FHA Streamline Refinance Question

[Tim Porsche]

Hi All, I'm in the process of trying to do an FHA Streamline Refinance on an FHA mortgage I have. I've talked to my mortgage holder about this and he said I could save about $40 a month doing the refinance, with no out of pocket costs, so it's definitely something I want to pursue. My questions are...

1. How long does getting this refinance done typically take? Every time I ask for an update and what the status of it is, I have to email them at least 2-3 times before I receive a response. It feels like their dragging their feet, but maybe it's just my imagination? In the latest email I received they said they want to wait and see if mortgage rates go any lower...which is what they did for the original mortgage by the way, and I did get a good rate. 

2. My mortgage broker said that for several years, getting any refund on the upfront mortgage premium has gone away in the nation. From what I understood, this upfront MIP refund is why the mortgage could be refinanced without any out of pocket expenses. Has this refund indeed gone away, and if so, is there another way I would be able to refinance without any out of pocket expenses?

Thanks in advance for any advice!