone else). They can also help you at the next stage, at Embassy/Consulate level.

Edited March 18, 2010 by Catt

[Inky 1,110]

Have you called military hotline? They were very helpfull to my husband when the other phone lines werent helpfull at all.

[Scott and Mhay 57]

thanks guys... my husband was advised to expedite our case and he called the NVC about it and he was told that they only expidite cases if a soldier is on deployment..so i guess we have to wait then..

I just returned from a deployment (even put that in my letter to the Supervisor). You dont "need" deployment orders, but they do help. Your husband could get a letter from his commanding officer stating the stresses of dealing with the immigration process...because military need to focus on their jobs more. Also, if your husband is on the hook to deploy, but doesnt know exactly when, that can be put in the letter.

[yobmica@guilar 0]

I just returned from a deployment (even put that in my letter to the Supervisor). You dont "need" deployment orders, but they do help. Your husband could get a letter from his commanding officer stating the stresses of dealing with the immigration process...because military need to focus on their jobs more. Also, if your husband is on the hook to deploy, but doesnt know exactly when, that can be put in the letter.

What kind of memorandum does my husband need from his XO?

[Scott and Mhay 57]

do a search on here..there is example letters. I cant remember who's profile had links to their site and example letters. Hopefully someone else will remember or have one.

[Catt 6]

What kind of memorandum does my husband need from his XO?

The letter from his CO should be brief and to the point:

Name/rank of soldier, unit, job description.

Your name - immigration case number - what you wanted expedited.

Furthermore it should just state that the soldier needs to be able to fully focus on the job at hand.

The uncertainty of knowing if/when his fiancee/wife will be able to join him in the US is hindering that.

So it is therefore of the utmost importance (DOD national interest situation - look up the thread 'Expedite Tips' I mentioned and do some research, it really is all in there ...) that your case be handled/approved immediately.